Ibrahim Abusharif
Overview
Ibrahim Abusharif [Ibrahim N. Abusharif] has supported terror financiers and spread hatred of Israel.
As of November 2021, Abusharif’s LinkedIn page said he was an Associate Professor in Residence of Journalism at Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) since August 2013 and an Associate Professor of Journalism at NU-Q from August 2008 to July 2013.
As of the same date, Abusharif’s LinkedIn page said he was a Lecturer at Northwestern University (NU) in Evanston, Illinois, in 2008.
Abusharif was reportedly the former editor of Islamic Horizons magazine, published by the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) in 1991.
In 2000, Abusharif was reportedly a partner in Starlatch Press, “a publisher of English-language books aimed at educating Muslims and non-Muslims about the religious, spiritual and cultural aspects of Islam.”
Abusharif was also a founder, editor and treasurer of the Quranic Literacy Institute (QLI), a Oak Lawn, Illinois-based not-for-profit organization that ostensibly worked to translate the Quran and other Islamic texts from Arabic to English via “the “Quran Project.”
As of November 2021, Abusharif’s LinkedIn page said he was an Associate Professor in Residence of Journalism at Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) since August 2013 and an Associate Professor of Journalism at NU-Q from August 2008 to July 2013.
As of the same date, Abusharif’s LinkedIn page said he was a Lecturer at Northwestern University (NU) in Evanston, Illinois, in 2008.
Abusharif was reportedly the former editor of Islamic Horizons magazine, published by the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) in 1991.
In 2000, Abusharif was reportedly a partner in Starlatch Press, “a publisher of English-language books aimed at educating Muslims and non-Muslims about the religious, spiritual and cultural aspects of Islam.”
Abusharif was also a founder, editor and treasurer of the Quranic Literacy Institute (QLI), a Oak Lawn, Illinois-based not-for-profit organization that ostensibly worked to translate the Quran and other Islamic texts from Arabic to English via “the “Quran Project.”
QLI was revealed to be a “money-laundering clearinghouse” for the Hamas terror organization, during the time Abusharif served as QLI’s treasurer from 1990-1998.
Supporting Terror Financiers
In 1998, during Abusharif’s tenure as QLI’s Treasurer, QLI was found guilty of funneling money, to the Hamas terror organization.On June 9, 1998, the U.S. Federal government filed a complaint of forfeiture against QLI alleging the organization “for nine years supported ‘a conspiracy involving international terrorist activities and domestic recruitment and training in support of such activities’” for Hamas.
The complaint resulted in the U.S. government’s seizure of more than $1 million of QLI’s assets in 1999.
The QLI funds directed to Hamas were also the subject of a 2004 civil lawsuit against QLI for “aiding and abetting Hamas in the death of a 17-year-old citizen, U.S. David Boim.”
Boim was gunned down by Hamas terrorists in 1996 as he stood with friends at a bus stop near Jerusalem.
In the November 2004 lawsuit against QLI, Boim v. Quranic Literacy Institute, the U.S. District Court For The Northern District of Illinois commented that “as the Treasurer of QLI and as an active volunteer with both QLI and the Quran Project, Mr. Abusharif would seem to have first-hand knowledge of why QLI and the Quran Project were started, and what went on at the business.”
In December 2004, QLI was found guilty of funding terrorist activities and liable to pay compensation to David Boim’s family. The federal jury entered a $52 million judgment against the charities and the trial judge tripled the amount to $156 million.
In 2008, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed [p.39] the judgment against QLI.
Spreading Hatred of Israel
On January 19, 2019, Abusharif tweeted a New York Times piece titled: “Time to Break the Silence on Palestine” and commented: “Bold, interesting piece.” The piece accused Israel of adopting “practices reminiscent of apartheid in South Africa and Jim Crow segregation in the United States” and promoted BDS.Abusharif retweeted an April 7, 2018 tweet that read: “Israeli forces have killed dozens in Gaza since March 30, including Yaser Murtaja, a brave photojournalist wearing a vest marked ‘Press.’ All countries must condemn Israel's shooting of unarmed Palestinians, who have every right to protest and demand their human rights.”
On March 30, 2018, some 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza approached Israel’s border to take part in “Land Day Protests” or the “March of Return.” The violent demonstrations were instigated by Hamas on the Israeli-Gaza border. Participants declared their intention to harm Jews across the border under the pretext of “peaceful resistance.”
March participants sent scores of kites bearing explosive devices across Israel’s border to burn Israeli crops and homes. Rioters also made numerous attempts to breach Israel’s border fence, which caused the Israeli Defense Forces to respond with live fire.
Agitators also threw Molotov cocktails, firebombs, shot firearms and threw rocks under the cover of smoke from burning tires.
Most of the Gazans who died between March 30 and April 6, 2018, were identified as terror operatives who were killed while carrying out terrorist attacks, rioting against IDF forces or attempting to breach the border fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Yasser Murtaja, a photojournalist, was reportedly a Hamas spy who used drones to film Israeli military positions. Murtaja was shot and killed on April 6, 2018, as he filmed the 2018 Hamas-led “March of Return” protest in Gaza.
NU-Q Courses
In September 2020, Abusharif was listed as an instructor for a course in the Fall of 2020 at NU-Q titled: “Journalistic Storytelling Across Media ”The course description stated: “Students will produce a range of journalism stories across a variety of forms and platforms: writing for print and digital outlets, as well as creating audio, video and interactive graphics. You will also learn how to amplify your storytelling by tapping into social media tools to reach, attract and interact with a wider audience.”
Abusharif was also slated to teach a course in the Fall of 2020, titled: “Storytelling: Magazine and Feature Writing.”
The course description stated: “Magazine and Feature Writing students will be introduced to the editorial flank of the magazine world (online and print)—a vast and storied part of not just journalism but public debate, controversy, and exchange of ideas.”
In the Spring of 2020, Abusharif taught a nine-week course, titled: “News Gathering and Assessment.”
The course description stated: “Focuses on news gathering as the ‘science of verification,’...You will gather and verify information to produce new pieces of reporting as well as adding facts and context to existing reporting as part of ethical aggregation and curation.”
Also in Spring 2020, Abusharif taught a course titled: “Special Topics: Media and Religion.”
The course description stated: “Matters of faith and its practices, contestations, pamphleteering, violence, social backlashes, and fictive storylines are all fodder for media content and for provoking crucial global conversations.”
Qatar - Terrorism
Qatar is one of the primary state backers of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and has provided funding for Hamas in the past. Qatar facilitates funding to advance extremism around the world, including the West.
Qatar Foundation
In 1995, the then-Emir of Qatar and his wife, Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, created the Qatar Foundation (QF) to “advance education, science, and cultural development.”In 1995, QF was given two billion dollars in resources by the Qatari Government “to address knowledge and capacity deficits” and transform into a “knowledge-based economy.”
QF launched Education City (EC) in 1997, with the stated goal of providing “world-class education to the people of Qatar.”
In 2003, the campus was officially inaugurated.
Qatar Foundation - Yusuf al-Qaradawi and the Muslim Brotherhood
In 2007, Yusuf al-Qaradawi announced QF’s establishment of the Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies (QFIS) in EC. The QFIS structure was to be created by an advisory committee, chaired by al-Qaradawi.
Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi [Yousef Al-Qaradhawi] was the founder and, as of April 2020, remained head of the European Council for Fatwa and Research. In 2005, The Wall Street Journal reported the council used the anti-Semitic fabricated text, the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, as a basis for some of its deliberations.
al-Qaradawi said in a statement that aired on Al-Jazeera TV on January 30, 2009: "Throughout history, Allah has imposed upon the Jews...The last punishment was carried out by Hitler...Allah Willing, the next time will be at the hand of the Believers."
al-Qaradawi has also called for the murder of American civilians, as well as American troops in Iraq, homosexuals and Jews and expressed support for domestic violence against women.
al-Qaradawi said in a statement that aired on Al-Jazeera TV on January 30, 2009: "Throughout history, Allah has imposed upon the Jews...The last punishment was carried out by Hitler...Allah Willing, the next time will be at the hand of the Believers."
al-Qaradawi has also called for the murder of American civilians, as well as American troops in Iraq, homosexuals and Jews and expressed support for domestic violence against women.
In 2008, Moza bint Nasser and QF established within QFIS, the al-Qaradawi Centre for Research in Moderate Thought, also known as the “Al-Qaradawi Center for Islamic Moderation and Renewal,” in honor of “His Eminence” Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi.
QFIS described al-Qaradawi as “a pioneer of Islamic moderate thought” and the research center’s “main theorist.”
In January 2012, QF opened the Research Center for Islamic Legislation and Ethics (CILE), “under the guidance of Director Dr. Tariq Ramadan.” In October 2015, Ramadan was listed as the CILE Director.
Tariq Ramadan is the grandson of Muslim Brotherhood (MB) founder Hassan al-Banna and son of senior Brotherhood operative Said Ramadan. Tariq Ramadanis also alleged to be a serial-rapist, as well asa terrorist supporter.
NU-Q - Qatar Foundation
In 2008, QF invited Northwestern University (NU) in Evanston, Illinois to set up a Qatari satellite campus in EC, Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q), focusing on journalism and communications.
The degree that NU-Q awards students upon graduation would be identical to that earned at NU’s Evanston, IL campus.
The degree that NU-Q awards students upon graduation would be identical to that earned at NU’s Evanston, IL campus.
On July 10, 2009, the Chronicle of Higher Education released an article critical of the academic standards of EC, noting that: "Administrators at several branch campuses of American universities in Qatar acknowledge that they accept students with admissions standards that fall below those expected on their home campuses…"
On April 5, 2014, Everett Dennis, NU-Q’s then-Dean and CEO said [00:12:25] in an interview with Richard Heffner, a former professor of Communications and Public policy at Rutgers University (Rutgers), that QF was “paying the bill” for NU-Q’s building, faculty, research and housing.
In March 2015, Stephen F. Eisenman, President of the Northwestern Faculty Senate, reported to the NU Faculty Senate that Qatari students receive full scholarships from the QF, while non-Qatari students, with some exceptions, must pay full costs. Eisenman also reported that “that five new endowed professorships at NU were recently funded out of QF money.”
In 2016, NU signed a 10-year extension to its agreement with QF, enabling NU-Q to operate through the 2027-2028 school year.
As of November 2019, the United States Department of Education (DoE) reported that Qatar gave NU $323.4 million in contract revenue since January 2013, averaging $49.6 million per year.
As of April 2020, Qatar Foundation’s contract with NU-Q was not available to the public.
As of May 2020, EC hosted six American university satellite campuses, in addition to NU-Q, including Carnegie Mellon University, Georgetown University, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), the Joan & Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University and Texas A&M University.
QF lawyers, according to a January 2016 Washington Post article, petitioned the Texas attorney general in an attempt to keep the operational and financial details confidential.
However, the Washington Post was able to publish the 2012 10-year contract between VCU and QF because it was “disclosed as a matter of public record.” The projected budget included a VCU management fee of $3.6 million dollars for 2013, to rise to $4.1 in 2015.
The Washington Post article added: “The other four U.S. schools involved are private: Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern and Georgetown universities. They all declined Post requests for their Qatar contracts.”
The Washington Post later published the 2014 contract between Texas A&M and QF in a March 2016 article. The contract stated: “Texas A&M is eligible for a management fee for running the branch — an amount set at $8.2 million in fiscal 2014.”
In 2019, the U.S. DoE was reportedly “quietly investigating Georgetown and three other universities — Texas A&M, Cornell and Rutgers — over their funding from Qatar.”
Qatar Foundation - Anti-Israel Campaign
In 2009, the Qatar Foundation hired the U.S. public relations firm, Fenton Communications, to develop “a communications action plan for an 18-month campaign,” using Al Fakhoora, a Qatari-based pro-Palestine initiative.The Fenton plan aimed to delegitimize Israel and generate international support for the Hamas-run Gaza strip, with a reported budget of $120,000.
Al Fakhoora was reportedly launched in 2009, following “the Israeli aggression on Gaza,” in support of promoting and facilitating access to higher education.
Israel commenced Operation Cast Lead (OCL)in 2008-09 in order to stop Hamas rocket fire from Gaza targeting Israeli civilians. In 2010, Hamas admitted that nearly 700 of the Palestinian casualties in OCL were combatants.
In May 2010, Farook Burney, director of Al Fakhoora, reportedly participated in the Mavi Marmara attempt to “break the siege in Gaza.”
The Mavi Marmara was the lead ship in a “Freedom Flotilla” of six ships that attempted to sail to Gaza in May 2010 to “break the siege.” A 2011 United Nations’ report found that the flotilla activists initiated a violent confrontation with Israeli forces. Following the incident there was no humanitarian aid found onboard the ship, only crude weaponry.
In June 2010, Burney reportedly told students at QFIS that "Al Fakhoora has launched an advocacy campaign to file legal charges against Israel and change the public perception in the West about its actions."
Qatar Foundation -EC Mosque Hosting Anti-Semitic Preachers
In April 2015, QF opened the Education City (EC) Mosque, located in Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies (QFIS) campus, adjacent to NU-Q.Since the opening of the mosque, QF’s newspaper has encouraged readers to “join the QF community for prayer” at the EC Mosque, which has hosted 18 preachers and clerics who have variously spread anti-Semitism, expressed support for terror, spread [00:00:20] a conspiracy theory that radicalized Muslims played no part in 9/11 or the Charlie Hebdo attacks and declared that the Jews use pornographic movies to “destroy the world and control it.”
One preacher, Salman al-Audah, claimed [00:02:48] in a sermon broadcast on a major Gulf media channel in August 2012, that Jews use “human blood” for Passover matzah.
A cleric, Tareq al-Hawas, stated [00:04:11] about Jews "If only Hitler had finished them off, thus relieving humanity of them." Hawas was reportedly a member of Yusuf al-Qaradawi's International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) in 2013.
Another cleric, Mohammed al-Arifi, proclaimed in 2012, that “one’s devotion to jihad for the sake of Allah and one’s will to shed blood, smash skulls, and chop off body parts...constitute an honor.”
On March 18, 2016, preacher Mudassir Ahmed spoke at the EC mosque, urging attendees to [00:37:47]: “Kill the infidels... Count them in number and do not spare one.”
On April 1, 2016, preacher Khalid Al-Bakr, who has expressed support for Hamas, spoke at EC’s Mosque, calling [00:36:47] for Allah to “render victorious our brothers the mujahideen...in every place” and to “guide their shooting.”
On October 30, 2015, during the “Knife Intifada,” al-Hawas used his pulpit at the EC mosque to condemn [00:30:18] “the aggressor Zionists,” adding: “Allah, Help out Islam and Muslims, humiliate the heathens; destroy the foes of the religion.” al Hawas also said: "Protect your house, Al-Aqsa mosque from the hands of the Zionist aggressors."
October 2015 saw a wave of stabbings, known as the “Knife Intifada,” where young Palestinians throughout Israel were stabbing and attempting to stab Israeli civilians. The upsurge in violence across Israel was incited by Palestinian political and religious leaders. The attacks were sparked and fueled by Palestinian leaders propagating the libel that Israel intended to desecrate the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
NU-Q - Al Jazeera
Since 2008, NU-Q has worked closely with the Al Jazeera Media Network (Al Jazeera). In 2013, NU-Q signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MoU) with Al Jazeera “which deepens ties between the two organizations.”
Al Jazeera is a multinational multimedia conglomerate and parent company of the Qatari state-funded Al Jazeera. AJMN comprises an entirely state-owned network, chaired by Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar.
AJMN has been repeatedly accused of slanting news reports to promote and advance the agenda of theMuslim Brotherhood (MB), as well as MB’s offshoot, the Hamas terrorist organization.
On March 13, 2013, Qatari-based news site Marhaba reported that NU-Q’s MoU with Al Jazeera aimed to “further facilitate collaboration and knowledge transfer between the two media organisations.” NU-Q’s announcement of the MoU referred to itself and Al Jazeera as “two of Qatar’s foremost media organisations.”
The MoU was created, in part, so NU faculty would provide consultations to launch Al Jazeera America (AJAM), based on NU’s “expertise in the American Media Industry.”Al Jazeera, for its part, expressed “willingness to support NU-Q students with scholarships as well as training opportunities.”
Al Jazeera launched AJAM, an American news channel, 2013. However, the channel closed in April 2016 due to low viewership and following a crisis in 2015 when CEO Ehab Al Shihabi reportedly stepped down after accusations of sexism and anti-Semitism.
NU-Q’s MoU with Al Jazeera was signed by Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed Al-Thani, Qatari Minister of Economy and Commerce and Director General of Al Jazeera, as well as Everette Dennis, the Dean and CEO of NU-Q.
Since the MoU, Al Jazeera has maintained a close partnership with NU-Q, including funding NU-Q’s professorial research.
NU-Q Joint Advisory Board
Since NU-Q and Al Jazeera signed their initial MoU in 2013, NU-Q has a Joint Advisory Board (JAB), which consists of ten to eleven people; five or six positions filled by Qatari-connected members and five positions filled by Western members.All eleven of the current or previous Qatari-connected JAB members were directly affiliated with QF, Al Jazeera or the Qatari government.
There is little information available about the role of NU-Q’s JAB. The role of the Texas A&M University, Qatar (TAMUQ) JAB was exposed by the Washington Post in a 2016 article, to include general oversight and close monitoring and review of every aspect of TAMUQ, with QF paying the JAB TAMUQ expenses.
Multiple people associated with the NU-Q’s JAB have whitewashed al-Qaradawi, including the QF CEO and JAB Co-Chair from 2008-2019, Hind bint Hamad Al-Thani, JAB 2019-2020 member and president of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) Ahmad Hasnah, as well as JAB 2012 - 2014 member and QF Vice President of education Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani.
Qatari State Minister, NU-Q JAB 2019-2020 member and AJ Vice Chairman Hamad Bin Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari, reportedly recommended a book that spread anti-semitism and authored an introduction praising the book. Yaser Bishr, 2017-2020 JAB member and Executive Director of digital media at Al Jazeera has demonized Israel.
Professor Rami Khouri was a Western NU-Q JAB member from 2012-2020 and a senior fellow at American University of Beirut (AUB). As of January 2020, Khouri was also an Al Jazeera contributor.
Khouri has legitimized terrorism, defended the “Knife Intifada,” has glorified violent protesters and spread anti-Israel conspiracy theories.
NU-Q - Hosting Annual Al Jazeera Speaker Series
Since the signing of the MoU in 2013, NU-Q has hosted an annual Al Jazeera Speakers Series. Thirteen of the 17 speakers who participated in the series at NU-Q from 2013-2019 have whitewashed terrorism, demonized Israel or expressed supportfor the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.Dima Khatib, managing director of AJ+, spoke at NU-Q as part of the series on November 8, 2016. Khatib has spread anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, defended Hamas terror and whitewashed Hezbollah. She has also glorified a terrorist, demonized Israel and is a supporter of the BDS movement.
Elia Ghorbiah, a journalist at AJ’s immersive storytelling studio Contrast VR [Virtual Reality], spoke at NU-Q on November 8, 2018, as part of the series, helping to launch the NU-Q’s new Media Innovations Lab (MIL).
Ghorbiah has compared Israel to Nazi Germany, exressed support for terrorists, as well as the terrorist organization Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and urged the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers. She is also a supporter of the BDS movement.
NU-Q - Anti-Israel Middle East Studies Minor
In 2017, NU-Q launched a Middle East Studies minor in their Liberal Arts program. From 2017-2019, four of the seven members of the NU-Q’s Middle East Studies committee included anti-Israel NU-Q professors Justin Martin, Ibraham Abusharif, Khaled Hroub and Sami Hermez.Khaled Hroub, a Professor at NU-Q who taught the 2018 and 2019 course “Islamism & Politics in the Middle East,” has reportedly whitewashed the terror group Hamas.
Sami Hermez, an NU-Q Professor who taught the 2018-2019 NU-Q courses “Anthropology of Palestine” and “Advanced Topics: Violence/Power/Resistance,” has promoted a terrorist and demonized Israel.
All of the required reading for Hermez’s “Anthropology of Palestine” course was authored by anti-Israel professors, eight of whom were activists in or supporters of the BDS movement. One of the authors, Edward Said, has advocated for the “right of return,” a Palestinian demand discredited as a means to eliminate Israel.
Justin Martin, an Associate Professor at NU-Q, has mocked America’s suffering following the 9-11 terror bombings and demonized Israel. Martin has also broadcast his desire for Qatari funding to boost the BDS movement on U.S college campuses.
Ibrahim Abusharif was an editor and Treasurer of the Quranic Literacy Institute (QLI) from 1990 to 1998. The QLI “was allegedly part of a large web of organizations and individuals that were funding terrorist groups.”
QLI, along with the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF), and the Islamic Association of Palestine, was found to have funded Hamas militant activities and therefore liable for the death of David Boim, an American citizen killed by Hamas in the West Bank. This was later reversed as it could not be proven the funds were intended to be used to kill Boim.
The minor also required students to attend two guest lectures a year, chosen by the Middle East Studies Committee.
NU-Q - Student Internships in International Media
As of January 2020, third-year NU-Q Journalism and Strategic Communication students were required to intern for ten weeks at media or public relations firms, off-campus.In 2019, students reportedly interned at international communication firms and news outlets in Washington D.C., New York City, London, Berlin, Stockholm and Doha.
As of February 2020, news outlets where NU-Q students have interned included: BBC News, TIME Magazine, Forbes, the Washington Post, National Geographic, the Guardian, National Public Radio (NPR), the Boston Globe, USA Today, Vox, the Financial Times, the Huffington Post and VICE
.
Students also interned at sports outlets, including: Sports Illustrated and ESPN, as well as fashion outlets Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire.
NU-Q reported in 2012 that they were able to offer students residencies at prestigious media organizations “because of the high-level contacts that NU-Q faculty and staff have in the international media.”
Students also interned at sports outlets, including: Sports Illustrated and ESPN, as well as fashion outlets Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire.
NU-Q reported in 2012 that they were able to offer students residencies at prestigious media organizations “because of the high-level contacts that NU-Q faculty and staff have in the international media.”
Social Media and Weblinks
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/1575140233Twitter:https://twitter.com/i_abusharif
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ibrahim-n-abusharif-ph-d-691a985/
Blog:http://fromclay.blogspot.com/
Blogger: https://www.blogger.com/profile/06173802255932770704
Northwestern University Scholars: https://www.scholars.northwestern.edu/en/publications/framing-journalism-education
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- Last Modified:
- 05/04/2026
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