Are American Muslim Leaders Prioritizing Progressivism Over the Deen?
By: Samia M
Tags: Left Wing, Omar Suleiman, Muslim, LGBTQ, Islam

Are American Muslim Leaders Prioritizing Progressivism Over the Deen?

American Muslims have always argued. Back in the 1960s, the Muslim Students Association used to denounce the Federation of Islamic Association because of its mixed gender events. In the 1990s, Salafi and Ikhwani activists in Virginia fought on the streets outside the masjids like “the Bloods and Crips.”

Today, masjid boards sometimes split into two, while Islamic teaching institutes file civil suits against each other, and clerics feel impelled to resign over community disagreements.

But these divisions can and have been overcome.

Now a far more important, intractable argument is brewing — one that will shape American Islam ideologically, for decades to come.

It is an argument that, its fiercest participants claim, will decide whether American Islam remains true to Islamic values, or if it instead chooses the political power that comes with being part of the far-Left movement.

Compromising Islamic Principles

Ustadh Daniel Haqiqatjou is at the front of the fight to keep Islam from dilution. He is particularly concerned about the new generation of clerics — modernists who claim to have left Salafism and other ‘-isms’ and embraced a new, modern understanding of Islam — that is closely intertwined with the secular far-Left:

Haqiqatjou has cataloged and reported on the close involvement of groups such as the Yaqeen Institute with far-Left activists tied to:

“Qadiyanis, feminist reformers of Islam, promoters of US militarism, Zionist collaborators, CVE pushers, promoters of LGBT and blasphemy, even self-labeled ‘female imams.’”

These modernist clerics, Haqiqatjou contends, have so strongly embraced a ‘social justice’ agenda, that they themselves are now a key component of far-Left politics.

Haqiqatjou focuses particularly closely on Imam Omar Suleiman — head of the Yaqeen Institute and perhaps the most prominent cleric in America today — and his close partnerships with leading supporters of the ‘LGBTQ’ movement.

Ilhan Omar

Explaining the “damage caused by Omar Suleiman’s … involvement with left-wing politics,” Haqiqatjou takes aim at Ilhan Omar, and denounces leading Islamic groups, such as CAIR, that promote her as the face of American Islam:

Despite Rep. Omar’s support for these transgender and gay activists, Haqiqatjou notes with despair that Imam Omar Suleiman remains a steadfast supporter of her work:

Is Ilhan Omar outside the fold of Islam? Haqiqatjou clarifies:

When I say Ilhan makes a statement of kufr, I am not making takfir of her. I’m not going to take on the responsibility of saying she is not Muslim because I am not qualified to do so. But I don’t have to affirm that someone who denounces the Sharia, promotes major sins, attacks Muslim nations who follow the Sharia, etc., is Muslim either. (If a qualified mufti would like to deliberate her case and write a fatwa formally making takfir, then that is something that can be shared and spread to warn Muslims of her evil.)

Linda Sarsour

Haqiqatjou is also interested in Suleiman’s close working partnership with Linda Sarsour, the prominent far-Left activist, who describes herself as Muslim. He reveals Sarsour’s willingness to embrace impermissible ideas, and asks:

Linda Sarsour, Haqiqatjou notes in his blog with dismay, is also a prominent and prolific supporter of ‘LGBTQ’ rights:

from Haqiqatjou’s blog, Muslim Skeptic

Nonetheless, Imam Omar is an unwavering supporter of Sarsour:

Jonathan A.C. Brown

It is not just Omar Suleiman who has embraced the ‘LGBTQ’ agenda. Ustadh Jonathan Brown, Haqiqatjou notes, also supports the idea of a joint Islamic-LGBTQ movement:

(from Haqiqatjou’s blog, the Muslim Skeptic)

A Vote-Winner

Given the support for left-wing ideas that challenge Islamic values, it is no surprise, Haqiqatjou argues, that Imam Omar also supports politicians who want to attack Islamic institutions.

Beto O’Rourke wants to remove tax exemptions for mosques:

And yet, Haqiqatjou notes, Imam Omar backed his Senate campaign:

And the consequences of Yaqeen and others getting so closely involved with the American Left?

It seems that Muslim youth are beginning to confuse the fundamentals of Islam with Western political activism

Angry Responses

Addressing his significant number of followers, Haqiqatjou offers a lengthy lecture on the subject of the Yaqeen Institute and its growing partnerships with far-Left activists. His criticisms of the modernists, he notes, has led officials and supporters of the Yaqeen Institute to denounce him as a “munafiq, liar, deceiver,” and “mentally ill.”

And indeed, in recent months, prominent clerics have started to attack Haqiqatjou. As he noted on March 13:

In the wake of the attacks on Haqiqatjou, officials and supporters of the Yaqeen Institute have published statements denouncing Haqiqatjou’s analysis, and defending Yaqeen’s work:

These attacks on Haqiqatjou’s concerns have been shared by some of the most prominent American imams, such as Suhaib Webb.

But Haqiqatjou refuses to back down. He once again noted his critics’ support of Ilhan Omar:

For those of you not aware, Ilhan has done everything from constant praise of LGBT, numerous blasphemous statements, photo-ops with trans men, introducing legislation to Congress calling the Sharia draconian and barbaric, blasting Palestinians for not being pro LGBT, dancing in music videos, dancing in gay pride parades, and much more. How many young Muslim girls look up to this shaytana as a role model because Imam Omar [Suleiman] praised her as a leader? Just look at the sheer number of Muslims following and liking Ilhan on her social media. It is terrifying.

Jonathan Brown has also responded to Haqiqatjou’s criticisms, but curiously, refuses to publicly debate him: