The Women of Political Islam in Europe

The Muslim Brotherhood is trying to convey double talk and hidden messages through its soft power and its media and religious organizations scattered across Europe, primarily through its female arm that tries to display moderation in the public sphere, although the reality seems different.

For some European observers, it seems strange that the Muslim Brotherhood, which publicly shows respect for women, actually maintains a hostile attitude towards them, citing as an example Tariq Ramadan, a leading figure in the extremist organization who presents himself as a progressive reformer and professor at Oxford, but in reality is one of the most ardent supporters of the enslavement of women, according to a report by the platform “The Free Press”.

Not a feminist movement A report by the MENA research center states that the selection of women in senior positions in the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe aims to beautify the organization’s image and protect it from social criticism, complying with the expectations of European politicians for the empowerment of women.

However, analysts argue that we cannot rely on the Muslim Brotherhood’s women coming to the fore to change the organization’s conservative religious positions, especially on issues concerning the freedom of Muslim women, such as the hijab.

Dr. Houda al-Naimi, in a study published by the Trends Research and Consulting Center, states that the women who belong to the Brotherhood do not constitute a true feminist movement based on equality and women’s liberation, but are simply instruments in the hands of the organization’s male elite. Their actions focus on mobilizing voters and attracting new members.

European women on the Brotherhood map The presence of women in the Muslim Brotherhood was limited for decades, but after 2000, the organization developed new roles for women in Europe, making them figures representing various networks and seeking to present the organization as modern and in harmony with Western values.

In Germany, one of these organizations is the Islamic Center for the Reeducation and Training of Muslim Women in Cologne, founded in 1996 by Amina This. In France, the organization FEMYSO, also founded in 1996, has come under criticism for promoting extremist ideas. Himba Latrach, former secretary general of FEMYSO and daughter of French Islamist Mohamed al-Nasser Latrach, is an example of such individuals.

In Italy, the Brotherhood adopts an isolationist discourse and cultivates the idea of ​​the marginalized Muslim, which reinforces extremism, particularly in Milan.

A look ahead The European Centre for Counter-Terrorism Studies advises European countries to impose stricter controls, cut off funding and strengthen cooperation with countries that have listed the Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation. Despite efforts by countries such as France, the Brotherhood’s extremist rhetoric continues to spread and a stronger effort is needed to contain it.