Over a third of the individuals who have endorsed a letter of support for recently arrested Malaysian opposition politician Anwar Ibrahim are tied to the global Muslim Brotherhood The letter reads in part:
We, the undersigned, believe the honorable brother Datuk Seri Dr. Anwar Ibrahim to be of the highest ethical and moral integrity, a devout Muslim and a devoted father and husband. He is universally recognized as an advocate for justice and fairness, and he has a long history of promoting Islam and championing Islamic ethical and charitable causes.We are deeply concerned about the physical safety and freedom of our respected brother Datuk Seri Dr. Anwar Ibrahim. We are troubled by the unsubstantiated and clearly scurrilous claims made against him and his character. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:“O ye who believe! Shun much suspicion; for lo! some suspicion is a crime. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Ye abhor that (so abhor the other)! And keep your duty (to Allah). Lo! Allah is Relenting, Merciful.” (The Holy Qur’an, Al-Hujurat, 49:12) Our beloved Malaysia is today one of the leading countries of the Muslim Ummah. It is an example of a successful modern Islamic country, and in many ways a model and example for other Muslim countries. This has been due to the Grace of Allah and then largely to the historical and invaluable efforts and contributions made by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammed and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi (among others). Every Muslim who knows anything about Malaysia is proud and appreciative of these efforts. Equally, every Muslim who knows Malaysian politics is appreciative of the formidable political courage in leadership exhibited by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammed during his time as Prime Minister of Malaysia and of the example of personal piety and forbearance that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi has given the Ummah today. Indeed, perhaps precisely because of Malaysia’s prominence within the Ummah and the world, we would like to point out that the global Muslim community is paying close attention to the way our respected and honorable brother Dr. Anwar Ibrahim is treated. We have no wish to interfere in the internal politics of Malaysia, or in civil and criminal accusations within the country, which we reiterate are ultimately the business only of the Malaysian state and people. However, the spectacle, ten years ago, of our respected brother Datuk Seri Dr. Anwar Ibrahim sitting patiently in court after having been personally and illegally beaten up by then Police Chief of Malaysia is still fresh within our minds as a travesty of justice and impartiality under the law in a leading Muslim country. We are all still ashamed of that image, which will ever be indelibly engraved in our memories. So we remind our bothers in Malaysia that our beloved Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that justice is the very goal of government in Islam.
Signers known to be tied to the global Muslim Brotherhood include:
Dr. Abubaker Al-Shingieti President, American Muslims for Constructive Engagement (AMCE)
Prof. Dr. Akbar Ahmed Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies, American University, Washington DC; Former Pakistani High Commissioner to the UK
Dr. Anas Al-Shaikh-Ali Chair, Association of Muslim Social Scientists UK Academic Advisor, International Institute of Islamic Thought, London
Ms. Asma Mirza President, MSA National (USA)
H.E. Shaykh Prof. Dr. Mustafa Ceri? Grand Mufti and Head of Ulema of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Prof. Dr. Ingrid Mattson President, The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
Dr. Jamal Barzinji Vice-President, International Institute of Islamic Thought, USA
Dr. Marve Kavakci George Washington University
H.E. Amb. Dr. Murad Hofmann Author and Muslim Intellectual, Germany
Prof. Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqui Islamic Scholar and Theologian; Chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America, USA
Mr. Nihad Awad National Executive Director, Co-Founder Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), USA
Dr. Sayyid Syeed ISNA Secretary-General, USA
Dr. Sherman A. Jackson Arthur H. Thurnau Professor of Near Eastern Studies, University of Michigan; Co-Founder The American Learning Institute for Muslims, USA
Prof. Dr. Sulayman S. Nyang Howard University, USA
Dr. Yusuf Islam Composer and Philanthropist, Islamia Schools Trust, London, UK
Dr. Yousuf Zia Kavakci Director Islamic Association of Northern Texas and Member Fiqh Council of North America.
Previous posts have detailed Mr. Ibrahim recent role in Malaysian politics as well as his ties to the global Muslim Brotherhood.