Islamic American University

The Islamic American University (IAU) says it seeks “to train distinguished scholars, activists, leaders, and teachers in the fields of Islamic sciences and Arabic language” and is still pursuing accreditation.[1] It acknowledges that it is part of the Muslim American Society, which it calls “the nation’s largest grass root organization for Islamic work.”[2]

In 2008, American Open University Educational Adviser Dr. Mamdouh Mohamed posted a YouTube video claiming that the Muslim American Society is a Muslim Brotherhood front and it set up IAU to compete with American Open University. He accused the Muslim Brotherhood of spreading misinformation about his school and of trying to penetrate the institution.[3] He said the Brotherhood is practicing a policy of “containment” in order to control the Muslim-American community.[4]

Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader Yousef al-Qaradawi was reportedly the chairman of IAU until around 2002.[5] However, in 2006, the Muslim American Society website stated that Qaradawi was the chairman of the IAU board of trustees and that Jamal Badawi is the vice chairman of the board.[6] Badawi was named an unindicted co-conspirator in the terrorism-financing trial of the Holy Land Foundation, a charity that he fundraised for. In 2010, he endorsed “combative jihad.” He has also justified suicide bombings and refers to Hamas terrorists as “martyrs.”[7]

The Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America lists Dr. Abdel Azim Al-Siddiq, IAU professor of Islamic law, and Sheikh Mustafa Shahin, an IAU lecturer, among its experts.[8]