The International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) has announced that it has presented Emeritus Awards to five its members, all of whom can be considered “founding fathers” of the US Muslim Brotherhood. According to the IIIT announcement:
Ahmad Totonji Receiving Award
On March 7, 2014, IIIT presented its Emeritus Awards to 4 of its distinguished members. The event took place in Istanbul, Turkey and celebrated the outstanding lifetime contributions of each member in his own field.
Dr. AbdulHamid AbuSulayman was granted the title of President Emeritus in appreciation and recognition of his outstanding lifetime scholarly contribution to the Reform of Islamic Thought and the development of its methodology and the advancement of the IIIT mission worldwide.
Dr. Jamal Barzinji’s title is Vice President Emeritus and was given to him in appreciation and recognition of his outstanding lifetime contribution to the Reform of Islamic Thought and the development of Strategies and the advancement of the IIIT mission worldwide.
Dr. Taha Al Alwani received the title of Trustee Emeritus in appreciation and recognition of his outstanding lifetime scholarly contribution to the Reform of Islamic Thought through the development of Social and Cultural ijtihad and the advancement of the IIIT mission worldwide. His grandchildren received the award on his behalf.
Dr. Hisham Altalib was presented with the Trustee Emeritus title in appreciation and recognition of his outstanding lifetime scholarly contribution to the Reform of Islamic Thought through the development of training and parenting programs and the advancement of the IIIT mission worldwide.
Dr. Ahmad Totonji was presented with the Trustee Emeritus title in appreciation and recognition of his outstanding lifetime scholarly contribution to the Reform of Islamic Thought through the advancement of the IIIT mission worldwide.”
The choice of Istanbul is significant given the greatly enhanced role of Turkey in the last years as a supporter of the Global Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas.
The International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) describes itself as “a private, non-profit, academic, cultural and educational institution, concerned with general issues of Islamic thought and education” and using the slogan “Towards Islamization of Knowledge and Reform of Islamic Thought.” The concept for IIIT was developed at a meeting held in Lugano, Switzerland that was attended by many luminaries of the Global Muslim Brotherhood including Youssef Qaradawi. IIIIT was founded in the U.S. in 1980 by U.S. Muslim Brotherhood leaders including Iraqi-born Jamal Barzinji and Hisham Altalib who wished to promote the Islamization of Knowledge as conceived by Ismail Al-Faruqi and who were also early leaders of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). A 1991 internal document of the US Muslim Brotherhood, introduced as evidence in the holy Land Foundation trial, included IIIT in “a list of our organizations and organizations of our friends.”
IIIT was associated with the now defunct SAAR Foundation, a network of Islamic organizations located in Northern Virginia that was raided by the Federal government in March 2002 in connection with the financing of terrorism and both organizations had been under investigation at that time by the U.S. Justice Department until at least mid 2007. The organization appeared to have withdrawn from public view following the 2002 raids but seems to be enjoying a renaissance of late. The IIIT Council of Scholars includes a number of important individuals from the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood such as Ingrid Mattson, the former President of ISNA. IIIT has a network of affiliates located in Europe, Africa, the MIddle East, and Asia and is heavily involved with publishing and promoting publications by Global Muslim Brotherhood leaders including Youssef Qaradawi. In 2008, a South African Islamic organization described Global Muslim Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi as a member of the board of IIIT.
