World Assembly of Muslim Youth
Abbreviation | WAMY |
---|---|
Formation | 1972 |
Headquarters | Riyadh |
Location | |
Coordinates | 24°44′18″N 46°39′28″E / 24.73833°N 46.65778°E |
Chairman | Saleh Al ash-Sheikh |
Vice Chairman | Abdullah Omar Nasseef |
Secretary General | Saleh Solaiman Al-Wohaibi |
Website | www.wamy.co.uk (English) www.wamy.org (Arabic) |
The World Assembly of Muslim Youth is an international
History
WAMY was founded in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 1972 and has offices in countries with significant Muslim populations throughout the world.
According to the Pew Research Center, between the 1970s and 1990s, the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Muslim World League and the World Assembly of Muslim Youth in Europe became "so intertwined that it was often difficult to tell them apart".[2] It further notes that the influence of WAMY and MWL has waned somewhat as social media and blogs have "made it easier for other groups to reach wide audiences".[2] Books favoured by the organization during the 1980s-90s included works by Islamist authors Sayyid Qutb, Abul A'la Maududi, and Muhammad Qutb.[6][7]
Aims
WAMY's South African branch aims "to preserve the
It organizes conferences, symposia, workshops and research circles to address youth and students issues. WAMY publishes material that introduces Islam to non-Muslims. WAMY organizes exchange visits, Hajj and Umrah trips and provide training and support to Muslim youth organizations.[8]
The website of WAMY's UK branch states their aim to "build bridges of peace and unity in our multicultural society. ...Through educating the Muslim youth to the common good and promoting understanding among people of different communities."[9]
Both the Muslim World League and WAMY are widely seen to be promoting the strict
Controversy
An affidavit signed by one Customs Senior Special Agent David C. Kane stated that a WAMY publication lists people who have attacked Israelis, including a man who killed 14 people by driving a bus off a cliff, as "Heroes from Palestine". Kane writes that a section of that publication, titled "Animosity Toward the Jews", lists reasons for Muslims to hate Jews, including, "The Jews are humanity's enemies: they foment immorality in this world."[5]
In May 2004, 50
The Albanian WAMY branch, founded 1993, was raided in 1999 and suspected terrorist elements were deported. Saudi support for the new leadership continued after the event. Founded with the aim of constructing mosques and providing humanitarian aid, the branch was active in bringing Salafi and Wahabi ideology to Albania, recruiting and sending Albanians to study Salafi and Wahabi theology in Saudi Arabia.[10]
The Indian government has accused the assistant General Secretary of WAMY, Nazir Qureshi of supporting terrorist groups in Kashmir.[11] The Peshawar branch of WAMY was raided in a joint operation by the FBI and Pakistani intelligence.[12]
References
- ^ "World Assembly of Muslim Youth". wamy.co.za. WAMY. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ^ a b c d e "Muslim World League and World Assembly of Muslim Youth". Religion and Public Life Project. Pew Research. 15 September 2010. Archived from the original on 5 September 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- ^ a b "World Assembly for Muslim Youth". Berkley Center for Religion Peace and World Affairs, Georgetown University. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- ^ Freeman, Michael (2016). Financing Terrorism: Case Studies. Routledge. p. 189.
- ^ a b c d Markon, Jerry (June 2, 2004). "U.S. Raids N.Va. Office Of Saudi-Based Charity". Washington Post. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
- ^ Al-Yassini, Ayman (1985). Religion and State in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Westview Press. p. 28.
- ^ Alam, Anwar (1998). Religion and state: Egypt, Iran & Saudi Arabia : a comparative study. Gyan Sagar Publications. p. 73.
- ^ a b "WAMY. About Us". wamy.co.za. WAMY. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ "WAMY, Building Bridges Between Communities. About Us". WAMY.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 August 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- ^ Freeman, Michael (2016). Financing Terrorism: Case Studies. Routledge. p. 190.
- ISBN 978-1-61592-055-6. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
- ^ "Osama Tape Delivery Guy Nabbed?". CBS News. 5 December 2002.