Abdul El-Sayed’s Victory Hailed by Senior Leader of the Muslim Brotherhood

Michigan’s newest senator-elect, Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, has defied the odds, overcoming a bitterly contested election and allegations linking him to the Muslim Brotherhood to become the first Muslim elected to the Senate.As I scanned the Arab press following the U.S. midterm elections, one article caught my attention. Published by Arabi21, an Arabic-language news outlet whose coverage has frequently reflected political positions associated with Qatar, it was written by a former Egyptian lawmaker and senior Muslim Brotherhood figure, Abdel Mawgoud al-Dardery.The Muslim Brotherhood’s Egyptian branch was deeemed a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. Treasury Department in January 2026. Mr. al-Dardery writes that “The election of a Muslim figure reflects the importance of participating in democratic institutions, working within the political system, and engaging with the various segments of society.”The article’s celebratory tone is hardly surprising, as Mr. Al-Dardery had himself reportedly contributed $500 to El-Sayed’s election campaign, a telling gesture of political support.What caught my attention was Mr. Al-Dardery’s emphasis on participation in democratic institutions, a theme that has long featured in the Muslim Brotherhood’s political strategy. The article celebrates Dr. El-Sayed’s victory as an example of how Muslim communities can gain representation and influence within Western democracies. As I followed the American election results, another document from Egypt’s turbulent political history resurfaced in my mind. On November 25, 2012, “Al-Ahram Gate” published an open letter signed by 46 Egyptian-Americans, including Dr. El-Sayed, expressing support for President Mohamed Morsi.The signatories urged Morsi to “purge the media and the police as soon as possible” and rejected foreign pressure against his government. Although they also expressed concern about his expanded presidential powers and called for those powers to be temporary, their endorsement came at a moment when Egypt was confronting a serious constitutional crisis over executive authority and judicial independence.Following Tuesday’s election results, I spoke with an advocate for Islamic reform and director of strategy at the Canada-based Muslim Policy Institute, Imam Mohamed Tawhidi, about the Brotherhood’s approach to democratic institutions and political power.“The Muslim Brotherhood does not view democratic institutions merely as spaces for civic participation; it has historically viewed them as avenues through which to secure influence, advance its ideological project and gradually establish political legitimacy. Its relationship with democracy is therefore one that warrants serious scrutiny: participation in democratic processes does not necessarily mean a commitment to democratic values,” Imam Tawhidi explains.Imam Tawhidi’s remarks resonated with what I had witnessed firsthand in Egypt more than a decade earlier.On June 24, 2012, I was reporting for CNN from Cairo’s iconic Tahrir Square as the country awaited the results of its historic presidential election. Inside the Muslim Brotherhood’s main tent, I stood among anxious supporters, their eyes fixed on a small television screen as they waited to learn whether their movement had finally captured the presidency.When the electoral commission announced that the Brotherhood’s candidate, Mohamed Morsi, had won, the square erupted. Tens of thousands of supporters burst into triumphant chants, some weeping with joy. Yet amid the celebrations, I could not shake a sense of foreboding. I feared that the Brotherhood’s historic victory could mark the beginning of darker days for EgyptDuring Morsi’s presidency, the Brotherhood faced accusations of extending its influence into Egypt’s education system, including through appointments to senior ministry positions and attempts to reshape curricula.Meanwhile, street demonstrations and political confrontations increasingly descended into violence, deepening public fear and polarization. Women in my own family no longer felt safe walking the streets of Cairo, while the country’s Coptic Christian minority faced growing intimidation and marginalization.Morsi also issued pardons benefiting convicted Islamist militants, some implicated in serious acts of violence. In 2014, Egypt’s interim government revoked 52 pardons issued during his presidency.For me, the decisive turning point came in November 2012, when Morsi issued a sweeping constitutional declaration placing his presidential decisions beyond judicial oversight. The president who had promised democracy, inclusion, and modernization was instead consolidating power and steering Egypt toward authoritarian rule under the banner of religion.This week I spoke with a senior adviser, Toby Dershowitz, at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Ms. Dershowitz stressed the importance of distinguishing legitimate scrutiny of the Muslim Brotherhood from prejudice against Muslim Americans.Ms. Dershowitz notes that ”The Brotherhood is not synonymous with Muslim Americans, and scrutinizing the Brotherhood is not condemning how Muslims pray. Senator-elect El-Sayed should be judged like any politician of any party: on the policies he promotes, not on the name he carries nor the God to whom he prays. She adds, though, that if “politicians treat allies like enemies and enemies like allies, they should expect to be challenged.”

Abdul El-Sayed’s Victory Hailed by Senior Leader of the Muslim Brotherhood

Abdul El-Sayed’s Victory Hailed by Senior Leader of the Muslim Brotherhood

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