The Huron University College has announced the establishment of a $2 million Chair in Islamic Studies funded with major financial assistance from the US and Canadian Muslim Brotherhoods. According to the announcement:
On Saturday, March 5th Huron University College hosted a gathering of over 100 Muslim community leaders from London and Windsor to celebrate the establishment of a $2 million Chair in Islamic Studies in the Faculty of Theology at Huron University College – the first Chair in Islamic Studies to be established in a Faculty of Theology in Canada. Also in attendance was Khalil Ramal, Member of Provincial Parliament for London-Fanshawe, and Chris Bentley, Member of Provincial Parliament for London West, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, and Attorney General of Ontario. Continuing Huron’s tradition of building bridges between the Anglican and Muslim religious communities in London, a relationship that dates back to the Rev. Dr. John Morden’s tenure as Principal of Huron from 1962 until 1984, the purpose of the Chair is to bring to Huron University College a scholar with exceptional academic credentials who can also represent an authentic voice within the Muslim community of Southwestern Ontario….In addition to individual contributions, major support for the Chair has been provided by Mr. Sam Bouji, President and C.E.O of Global Education Marketing Corporation, the Islamic Centre for Southwestern Ontario, the London Muslim Mosque, the Muslim Association of Canada, and the International Institute for Islamic Thought (IIIT), a non-profit foundation based in Herndon, Virginia, dedicated to furthering Islamic scholarship in higher education.
According a Hudson Institute report, IIIIT was founded in the U.S. in 1980 by U.S. Muslim Brotherhood leaders including Jamal Barzinji and Hisham Altalib who wished to promote the Islamization of Knowledge as conceived by Al-Faruqi and who were also early leaders of ISNA. 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 The organization appeared to have withdrawn from public view following the 2002 raids but seems to be enjoying a renaissance of late. IIIT has a network of affiliates located in Europe, Africa, the MIddle East, and Asia. Although little is known about the activities of these IIIT affiliates, recent posts have discussed plans by IIIT to construct colleges in Bosnia and Lebanon. IIIT has al been involved withn.
The MAC appears to be one of the only organizations in the world that acknowledges its ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. According to the MAC website:
