Logo for InfluenceWatch InfluenceWatch

Donate
Non-profit

Al-Maghrib Institute

Location:

Houston, TX
Tax ID:

27-0091991
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2022):

Revenue: $3,216,305
Expenses: $2,286,225
Assets: $4,822,940
Type:

Religious educational group
Formation:

2004
President:

Waleed Basyouni

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

The Al-Maghrib Institute is a Muslim educational organization founded by Muhammad Alshareef in 2002 in Houston, Texas. The Al-Maghrib Institute offers classes in the study of Islam to audiences around the world, focusing on North America and Europe. 1

Activities

The Al-Maghrib Institute claims to be the largest group of students studying Islam in the Western world, through both on-site and online courses. 1 It provides 50 different class offerings in 40 cities around the world and claims to have reached 120,000 students. Most of its classes take place over one or two weekends, but the Institute also offers associate and bachelor’s degrees. 2

Comments on Terrorism

Waleed Basyouni, the president of Al-Maghrib Institute, has made numerous appearances on mainstream and Islamic news, from CNN to the Islam Channel. In 2014, he preached against the terrorism of al-Qaeda and the Taliban. He also criticized Hamas’s use of suicide bombing but argued that Hamas itself was not a terrorist group. 3

In 2016, Basyouni appeared at a forum at Vanderbilt University with a former FBI community outreach agent, hosted by the Muslim Students Association and American Muslim Advisory Council, to discuss extremism. He said that then-presidential candidate Donald Trump’s proposed ban on immigrants from majority-Muslim countries helped ISIS achieve its goals by undermining cooperation between different religions. 4

The day after the attacks against French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in 2015, Suleiman Hani posted at length about the difference between hate speech and freedom of speech, and decried the use of “hate speech” laws to limit statements about the Holocaust while claiming that “blasphemous” videos and pictures incited violence. 5 Hani joined over 100 Muslim scholars in an open letter encouraging North American societies to respect Muslim beliefs opposed to homosexuality, and not associate those beliefs with bigotry or hatred. 6 At the beginning of the 2023 Hamas-Israel conflict, Hani said of pro-Palestinian protests and relief efforts: “We are not here to celebrate. We are here because something tragic has happened.” 7

Controversy

Former Students Alleged Involvement with Terrorism

On Christmas Day 2009, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab attempted to bomb an airliner bound for Detroit. Once he was arrested, investigations revealed that he attended multiple Al-Maghrib classes, including a 2008 intensive 16-day “Knowledge Fest” in Houston and classes in London on the life of the Prophet Muhammad and the first chapter of the Qur’an. 8 9

Daniel Maldonado, now known as Daniel Aljughaifi, is a native of New Hampshire who traveled to Somalia in 2006 to train with terrorist organization al-Shabaab. He was convicted in 2007 and sentenced to ten years in prison. 10 In 2012, his co-conspirator Tarek Mehanna was sentenced to 17-and-a-half years in prison for providing material support to terrorist organizations. 11 Aljughaifi and Maldonado had both taken Al-Maghrib Institute courses.12

Leadership

Waleed Basyouni is president of Al-Maghrib Institute and head of its Theology and Ethics Department. He holds a master’s in Islamic theology, world religions, and modern religious sects from the Saudi Al-Imam Muhammad University as well as a Ph.D. in theology. He has made numerous appearances on mainstream and Islamic television. 13 He is a member of the fatwa committee of the Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America, which has supported anti-American and pro-Hamas positions. 14 15 16

Suleiman Hani is the director of academic affairs for Al-Maghrib. He later earned a master’s degree from the University of Jordan’s College of Shari’ah, and a master’s degree from Harvard University. 17

Yasir Qadhi was the dean of academic affairs until 2019, when he departed Al-Maghrib Institute to become the dean of the Islamic Seminary of America. 18 During the height of ISIS terrorism and violence from 2014 through 2016, he led a group of Muslim scholars condemning Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS. He also attributed the lack of radical Islamist movements in America to a better integrated, more welcoming society, saying that by contrast, European Muslims suffered from discrimination. 19

Qadhi made headlines in 2001 for a speech calling the Holocaust “false propaganda.” Qadhi also spent time on a terror watch list in 2006, although his name has since been removed. 10

Muhammad Alshareef founded the Al-Maghrib Institute in 2002 and began teaching classes in College Park, Maryland. 20 In 2018, Alshareef was one of several Muslim preachers banned from entering Denmark. 21 He died in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in July 2022. 22

Financials

In 2022, al-Maghrib Institute had $3,216,305 in revenue and $2,286,225 in expenses. The Institute held $4,882,930 in assets that year. 23

References

  1. “Home”. al-Maghrib Institute. Accessed February 8, 2024. https://www.almaghrib.org/
  2. “For Those Seeking Spiritual and Academic Excellence.” al-Maghrib Institute. Accessed February 12, 2024. https://www.almaghrib.org/degree/
  3.  Ryan Mauro. “Influential U.S. Imam, Jurist: Hamas is Not a Terrorist Group.” Clarion Project. August 7, 2014. Accessed February 9, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20140818022145/https:/clarionproject.org/analysis/influential-us-imam-jurist-hamas-not-terrorist-group
  4. Ariana Sawyer. “Retired FBI Ageny, Muslim community leader talk community cooperation.” The Tennessean. September 11, 2016. Accessed February 8, 2024. https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2016/09/11/retired-fbi-agent-muslim-community-leader-talk-community-cooperation/90169228/
  5. “Suleiman Hani on Facebook: ‘Freedom of Speech’ is a facade of a tool…” January 8, 2015. Accessed February 8, 2024. https://imgur.com/a/fSUVGnw
  6. 5Pillars. “North American Scholars defend normative Islamic position on LGBTQ”. 5 Pillars. May 24, 2023. Accessed February 9, 2024. https://5pillarsuk.com/2023/05/24/north-american-scholars-defend-normative-islamic-position-on-lgbtq/
  7. Alexandra Miller. “America’s Reaction to Escalating Violence and the Israel-Hamas War.” Scripps News. October 14, 2023. Accessed February 8, 2024. https://scrippsnews.com/stories/america-s-reaction-to-escalating-violence-amid-the-israel-hamas-war/
  8. Paul Cruickshank and David Mattingly. “Terror suspect attended 2008 ‘knowledge fest’ in Houston”. CNN. December 30, 2009. Accessed February 9, 2024.  https://www.cnn.com/2009/US/12/30/terror.suspect.seminar/
  9. Susan Carroll. “Islamic School Confirms Terror Suspect Studied in Houston.” Houston Chronicle. December 29, 2009. Accessed February 9, 2024. https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/islamic-school-confirms-terror-suspect-studied-in-1727861.php
  10. Diane Macedo. “Plans to Build Massive Islamic Centers Raise Concerns in Tennessee.” Fox News. August 9, 2010. Accessed February 8, 2024. https://www.foxnews.com/us/plans-to-build-massive-islamic-centers-raise-concerns-in-tennessee
  11. “Tarek Mehanna Sentenced to 17.5 Years on Terrorism-Related Charges.” Department of Justice. April 12, 2012. Accessed February 8, 2024. https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/ma/news/2012/April/MehannaTarekSentencingPR.html
  12. Andrea Elliott, Eric Owles, Josh Williams. “Yasir Qadhi: An American Cleric.” The New York Times Magazine. March 30, 2011. Accessed February 12, 2024. https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/18/magazine/american-cleric.html?ref=magazine#17
  13. “Dr. Waleed Baysouni PhD.” AMJA. Accessed February 8, 2024. https://www.amjaonline.org/scholars/dr-waleed-basyouni-ph-d/
  14. Dr. Waleed Basyouni Ph.D.” AMJA. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.amjaonline.org/scholars/dr-waleed-basyouni-ph-d/
  15. Ryan Mauro. “Influential U.S. Imam, Jurist: Hamas is Not a Terrorist Group.” Islamist Watch. August 7, 2014. Accessed February 12, 2024 https://www.meforum.org/islamist-watch/43621/influential-us-imam-jurist-hamas-is-not
  16. Ahmed al-Shiti. “US Muslim Jurists Forbid Aid to Troops.” AlArabiya News. June 29, 2010. https://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2010%2F06%2F29%2F112607
  17. “Suleiman Hani.” AMJA. Accessed February 8, 2024. https://www.almaghrib.org/instructors/suleiman-hani/
  18. “Yadir Qadhi on Facebook: ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING MY AFFILIATIONS…” May 3, 2019. Accessed February 12, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/yasir.qadhi/posts/10156764231743300?__xts__[0]=68.ARBbW6OreD249y7TYFi1mW9DaLMcv7TV_S7BZKAG4SIuFN5LOl2NsXReWJZxQ9_RXwX0Dxa4AE0q_OJcrPwV4YBpoGHqxrvx7vMVZEZ0EauMSoh-QrxqyrVVrWOuGQAvvAT0xvm8t–oBdpyucSO5raRqrOLEfHJiAJoDjjK08VdPs9p9Sv1VlNxqoUDJaJ7I_eLu7TR3_1Th3s6XM4wI7IjyteJXM2F8LCylHXFc16RVAoj-9Udm1Ky4py49xobD2dlnWdD0H5_-MogRPyx3Lb98fQDOyad9j6eD51V7DMU3KTmecQF4JhZbLB9I3XvpLdt_hMf9_MZegFWZJKUD4m4qw
  19. Landon Shroder, Yasir Qadhi. “A Conversation with Yasir Qadhi on Paris, Terrorism, and Islam.” Fair Observer. November 24, 2015. Accessed February 12, 2024. https://www.fairobserver.com/region/north_america/a-conversation-with-yasir-qadhi-on-paris-terrorism-and-islam-12105/#
  20. About”. al-Maghrib Institute. Accessed February 8, 2024. https://www.almaghrib.org/about/
  21. “Religious Preachers with Entry Ban.” The Danish Immigration Service. Accessed February 8, 2024. https://www.nyidanmark.dk/da/Ord-og-begreber/US/Religi%C3%B8se-forkyndere/Religi%C3%B8se-forkyndere-med-indrejseforbud/?anchor=7C5D2D143D284E4EB2829BA5F0F04837&callbackItem=98FA8A72DFA24722AFE2B9D6CE5AE799&callbackAnchor=98FA8A72DFA24722AFE2B9D6CE5AE799
  22. Uday Rana. “Ottawa Muslims Mourn Death of Popular Scholar.” CBC News. July 24, 2022. Accessed February 9, 2024. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/muhammad-alshareef-muslim-scholar-ottawa-dies-47-1.6530320
  23. “Almaghrib Institute.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. Form 990. 2022. Accessed February 8, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/270091991/202343259349301319/full
  See an error? Let us know!

Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: November 1, 2005

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2022 Dec Form 990 $3,216,305 $2,286,225 $4,822,940 $110,174 N $890,155 $2,266,680 $46,709 $195,391 PDF
    2021 Dec Form 990 $2,574,287 $1,787,220 $4,469,038 $91,357 N $426,152 $2,113,546 $34,423 $229,720 PDF
    2020 Dec Form 990 $2,580,651 $1,664,635 $3,365,813 $169,021 N $431,286 $2,115,532 $27,786 $179,720
    2019 Dec Form 990 $1,501,319 $1,569,749 $2,122,769 $102,107 N $206,028 $1,235,178 $26,604 $15,000 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $1,948,759 $1,898,107 $1,883,020 $74,391 N $252,060 $1,572,128 $22,248 $60,000 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $1,607,296 $1,377,052 $1,929,457 $118,763 N $210,662 $1,168,104 $12,742 $60,000 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $1,603,291 $1,591,649 $1,571,030 $57,137 N $325,224 $1,241,001 $410 $60,000 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $1,501,231 $1,321,362 $1,563,837 $61,694 N $472,915 $979,850 $0 $60,000 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $1,161,505 $961,558 $1,430,437 $108,163 N $289,742 $865,257 $0 $42,000 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $1,520,215 $980,611 $1,204,324 $81,997 N $566,623 $953,592 $0 $58,500 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $1,146,806 $911,849 $662,024 $168,457 N $117,411 $1,029,395 $0 $52,500 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $1,154,045 $1,126,706 $245,157 $4,000 N $3,246 $1,150,795 $4 $82,977 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Al-Maghrib Institute

    2323 Clear Lake Boulevard
    Houston, TX 77062-8120