The Umbrella Organization of the Muslim Brotherhood… Everything you need to know about the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe
The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe is the umbrella organization for the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe, founded in 1989, with its headquarters in the Belgian capital, Brussels.
The Umbrella Organization of the Muslim Brotherhood… What Do You Know About the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe?
At its establishment, its name was the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe. Then, in 2020, the name was changed to the Muslim Council of Europe, according to what was published by the Arab Center for Extremism Studies. The council operates according to its defining documents to “serve Muslims within the framework of European laws and systems to achieve social cohesion and solidarity in Europe”. Its mission is summarized in “defining Islam, encouraging Muslims in Europe, helping them practice their religious rituals, and actively contributing to various aspects of life within a framework of moderate understanding and within a reformist approach.”
According to the center, the council generally sets its strategic goals to help Muslims in Europe preserve their religious and cultural identity, take care of their social affairs, and establish institutions, projects, and programs that guarantee that.
It also aims to promote understanding and cooperation with official Islamic institutions and organizations at both the European and global levels within the framework of common interests. According to its claim, it aims to break the barrier of fear of Islamic presence in the West, support efforts to define Islam and its values in accordance with the requirements and specificities of the European reality, and contribute to efforts to protect freedoms, defend human rights and dignity, and reject all forms of bias and discrimination, especially against Islam and Muslims.
The council includes in its membership 30 institutions in more than 28 European countries, and these umbrella institutions oversee dozens of Islamic associations and centers at the local level.
Organizationally, the council consists of three central bodies: the General Assembly, the Shura Council, and the Executive Office, which in turn consists of several departments, including the Department of Da’wah and Defining Islam, the Department of Rights and Freedoms, the Department of Social Affairs, and the Department of External Relations.
In addition, since the 1990s, the council has been accustomed to establishing several specialized institutions distributed across various European countries. The most important of these are the European Institute for Human Sciences, the European Council for Fatwa and Research, the European Islamic Forum for Youth and Students, the European Forum for Muslim Women, the European Waqf, the European Council for Imams, and the European Center for Research and Leadership Development.
In January 2008, the “Charter of Muslims in Europe” was issued, which is the framework document that defines the rules and principles on which the council is based, in accordance with the general Islamic understanding and the specificities of the European reality. Abdullah bin Mansour heads the council, and Samir Faleh, its former president, holds the position of Secretary-General.
