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Ahmed El-Tayeb
Global media widely reported last week on the appointment of Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed al-Tayeb as head of Al-Azhar, replacing Mohammed Sayed Tantawi who died recently on a trip to Saudi Arabia. According to an Al-Jazeera report:
Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, has named Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed al-Tayeb as head of Al-Azhar, the country’s most prestigious seat of Islamic learning, state television reported. Mubarak, who is recovering from gall bladder surgery in Germany, appointed Tayeb on Friday, nine days after the death of Sheikh Mohamed Sayed Tantawi, the previous head of the institution. Al-Azhar institution, which includes a 10th century mosque, a university and several affiliated schools, is Sunni Islam’s highest seat of learning. Its role is to propagate Islamic teachings and culture around the world. “I want to express my deep appreciation of the trust bestowed on me by President Hosni Mubarak,” Tayeb told the MENA news agency by telephone from his home town of Al-Qurna. The grand imam of Al-Azhar has been appointed by presidential decree since 1961 and the institution receives most of its funding from the state, opening up the post to criticism of being too close to the government. Tayeb is known for his tough stance against the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s largest and most organised opposition group, which remains officially banned despite popular support. In 2006, he condemned a military-style parade by Brotherhood students at Al-Azhar University in which they wore black facemasks “like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Republican Guard in Iran,” he said at the time. Born in 1946, Tayeb joined an Al-Azhar affiliated school at the age of 10. He has spent more than 40 years at the institution, receiving a PhD in religion and philosophy from al-Azhar university in 1977 before becoming a faculty member and then dean of the philosophy department. Tayeb has been in charge of the al-Azhar university since 2003 and was Grand Mufti, Egypt’s highest religious legal authority, from 2002 to 2003. He is widely considered to be a moderate.
The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood website, however, is reporting that Dr. Al-Tayeb has made positive comments on the Brotherhood:
Newly appointed top cleric Dr Ahmed Altayeb maintained that he appreciated the role of the Muslim Brotherhood Movement in Egypt. In a statement to “Ikhwanweb” the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar affirmed that the Movement was “Just as entitled as any other National political party or Islamist group to participate in its activities so long as it adhered and conformed to regulations. Tayeb asserted that he welcomed the Brotherhood’s observance to the principle of constructive criticism describing it as mature and cultured. He established that the Azhar institution was open to any Islamic effort which would benefit the Azhar’s institution and enrich its history. He rebuffed allegations that he was appointed as Grand Imam simply because he was a member of the National Democratic Party claiming that his position demanded he be neutral and any decisions made would be based on the Azhar, Egypt and Islam’s welfare in mind. With regards to the Institutions educational syllabus he denied any rumors that the system would be changed stressing that the current curriculum was suitable for all students.Tayeb concluded his statement on the current affairs taking place with the Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people and in particular the Aqsa Mosque “The Palestinian factions must set aside their differences and unite in the face of the tyranny practiced through the Israeli oppression. It is imperative that the Arab League prioritize their agenda and converse in defense of the Muslims Holy sites,
Al-Azhar is considered to be the main center of Islamic and Arabic learning in the world and founded in 970. Al Azhar is a center of Muslim Brotherhood activity and in December 2005, young men from a Brotherhood student group dressed in black and held a military-style parade, complete with martial arts demonstrations, to protest restrictions on student political activities at Al Azhar. Such demonstrations are forbidden in Egypt and the event was the subject of a great deal of local and international media attention. In July 2008 Youssef Qaradawi, a global Muslim Brotherhood leader and harsh critic of Israel, was elected to the Al Azhar Islamic Research Council. Another post discussed an October 2008 Al-Azhar fatwa (Islamic ruling) that authorized computer hacking as a form of jihad against Israel and the United States.
The Egyptian Brotherhood had demanded that the sheikh of Al Azhar be elected by Azhar scholars and not appointed by the president.
GlobalMB @ March 24, 2010
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The Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm has reported that global Muslim Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi has been ousted from the board of the governing body which controls Islam Online. According to the report:
The crisis plaguing Doha-based website Islam online has deteriorated in the wake of a decision by Qatar’s minister of social affairs to oust prominent Egyptian-born cleric Sheikh Youssef el-Qaradawi from his position as head of the Qatari Al-Balagh Soceity, which owns the website. Society Vice-President Ibrahim al-Ansari is reportedly slated to succeed el-Qaradawi. Protesting employees from the website’s Cairo office continued their strike for the tenth consecutive day, announcing the launch of a new initiative entitled, Alam al-Umma, or “Islamic Nation Info,” with the goal of establishing a new website aimed at promoting “moderate” Islam. They called upon Egypt’s newly-appointed Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Ahmed el-Tayyib, to endorse the move. Office staff members say they have received messages of solidarity from a number of public figures, who also condemned el-Qaradawi’s dismissal. These, say striking workers, have included Mohamed Salim el-Awa, vice president of the International Union of Muslim Scholars; author Fahmi Huweidi; journalist Amr el-Shobaki; and Diaa Rashwan of the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies; along with a number of other Muslim scholars. Staff members say that a Coptic delegation will join their protest tomorrow to express solidarity with their cause. Officials at Qatar’s embassy in Egypt were unavailable for comment on the issue when contacted by Al-Masry Al-Youm. Notably, el-Qaradawi’s dismissal came only two days after the respected Muslim scholar had declared that the crisis was on the verge of resolution…Protesters issued a statement condemning a recent decision to disband the society’s board of directors and appoint an interim board–comprised of several of el-Qaradawi’s opponents–in its place. Some suspect the move was instigated by the highest echelons of the Qatari government, especially since Ali el-Amadi–a prime instigator of the crisis and member of the temporary board–was the one who initially notified el-Qaradawi of his dismissal, out of keeping, say critics, with the tact usually afforded to such a prominent scholar. Website Editor-in-Chief Hisham Gaafar said the new initiative would be a joint stock company, shares in which would be made available to anyone interested in taking part. Staff members, he explained, would participate by donating part of their salaries that they had not received yet from the Al-Balagh Society.
Earlier posts have reported on the strike being carried out by Egyptian employes of IslamOnline who claim that Qatar plans to control the site and impose a new editorial policy on it. IOL is probably the most prominent and influential media outlet of the Global Muslim Brotherhood.
Youssef Qaradawi is often referred to here as the most important leader of the global Muslim Brotherhood, an acknowledgement of his role as the de facto spiritual leader of the movement. In 2004, Qaradawi turned down the offer to lead the Egyptian Brotherhood after the death of the Supreme Guide. Based in Qatar, Sheikh Qaradawi has reportedly amassed substantial wealth through his role as Shari’ah adviser to many important Islamic banks and funds. He is also considered to be the “spiritual guide” for Hamas and his fatwas in support of suicide bombings against Israeli citizens were instrumental in the development of the phenomenon. A recent post has discussed a video compilation of Qaradawi’s extremist statements.
GlobalMB @ March 24, 2010
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Mahdi Bray
A militant crowd of about 10,000 marched through the streets of downtown Washington, D.C. The rally and march drew participants from the Midwest, South and East Coast, including organized transportation from over 50 cities in 20 states, from cities as far as Chicago, Bangor, Maine and St. Petersburg, Florida. The march stopped at several significant locations, including the Halliburton office, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, the Washington Post, and the Mortgage Bankers Association building. Marchers carried coffins draped in flags representing the victims of U.S. aggression, including those of Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Lebanon, Somalia, Pakistan, Yemen and the United States. At each stop along the route, they held short rallies, chanted, and left coffins. A contingent of Korean drummers electrified the militant crowd…..The rally before the march included several speakers, including Mahdi Bray, Executive Director of Muslim American Society Freedom; Brian Becker, National Coordinator of the ANSWER Coalition; former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark; Eddie Pages, a veteran with March Forward!; Cindy Sheehan; Mike Ferner, President of Veterans for Peace; Geoff Millard, Chair of National Directors of the Iraq Veterans Against the War; Mara Verheyden-Hilliard of the Partnership for Civil Justice; and Mounzer Sleiman, Vice Chair of National Council of Arab Americans.
A US Park Police officer on the route estimated the crowd as about 2,500.
The MAS was identified in a recent Hudson Institute report as a part of the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood and closely tied to the Egyptian organization. ANSWER, in turn, was the creation of former attorney general Ramsey Clark and his International Action Center and has its roots in the far left Workers World Party. The MAS has participated in events along side ANSWER since 2003 and it is common for Muslim Brotherhood groups in the US and Europe to be found in coalitions with leftwing and far left political groups who also support Palestinian causes.
GlobalMB @ March 23, 2010
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Christian Century has published a short summary on the role that Rashad Hussain, the new US envoy to the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), is playing in the Obama White House. According to the report:
As Obama pursues a “new beginning” between the U.S. and Muslims around the world, he frequently seeks the counsel of Rashad Hussain, a 31-year-old White House lawyer. Hussain briefed Obama before his first interview as president with Al Arabiya, a television station based in the United Arab Emirates. He has also contributed to Obama’s two major speeches to Muslims—in Cairo and in Ankara, Turkey—offering insights about the history of Islam in America and suggesting suitable verses from the Qur’an. Hussain has also traveled to the Middle East with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and he helped organize a Ramadan dinner at the White House that replaced the usual crowd of ambassadors with young American Muslims. In naming Hussain as his envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Obama noted that the young Muslim is a hafiz (someone who has memorized the Qur’an). But Hussain and others said Muslims abroad are more likely to take note of his White House credentials and access to the Oval Office as he seeks partnerships in education, health, science and technology. “For many years, Muslim communities have been viewed almost exclusively through the lens of violent extremism,” Hussain said in an interview. “We do not feel that we should engage one-quarter of the world’s population based on the erroneous beliefs of a fringe few.”
For a short time, Mr. Hussain was embroiled in controversy after the GMBDR reported both his associations with the US Muslim Brotherhood and remarks that he had made in 2004 about the prosecution of convicted terrorist Sami Al-Arian that were later deleted from the publication that reported them. Mr. Hussain at first denied remembering that he had made the remarks calling the prosecution “politically motivated persecution” but later, after an audio tape surfaced documenting the remarks, he acknowledged the comments but said that they had been “ill advised.” Mr. Hussain also admitted that he had complained to the publication about being misrepresented after the remarks were first reported but that the publication had deleted them on their own voilition. The remarks did not appear to have been deleted until after Mr. Hussain had been appointed White House Counsel.
For an analysis of these events, go here.
GlobalMB @ March 23, 2010
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A Polish blog is reporting that the new Saudi-financed mosque being built in Central Warsaw is officially a cultural center. According to the translated report:
Officially it is claimed to be Muslim Cultural Center, but unofficially by opponents and supporters it is referred to as mosque because the plan includes a praying hall and even a minaret. But it is not the building itself that worries the citizens of Warsaw, but preaching that could be spread inside. The investor of the mosque is Liga Muzulmañska w RP (Muslim League in Republic of Poland), a member of Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE), which is known as umbrella organization for Muslim Brotherhood organizations across the Europe. LM does not hide its affiliation and on its pages often quotes not only FIOE official statements but also fatwas and teachings of Jusuf Al Qaradawi, widely known Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader. Although LM tries to keep PR of moderate Muslim faction some of its leaders already exposed their views. Ali Abi Issa, head of imam council, translated and disseminated hadiths where the killing of apostates and adulterers is justified in Muslim state. Samir Ismail the head of LM wrote article about FGM where he presents Muslim jurists’ opinions justifying or allowing FGM to be in decision of parents. The model of LM activity is also similar as model of other Muslim Brotherhood organizations from Europe. Through getting control over majority of mosques they start to claim that they represent majority of Muslims in the country, although only 5-10% regularly visits the mosque (UOIF in France, UCOII in Italy). In Poland LM has 180 active members, but yet claims that it is building the mosque for the population of over 10 000 Warsaw Muslims. The construction has not been accepted unanimously by all members of local municipality. Some, like Tymoteusz Pruchnik and Edward Markowski (PiS) claim that municipality was misguided and the original proposal of LM was only cultural center, recently LM applied for permission for religious activity there. Additionally local politicians must be under pressure as mosque is widely support by Muslim embassies in Poland. f construction works will go undisturbed, LM is going to open the mosque this autumn.
The connections between the Muslim League in Poland and the European Muslim Brotherhood were first reported by the GMBDR in an earlier post.
GlobalMB @ March 23, 2010
