Alerts

Michelle Mazel on Brother Tariq: Rhetoric, Strategy and Method of Tariq Ramadan by Caroline Fourest

A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing? Frère Tariq: Discours, stratègie et méthode de Tariq Ramadan (Brother Tariq: Rhetoric, Strategy and Method of Tariq Ramadan), by Caroline Fourest, Bernard Grasset, 2004, 425 pp. [in French] Reviewed by Michelle Mazel
Share this

Table of Contents

Jewish Political Studies Review 18:3-4 (Fall 2006)

 

 A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing?

Frère Tariq: Discours, stratègie et méthode de Tariq Ramadan (Brother Tariq: Rhetoric, Strategy and Method of Tariq Ramadan), by Caroline Fourest, Bernard Grasset, 2004, 425 pp. [in French]

Reviewed by Michelle Mazel

“Who is Tariq Ramadan?” asked the influential French newspaper Le Monde in its issue for 23 December 2003. What prompted the question was a much-publicized television debate held by the French second channel on 20 November that year. It pitted Nicholas Sarkozy, then interior minister for the first time, against Tariq Ramadan, a charismatic preacher and publicist who was beginning to gain recognition as the spokesman of European Islam.

In the debate Ramadan defended himself skillfully, if not convincingly, against the charge of anti-Semitism. He refused, however, to condemn the position of his brother Hani Ramadan, director of the Geneva Islamic Center, who advocated death by stoning for adulterous women. He would only say that he asked for a moratorium on stoning in the Muslim world to give time for mentalities to change.

 

A Controversial Figure

Tariq Ramadan was born in Geneva in 1962. He is the son of Said Ramadan, exiled leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, and the grandson of its founder the Egyptian Hassan al-Banna, who created the ideology and the methods of modern radical Islam. This radical Islam is today the basis of all the jihadist groups throughout the world.

Ramadan is a highly controversial figure with devoted followers and tenacious detractors. Is he indeed the harbinger of a new, modern Islam, ready for progress while adhering to the basic tenets of the faith, and hence the great hope of millions of Muslims living in Europe? Is he truly the victim of relentless attacks motivated by hatred of Islam or inspired by the Jews and the Zionists, as he has been heard to say? Or is he in fact, and despite his frequent denials, the standard bearer of the Muslim Brotherhood, and thus a member of a shadowy movement aiming to take over Europe from within and turn it into a Muslim society?

It is partly to answer these questions that Caroline Fourest wrote Frère Tariq. She brings solid academic credentials to her brand of investigative journalism. A graduate of the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences sociales et en Sciences politiques, Fourest has carved a niche for herself in the elite field of the study of religions and their impact on global politics. Although in 1997 she founded ProChoix, an organization dedicated to promoting a largely feminist agenda,[1] it was through this unlikely route that she came to focus on religion and, especially, religious fanaticism.

 

The Art of Taqqiyya

In researching the topic of Tariq Ramadan, Fourest worked her way through dozens of tapes, fifteen books, and more than 1,500 pages of interviews and reviews. The name she gave her book, Brother Tariq, is a not too subtle reference to the Muslim Brotherhood and clearly indicates the conclusion she reached. Demonstrating her view, however, is not easy. As Fourest repeatedly acknowledges, Tariq Ramadan is a consummate debater, master of innuendo, and difficult to pin down.

The lengthy analysis of the Muslim Brotherhood with which the book opens is easily its best part. Step by step Fourest retraces the itinerary of Hassan el-Banna, who founded the movement in 1928 at the age of twenty-two and was assassinated in 1949. She clarifies the movement’s ultimate objective and planned means to achieve it, quoting al-Banna’s “Epistle to the Youth”: “Allah is our goal; Allah’s messenger is our guide, the Koran is our constitution. Effort is our way. Death on the path of Allah is our ultimate wish.”[2]

With a series of quotations Fourest demonstrates that, notwithstanding his denials, Tariq Ramadan follows closely in his grandfather’s footsteps and does not hesitate to practice the art of taqqiyya, that is, lying or dissimulating to further the ultimate goal. That involves implementing al-Banna’s vision in Europe with the help of the millions of Muslims now living there. The Sharia will be the law of the land, boys and girls will study in separate schools, and all dissenters will be suppressed.

Although Fourest vehemently builds a strong case, her presentation lacks structure. She does not tell enough about Tariq Ramadan as an individual. The details she gives about his education and career are sketchy and scattered throughout the book. Regarding the tenets of Islam and current trends in Islamic society, the details are overabundant and a reader not conversant in the subject may sometimes get lost in them. There are also factual errors, as when Fourest writes that the Brotherhood decided to assassinate Egyptian president Anwar Sadat because he “wanted to reestablish diplomatic relations with Israel.”[3]

Yet, on the whole, this is a fascinating book that opens a door on the enigmatic Tariq Ramadan.

*     *     *

 Notes

[1] “ProChoix is a network of for reflection and activism dedicated to issues as varied as racism, antisemitism, homosexuality, women’s rights, abortion and secularism. ProChoix defends personal liberties against hate and fanaticism,” http://www.prochoix.org/.

[2] P. 30, translated from the French by the reviewer who substituted “Allah” for “Dieu” as closer to the original Arabic text.

[3] P. 58. Sadat was in 1979 the first Arab leader to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. Two years later  he was assassinated by the Muslim Brotherhood.

*     *     *

MICHELLE MAZEL is a graduate of the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris and the Faculté de Droit of that city.

Michelle Mazel

Michelle Mazel is a graduate of Sciences Po – the Institute for Political Science – and the Paris Faculté de Droit. She is a writer of both fiction and non-fiction and lives in Jerusalem.
Share this

Subscribe to Daily Alert

The Daily Alert – Israel news digest appears every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

Related Items

Stay Informed, Always

Get the latest news, insights, and updates directly in your inbox—be the first to know!

Subscribe to Jerusalem Issue Briefs
The Daily Alert – Israel news digest appears every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

Notifications

The Jerusalem Center
Canada investigating Israeli-Canadian IDF soldiers?
JCFA senior researcher, Amb. Alan Baker slams the probe as a “political PR stunt with no legal basis.” “This isn’t justice—it’s a betrayal. Canada is siding with PLO propaganda over facts.”
11:29am
The Jerusalem Center
What makes a child believe killing a #Jew is justified?

In PA textbooks, Jews are called liars and frauds; their fate: elimination. This is #indoctrination—not #education. But change is happening. On East to West, @IMPACT_SE CEO Marcus Sheff exposes how #UNRWA-funded schools are fueling extremism—and what real reform looks like.  Listen now on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2JHqh973U  Watch on YouTube: youtu.be/8OkJTGNfVUc

11:43am
The Jerusalem Center
Highlights from the @Jerusalem_Post Annual Conference in NYC:

Dr. @Dan_Diker, President of the JCFA: “October 7 wasn’t just an attack on Israel — it was a blow to the U.S. on Israeli soil. It demands moral clarity and a united front between Israel and the U.S. to defeat jihadist terror.”

2:20pm
The Jerusalem Center
@XAVIAERD says it like it is

Well, @XAVIAERD says it like it is: If you’re part of “#Queers for #Palestine,” he’ll pay for your flight to #Gaza. Go see for yourself how they treat LGBTQ+ people over there. Don’t miss this bold take on the Israel-Hamas war and the woke right.

2:32pm
The Jerusalem Center
“This isn’t Israel vs. Hamas — it’s the frontline of the free world.”

“This isn’t Israel vs. Hamas — it’s the frontline of the free world.” On Our Middle East by @JNS_org, @Dan_Diker@KhaledAbuToameh (JCFA/@GatestoneInst) break it down: If Hamas isn’t crushed, Iran wins. The jihadis—from #Gaza to your campus—get the green light. Diker: “This war is for the West.” No fluff. No filters. Just raw insight from two insiders who actually know what’s going on.  Watch: youtu.be/4Aq_zcbb4Yo

2:15pm
The Jerusalem Center
5/5 Lt. Col. Kalo on East to West with @smartinezamir:

“This operation showcases Israel’s strategic intelligence superiority both regionally and globally. It demonstrates the moral commitment to recovered soldiers and also strengthens Israel’s position with allies.” youtube.com/watch?v=nIvNNi

2:07pm
The Jerusalem Center
4/5 The operation built on intelligence gathered during the 2019 #Baumel recovery

#Mossad agents operated under cover in #Syria for years, visiting a graveyard multiple times under fire to collect remains for DNA matching. The intelligence community’s evolution combines technology, big data analysis, and human intelligence capabilities.

2:02pm
The Jerusalem Center
3/5 This recovery coincided with the release of Israeli hostage Edan Alexander

This recovery coincided with the release of Israeli hostage Edan Alexander from #Hamas in #Gaza, significantly boosting national morale amid an ongoing conflict now stretching over 18 months. The dual successes demonstrate #Israel‘s unwavering commitment to bringing all soldiers home.

1:58pm
The Jerusalem Center
2/5 The operation used the power vacuum following #Assad’s fall from #Damascus

Lt. Col. Avi Kalo, former head of IDF Prisoners & Missing Persons Division, calls it “an outstanding event that brings hope and new spirit to the people of Israel.” The operation utilized the power vacuum following #Assad‘s fall from #Damascus, allowing #Israeli intelligence to deploy ground capabilities in #Syria.

1:56pm
The Jerusalem Center
1/5 Israeli forces recovered the remains of Sergeant First Class Zvi Feldman

In an unprecedented operation, Israeli forces have recovered the remains of Sergeant First Class Zvi #Feldman, missing since the 1982 Battle of Sultan Yacoub. The complex #Mossad mission was conducted deep within #Syrian territory, 43 years after his disappearance. This follows the successful 2019 recovery of Zachary #Baumel from the same battle.

1:54pm
The Jerusalem Center
A molotov attack on a bus = a “barbecue party”?

That’s what #Palestinian kids are being taught under @UNRWA  — from grade school to graduation. This isn’t education. It’s indoctrination. Marcus Sheff of @IMPACT_SE  breaks it down with @smartinezamir

12:51pm

Close