US embassy cable - 92DOHA3240

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 DOHA 03240 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR, NEA/RA, AND NEA/ARP 
LONDON FOR JOHNSON 
PARIS FOR ROSENBLATT 
CINCCENT FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12356:  DECL:OADR 
TAGS:  SOCI, QA, SU, PREL, PINR 
SUBJECT:  ISLAMIC DA'AWA ORGANIZATION 
 
1.  SECRET - ENTIRE TEXT. 
 
2.  THE INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT WAS DERIVED 
FROM VARIOUS SOURCES IN QATAR WHERE THE ISLAMIC DA'AWA 
ORGANIZATION HAS A PRESENCE.  THE INFORMATION HAS NOT 
BEEN INDEPENDENTLY CONFIRMED AND IS PROVIDED SOLELY AS 
BACKGROUND FOR COMPARISON WITH INFORMATION SOURCES 
AVAILABLE TO THE DEPARTMENT, OTHER AGENCIES AND OTHER 
POSTS CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT, STRUCTURE, AND 
OPERATIONS OF THE ISLAMIC DA'AWA ORGANIZATION (IDO) 
HAVING ITS ROOTS IN THE SUDAN. 
 
-------------------- 
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 
-------------------- 
 
3.  DA'AWA MEANS "CALL" OR "INVITATION", REFERRING TO 
THE CALL OF NON-MUSLIMS TO CONVERT TO ISLAM.  VARIOUS 
ISLAMIC SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT VIEW SUCH A CALL AS 
"SACRED."  THE QURAN STIPULATES THAT MUSLIMS SHOULD 
INVITE NON-MUSLIMS TO BE CONVERTED TO ISLAM AND STANDARD 
ISLAM-BASED LAWS AND REGULATIONS HAVE INDICATED THAT 
THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS THROUGH WHICH MUSLIMS CAN HONOR 
SUCH A SACRED COMMANDMENT.  ONE WAY IS BY DONATING FUNDS 
TO SPECIALIST ISLAMIC AGENCIES ESTABLISHED FOR THIS 
PURPOSE. 
 
4.  THE DETERIORATING SITUATION OF MUSLIMS IN THE 
CONTINENT OF AFRICA HAS PROVIDED FERTILE GROUND FOR 
MUSLIMS WORLDWIDE, RICH AND POOR, TO CARRY OUT THEIR 
SACRED DUTY.  THE FOUNDERS OF IDO ASCERTAINED THAT SOME 
MUSLIMS IN AFRICA WERE STARVING AND SUFFERING FROM THE 
ECONOMIC BURDENS BROUGHT ON BY ILLITERACY.  THEY ALSO 
BELIEVED THAT CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WEST HAD 
INVADED AFRICA FOR THE PURPOSE OF CHRISTIANIZING MUSLIMS 
BY PROVIDING THEM WITH BASIC DAY TO DAY NEEDS.  IDO WAS 
ESTABLISHED TO COUNTER THE PROCESS OF "CHRISTIANIZATION" 
BY PROVIDING RELIEF AID, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING FOR 
MUSLIMS. 
 
------------------------ 
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 
------------------------ 
 
5.  THE IDO ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE IS BELIEVED TO 
CONSIST OF A BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT THE TOP, AN ISLAMIC 
RELIEF AGENCY, AN AFRICAN ISLAMIC BENEVOLENT SOCIETY FOR 
MOTHER/CHILD CARE, AN AFRICAN COUNCIL FOR PRIVATE 
EDUCATION, AND THE DON FODUE (SIC) BENEVOLENT 
CORPORATION, AN ECONOMIC, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, AND 
AGRICULTURAL INVESTMENT CORPORATION WHOSE SHARES AND 
PROFITS ARE ALLOCATED FOR IDO OPERATIONS.  THIS 
CORPORATION OPERATES ACCORDING TO ISLAMIC BANKING 
RULES.  IT IS UNCLEAR WHERE THIS CORPORATION IS 
REGISTERED. 
 
6.  ACCORDING TO EMBASSY SOURCES, BOARD MEMBERS CONSIST 
OF A PRESIDENT, SECRETARY-GENERAL, REPRESENTATIVES AND 
OBSERVERS.  GCC POSTS MAY WISH TO VERIFY NAMES INCLUDED 
IN THE LIST.  POST DOES NOT HAVE INFORMATION ON WHETHER 
THE LIST IS INCLUSIVE OR UP TO DATE: 
 
-  PRESIDENT -  ABDULRAHMAN SIWAR AL-DAHAB 
- 
-     AL-DAHAB IS A FORMER PRESIDENT OF SUDAN'S 
GOVERNING COUNCIL.  HE WORKED FOR QATAR'S MINISTRY OF 
INTERIOR IN THE EARLY 1970S AS AN ASSISTANT TO THE 
COMMANDANT-IN-CHIEF OF THE QATAR POLICE FORCE.  HE IS 
WELL-KNOWN TO QATARI OFFICIALS, INCLUDING SOME FROM 
RULING FAMILY CIRCLES.  HIS EMPLOYMENT IN QATAR WAS ON 
"SECONDMENT" FROM THE SUDAN POLICE FORCE.  IN THE 
MID-1970S AND UPON EXPIRY OF HIS CONTRACT IN QATAR, 
AL-DAHAB RETURNED TO THE SUDAN WHERE HE LATER LED A COUP 
AGAINST JAAFAR AL-NUMEIRI, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE SUDAN. 
 
-     AL-DAHAB IS BELIEVED TO BE WELL-RECEIVED AT 
OFFICIAL AND PRIVATE LEVELS IN OTHER ARAB COUNTRIES. 
POST UNDERSTANDS AL-DAHAB HAS THE SOLE HONOR OF HAVING 
LED A MILITARY REGIME IN THE SUDAN FOR ONLY A FEW YEARS 
THEN PASSING GOVERNMENT TO AN ELECTED REGIME.  THIS 
UNPRECEDENTED STEP IS VIEWED IN HIS FAVOR BECAUSE HE IS 
PERCEIVED AS THE ONLY ARAB MILITARY LEADER WHO HAS DONE 
SO FOLLOWING A STINT IN POWER.  OTHERS WHO LED COUPS 
AGAINST ESTABLISHED GOVERNMENTS DECLINED TO ABANDON 
THEIR POSITIONS VOLUNTARILY.  AL-DAHAB IS GIVEN CREDIT 
HERE FOR THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF IDO IN THE MIDDLE EAST. 
- 
--SECRETARY-GENERAL - MUBARAK QASIM-ALLAH (NO 
INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON NATIONAL ORIGIN) 
- 
--REPRESENTATIVES FROM SAUDI ARABIA: 
- 
--     SHAYKH AHMED SALAH JAMJOUM, GENERAL MANAGER OF 
AL-MEDINA PRESS/PUHBLICATION EST., FORMER MINISTER OF 
COMMERCE 
- 
--     DR. ABDULLAH OMAR NASSIF, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF 
THE ISLAMIC WORLD ASSOCIATION, FORMER PRESIDENT OF KING 
ABDULAZIZ UNIVERSITY 
- 
--     DR. ABDULLAH BIN ABDUL MOHSIN AL-TURKI, PRESIDENT 
OF IMAN MOHAMMED BIN SAUD ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY 
- 
--     MR. AMIN ATTAS AKIEL, ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL 
FOR ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE, ISLAMIC WORLD ASSOCIATION 
- 
--     DR. TAWFIQ AL-QASIER, SECRETARY-GENERAL, 
INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM FOR ISLAMIC YOUTH 
- 
--     DR. HAMAD AL-SULFIEH, SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR 
ISLAMIC ENLIGHTENMENT, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION 
- 
--     DR. AHMED TOTANGI, BUSINESSMAN 
- 
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: 
- 
--     SHAYKH SAQR ABDULLAH AL-MARRI, DEPUTY MINISTER IN 
THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 
- 
--     SHAYKH SAIF AL-GHORIR, BUSINESSMAN 
- 
--     SHAYKH JUMAA AL-MAJID, BUSINESSMAN 
- 
REPRESENTATIVES FROM QATAR: 
- 
--     SHAYKH ABDULRAHMAN BIN ABDULLAH AL-THANI, DEPUTY 
DIRECTOR OF SHARIA COURTS 
- 
--     SHAYKH ABDULLAH MOHAMMED AL-DABBAGH, ASSISTANT 
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SHARIA COURTS 
- 
--     DR. YUSUF AL-QARADAWI, FORMER DEAN OF ISLAMIC 
STUDIES, QATAR UNIVERSITY. 
- 
REPRESENTATIVES FROM KUWAIT: 
- 
--     SHAYKH YUSUF JASSIM AL-HAJI, FORMER MINISTER OF 
ISLAMIC AFFAIRS AND ENDOWMENTS 
- 
--     MR. MOHAMED NASIR AL-HAMDAN, DEPUTY MINISTER OF 
ISLAMIC AFFAIRS AND ENDOWMENTS 
- 
--     SHAYKH ABDULLAH AL-ALI AL-MOTAWA, CHAIRMAN, 
SOCIAL REFORM SOCIETY 
- 
--     SHAYKH JASSIM SAAD AL-JASIR, FORMER MINISTER OF 
ISLAMIC AFFAIRS AND ENDOWMENTS 
- 
--     JOUAD ABDULLAH AL OMAN, DIRECTOR, ZAKAH HOUSE 
 
--     DR. ABDULRAHMAN HAMOUD AL-SULAITT, CHAIRMAN, 
AFRICAN MUSLIM SOCIETY 
- 
REPRESENTATIVE OF BAHRAIN: 
- 
-      SHAYKH ISSA BIN MOHAMMED AL-KHALIFA, FORMER 
MINISTER OF LABOR 
-                      . 
OBSERVERS: 
- 
--      MR. AL-TAHER MOHAMMED AL-SHUWAIDI, 
SECRETARY-GENERAL OF ISLAMIC CENTERS COMMISSION, LIBYA. 
- 
--      MR. MA'TOUK AL-ZUBEIDI, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE 
IDO, LIBYA. 
- 
--      MR. ABDUL-HAMEED SHAHIN, AL-AZHAR, EGYPT. 
- 
--      SHAYKH AHMED LEGO, ISLAMIC PREACHER, NIGERIA. 
- 
--      SHAYKH ABDULGADER MOHAMMED AL-AMMARI JUDGE IN 
THE SHARIA COURT, QATAR. 
- 
(COMMENT:  POST UNDERSTANDS THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE 
SAUDI OBSERVERS AND ONE MAURITANIAN BUT NAMES WERE NOT 
AVAILABLE.  END COMMENT) 
- 
 
------------ 
IDO PROJECTS 
------------ 
 
7.  THE IDO IS SAID TO HAVE IMPLEMENTED PROJECTS WORTH 
USD 3.3 MILLION TO DATE.  THEY INCLUDE: 
 
A.  TEN U.A.E.- SPONSORED SCHOOLS TO SERVICE UGANDA, 
ERITREA, CHAD, AND SOUTH SUDAN REFUGEES. (ESTIMATED COST 
USD 2 MILLION) 
 
B.  FIFTY-FOUR MOSQUES WITH ANNEXED LITERACY/QURAN 
SCHOOLS AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN AFRICA.  FINANCE WAS 
MADE BY DONATIONS FROM QATAR, KUWAIT, SAUDI ARABIA, 
U.A.E., AND SUDAN. 
 
C.  FIFTEEN SCHOOLS, INSTITUTES, AND EDUCATIONAL CENTERS 
OTHER THAN THOSE LISTED ABOVE IN SUDAN, UGANDA, ERITREA, 
AND CHAD WITH A CAPACITY OF UP TO 9000 STUDENTS. 
 
D.  THIRTY-FOUR ARTESIAN WATER WELLS IN VARIOUS AFRICAN 
LOCATIONS. 
 
E.  ISLAMIC STUDIES INSTITUTES IN SUDAN TO SERVE THE 
AFRICAN CONTINENT.  (COST: USD 450,000). 
                                                     . 
F.  TWELVE HOSPITALS, HEALTH CENTERS, AND MATERNITY 
HOSPITALS IN VARIOUS AFRICAN LOCATIONS, WITH ANNUAL 
OPERATIONAL COST OF USD 260,000 AND CAPACITY OF 10,000 
PER MONTH 
 
G.  VILLAGE FOR ORPHANS OF REFUGEES IN SUDAN. 
 
H.  EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT TO ZANZIBAR, ESTIMATED COST OF 
USD 320,000. 
 
8.  IDO IS SAID TO BE WORKING ON RAISING FUNDS FROM 
PRIVATE DONATIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS: 
 
A.  ARABIC LANGUAGE AND ISLAMIC SCHOOLS FOR REFUGEES 
FROM UGANDA, ERITREA, CHAD, AND SOUTHERN SUDAN WITH AN 
ESTIMATED COST OF USD 720,000. 
 
B.  PROVIDING FOR 60 ISLAMIC PREACHERS IN SOME AFRICAN 
STATES. (ESTIMATED COST USD 900,000) 
 
C.  CONSTRUCTION OF FIVE ISLAMIC COMPLEXES IN ZAIRE, 
ZANZIBAR, UGANDA, CHAD, AND KENYA .  (ESTIMATED COST OF 
USD 2.5 MILLION). 
 
D.  CONSTRUCTION OF ACCOMMODATION FOR PEOPLE OF RECENT 
CONVERSION TO ISLAM IN SOME AFRICAN COUNTRIES (USD 
500,000). 
 
E.  SEVERAL OTHER PROJECTS VALUED IN THE MILLIONS OF 
DOLLARS TO BUILD MOSQUES, QURAN SCHOOLS, ISLAMIC 
SCHOOLS, ARTESIAN WELLS AND AN ISLAMIC (SIC) PRINTING 
PRESS. 
 
------------- 
BANK ACCOUNTS 
------------- 
 
8.  POST HAS INFORMATION THAT IDO MAINTAINS AN ACCOUNT 
WITH THE QATAR ISLAMIC BANK (NO. 207357/40/50).  IDO IS 
CURRENTLY ASKING MUSLIMS IN QATAR TO DONATE MONEY 
TOWARDS COMPLETION OF THE PROJECTS NOTED IN PARA 7.  A 
SOURCE IN THE ISLAMIC BANK REPORTED THAT THE ACCOUNT 
LISTED HERE IS FOR DONATIONS FROM ORDINARY INDIVIDUALS 
AND THAT THERE ARE OTHER ACCOUNTS IN VARIOUS GCC STATE 
BANKS. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
9.  THIS DA'AWA ORGANIZATION HAS AS ITS PUBLIC OBJECTIVE 
BOTH THE EXTENSION AND STRENGTHENING OF ISLAM WITH 
AFRICA AS A PRIMARY TARGET.  THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE 
A LINK WITH VIOLENCE AND ITS OPERATIONS IN QATAR ARE 
ABOVE-BOARD BUT EXTREMELY LOW-KEY.  POST IS INTRIGUED BY 
THE PROBABILITY OF HIGH-LEVEL INVOLVEMENT WITH THIS 
ORGANIZATION IF THE LIST OF BOARD OF TRUSTEE MEMBERSHIP 
IS CREDIBLE.  POST WOULD WELCOME ANY VERIFICATION OF 
MEMBERSHIP AND ACTIVITIES OF THIS ORGANIZATION IN OTHER 
GCC STATES OR IN SELECTED AFRICAN POSTS.  END COMMENT. 
 
KEITH