Is the Muslim Brotherhood Moderate or Radical?


I have been doing some research on the Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwan al-Muslimeen) for some time and am still a little bit unsure about whether to classify them as a moderate or radical group. They may belong to a special category or even to more than one category – after all, this is a group of largely autonomous Muslim Brotherhood organizations that exist in many countries (some say as many as seventy countries). Also, the groups in different countries have gone through phases of violence and non-violence, depending on the disposition of leaders and the organization’s relationship with the government. Also, Muslim Brotherhood organizations don’t always work under the official name of the international organization that inspires them. The Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood happens to call itself by another name: HAMAS – hardly a moderate group.


Thanks to a blog post by Patrick Poole, a number of recent articles on the subject of the Muslim Brotherhood have come to my attention. Poole is actually being critical of at least three sources that encourage U.S. engagement with the Muslim Brotherhood. I’m currently holding back on answering the question in the title of this post – but I’ll admit I’m a bit of a skeptic when it comes to this group. Rather than try and tell people what to think (at least for now), I’ll just link to some papers and articles. It might be interesting to hear what others think on the subject.


“Mainstreaming the Muslim Brotherhood” by Patrick Poole at Frontpage Magazine (March 26, 2007)


“The Moderate Muslim Brotherhood” by Robert Leiken and Steven Brooke in Foreign Affairs March/April 2007


“The Little Explored Offshore Empire of the International Muslim Brotherhood” by Douglas Farah (April 18, 2006)


“Islam is only place to turn” by Mitch Potter in the Toronto Star (March 24, 2007)


“Hear out Muslim Brotherhood” by Joshua Stacher and Samer Shehata in the Boston Globe (March 25, 2007)


“A More Islamic Islam” by Geneive Abdo in the Washington Post (March 17, 2007)


Related Topics:


Ikhwan Complex:
Ikhwanweb -London, UK
Stacher & Shehata: US should talk to MB
By Issandr El Amrani
MB Today [About MB]
Ikhwanweb -London, UK
Online Library
Ikhwanweb -London, UK
The vision of MB concerning reform and development
Ikhwanweb -London, UK
Time to take a stand on Egypt’s democracy
Ikhwanweb -London, UK
Democracy also means that Islamists are allowed to vote
Ikhwanweb, London-UK
Time to take a stand on Egypt’s democracy
Ikhwanweb, London-UK
The Challenge of Democracy In the Muslim World
Ikhwanweb, London-UK
Shock! Comment is Free item concerning Islam actually half-decent!
By Barb Kerr(Barb Kerr)
Crackdown By A Clique
Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh, The Guardian – Cairo, Egypt


Other Topics:


The Multifaceted Muslim Brotherhood
Marisa Morrison, The National Interest – Washington, DC, US
WH On Wrong Side Of Muslim Brotherhood
Stephen Glain, The Nation, U.S
Strategic Thinking about the Muslim Brotherhood
The National Interest Online – Washington,DC,USA
Which Will It Be, Stability or Democracy?
Nick Fielding, Antiwar.com – Redwood City,CA, US
The Muslim Brotherhood: Enemy or Ally?
Ikhwanweb, London-UK
We Must Engage With Moderate Muslims
Michael Gove, The Guardian – London, UK
Open Forum on The Muslim Brotherhood
Ikhwanweb, London-UK
United States stops entry of British Muslim leader
Reuters – USA
Muslim Brotherhood Opens Office in Washington
AINA – Modesto,CA,USA
NYU IN ISLAM FUROR
NYPOST.COM
Engaging Moderate Muslims—Really?
Steven Brooke, National Interest Online – Washington, U.S
Waiting For Futouh
Shadi Hamid, Democracy Arsenal , USA
Talk to the Brotherhood
The National Interest Online – Washington,DC,USA