Florence Bergeaud-Blackler is an anthropologist. She previously caused a stir with her study of "halalization": how Islam is stealthily strengthening its position in society via the halal system. Now she has published a study of the Muslim Brotherhood's role in this. She refers to the ideology of the 'Brothers' as frérism (in Dutch 'broederisme') As usual with critical researchers of Islamic affairs, Bergeaud-Blackler is now the target of death threats and must live under police protection.
The French researcher defines fraternalism as an "intellectual, political-religious project aimed at establishing a global Islamic society." Speaking to the Belgian magazine L'Echo she explains this in more detail. "Fraternalism is a form of Islamism adapted to liberal, secularized and multicultural democracies. It is an ideology from two Indo-Pakistani and Arab Islamist branches that emerged from the anti-colonial Islamic revival of the early twentieth century. These two branches came together in the 1960s on American and European campuses."
The Muslim students were impressed by Western technology and power. They wanted to bring Muslims together to establish the Caliphate and also Islamize the Western world according to God's plan. Bergeaud-Blackler: "I define fraternalism as a 'system of action' in which mission is central." It is a theocratic movement that temporarily adapts to democracy, only to dominate and abolish it. According to the researcher, "mainstream Islam," the one without Islamism, is disappearing in Europe. The goal now is for Brotherism to be accepted as "Islam," by monitoring, on the one hand, the behavior of Muslims who do not conform to Brotherism and, on the other, the behavior of others who are dismissed as "Islamophobic. Thus, integration of Muslims is actively thwarted. Bergeaud-Blackler: "All Muslims must march in the same direction. The Brotherhood fights fitna, divisions within the community, and accuses or excommunicates Muslims who oppose them."
According to the researcher, the Muslim Brothers, are the "VIPs" behind this Islamization process. Their idea is that all Muslims should become missionaries of Islam by instilling in them a vision (V), an identity (I) and a plan (P). The "vision" is an idealized image of the past that serves as inspiration. The identity is a transnational that transcends other identities. You are Muslim first, and only then Dutch or anything else. Bergeaud-Blacker: "The Muslim Brotherhood does not confront the state, but circumvents politics through economics and culture. It is a fluid, opportunistic and pragmatic movement."
Fraternalism rests on two pillars, according to the researcher: "The halal cult and the fight against so-called structural Islamophobia. These two mechanisms help isolate the Muslim community from the rest of society. On the one hand by seduction, by locking them into the normative space of halal by encouraging them to consume halal food and medicine, to wear "modest" clothing, to travel sharia-compatible, by making all of society "sharia-friendly. On the other hand, by repulsion, using the argument of state Islamophobia." Fraternalism assures fellow believers that the state is secretly out to exterminate them. Hence the blatant comparison of Muslims as the "new Jews.
This "pettiness strategy," which presents "Islamophobia" as an institutional evil, has great advantages, Bergeaud-Blackler said. "It makes it possible to tap the stocks of postcolonial guilt and propose programs to re-educate Europeans, both Muslims and non-Muslims. By having taxpayers fund programs to combat anti-Muslim hatred or Islamophobia, the Brotherhood re-educates the media, schools and universities to a view favorable to its fundamentalist conception of the norm." Brotherhoodism also erodes vital state security organs, such as the military, police and judiciary. "Little by little, legally and without confrontation, Brotherhoodism is making our societies 'Sharia-compatible.'"
Leftists mostly collaborate with fraternalism, according to Bergeaud-Blacker. French even has a word for that strategy: islamo-gauchism "Certain leftist movements hate the neoliberal capitalist regime and would like to see it collapse." They see in connecting with others who want to destroy the Western way of living and thinking an excellent opportunity to realize their own goals." For example, some Muslim brothers have been active in the anti-globalization, decolonial and neofeminist movements. The allowed the protesting left to be only too happy to open the doors of universities, associations and certain parties to them.
According to Bergeaud-Blackler, fraternalism is much more advanced than many people think: "There is an effect of censorship and especially self-censorship. The impact of rising Muslim fundamentalism affects the whole population. It has changed our behavior, conditioned our way of thinking and expressing ourselves. We continue to invoke our freedom of speech, but we have to admit that there are statements we are already not allowed to express."
This article first appeared on the website Culture Under Fireof the Civitas Christiana Foundation. We reproduced the article with permission.