Al-Furqan Schools

The al-Furqan Schools (Arabic: مدارس الفرقان) is a non-profit, boy’s only academic institute offering classes in primary, preparatory, and secondary schools for grades 1-12 as well as an extracurricular activities club. The al-Furqan Schools are located in Doha, Qatar and were established in 1988.^[1] While the schools have been supported by the Qatari government, they have also been a major contributor to the Qatar-based Eid Charity, an organization which has been associated with terrorist groups.^[2][3][4] The leadership of the al-Furqan Schools has also been previously connected to terrorist organizations and activities.^[5][6]

Mission

The primary mission of the al-Furqan Schools is to build a strong generation of young Muslims that are "armed with" religious knowledge in order to guard the homeland.^[7]

The al-Furqan Schools also aim to:^[7]

1. Instill faith in God and His messengers and to instill and develop an appreciation for Islamic religious values
2. Build the psychological, intellectual, physical, and social characters of the students
3. Provide a safe learning environment
4. Utilize modern methods of teaching and learning
5. Develop the administrative and teaching staff in accordance with national and professional standards
6. Improve the academic competency of students through effective teaching and learning
7. Enhance the abilities of students to self-learn and their access to a permanent learning community
8. Prepare a generation of tolerant, responsible, serious, and deserving thinkers and innovators
9. Utilize technology and stay up-to-date on technological advances to assist students, to boost their self-confidence, and their ability to continue their education
10. Develop a spirit of respect, preserve the traditions and values native to the homeland, and instill loyalty to the homeland
11. Be an active participant in the plan outlined in the Qatar National Vision 2030
12. Provide active learning activities inside and outside the classroom
13. Deepen the spirit of creativity and innovation with training in methods of scientific research
14. Assist people with special needs

Primary school

The al-Furqan primary school offers classes in grades 1-6. The offered classes include: Islamic studies, Arabic, general science, social sciences and mathematics.^[8]

Al-Furqan primary school students participate in a number of extracurricular activities and competitions. For example, in 2016 primary school students participated in computer training courses and an Arabic-language spelling bee.^[9][10]

The al-Furqan primary school employs 49 staff members and Arafa Mohammadi is the Director of al-Furqan primary school.^[11][12]

Preparatory school

The al-Furqan preparatory school offers classes in grades 7-9.^[13] The offered classes include: Sharia studies, English, science, Arabic, information technology, mathematics and social studies.^[14] The preparatory school also has a democratically-elected student parliament that adheres to Islamic religious values (Shura).^[15]

Al-Furqan preparatory school students have participated in many extracurricular activities including sports, memorizing the Quran, calligraphy, school radio, and others.^[16]

Mahmoud Morsi is the Director of al-Furqan preparatory school and is a professor at the school.^[12]

Secondary school

The al-Furqan secondary school offers classes in grades 10-12.^[17] The secondary school also has a student parliament that is led by an Islamic Shura Council according to Islamic religious traditions.^[18]

Adnan Taha is the Director of al-Furqan secondary school and is a professor at the school.^[12]

Al-Furqan Creativity Club

The al-Furqan Creativity Club is a club for students of all grades to participate in extracurricular activities. In 2016, al-Furqan’s Creativity Club completed an Umrah pilgrimage with 37 students from all three schools.^[19] The club has also embarked on leisure trips, participated in a camp, initiated soccer games, and engaged in many other extracurricular activities.^[20][21][22]

Connections to government

In 2014, the Qatari government issued a decree of names of participating schools in Qatar that were eligible for an educational voucher system for the 2014/2015 academic year. The al-Furqan primary school was listed among the 71 schools announced by Dr. Mohammed bin Abdul Wahid al-Hamadi, the Qatari Minister of Higher Education and Secretary General of the Supreme Education Council.^[2] The voucher system is intended to promote a higher quality of education in Qatar, improve the academic achievement standards, and raise the level of competition between schools.^[2]

According to the voucher system, the Qatari government offers government-funded vouchers to Qatari parents who wish to send their children to private schools committed to teaching religious values, the Arabic languages, sciences, and history in accordance with the standards of the Supreme Education Council.^[2] The al-Furqan school was selected by the Qatari government as an institution that meets the standards and sources of the Supreme Education Council.

Connections to Eid Charity

The al-Furqan Schools have extensive connections to the Qatar-based Sheikh Eid bin Mohammad al-Thani Charitable Association, or Eid Charity.

In January 2009, the al-Furqan Schools submitted a check for QR 1 million (approximately $274,593 USD) to Eid Charity for the purpose of aid efforts in Gaza.^[23] During the same month, Eid Charity undertook three programs in cooperation with the al-Furqan preparatory and secondary schools entitled "Gaza, a Code of Honor."^[24]

In 2013, the al-Furqan Schools donated QR 1 million (approximately $274,593 USD) to support Eid Charity’s assistance to Syrian refugees.^[3] Later that year, the Eid Charity Cultural Center established the Furqan Summer Center under the supervision of the Qatari Ministry of Islamic Affairs.^[25] The following December, al-Furqan again donated QR 250,000 (approximately $68,648) to Eid Charity’s aid efforts for Syrian refugees.^[26]

In 2015, a delegation of al-Furqan School students visited refugee camps for Syrian refugees in Turkey.^[27] Eid Charity recognized the al-Furqan Schools for their close partnership and support.^[28]

Connections to terrorism

Eid Charity

The al-Furqan Schools have provided substantial funding to Eid Charity, an organization with ties to terrorist organizations. A founding member of Eid Charity, Abd al-Rahman bin Umayr al-Nuaymi, is a U.S. Department of the Treasury Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) accused of overseeing the transfer of over $2 million per month to ISIS’ predecessor, al-Qaeda in Iraq.^[4][29]

Eid Charity has also been widely accused of transferring money to "Hamas charities" in the Gaza Strip, a mission that was boosted by the al-Furqan Schools financial assistance.^[4]

Described as "the biggest and most influential activist Salafi-controlled relief organization in the world" in a Carnegie Endowment report, Eid Charity also had close ties to the now defunct Madid Ahl al-Sham fundraising campaign.^[30] Shut down by Qatari authorities in 2014, Madid Ahl al-Sham was cited by the al-Nusra Front as "one of the preferred conduits for donations." ^[31]

Leadership

The Director General of the al-Furqan Schools, Khalifa bin Mohammed al-Rabban, also has a history of ties to terrorist organizations.^[1][5] Al-Rabban, a Qatari businessman, is the President and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Swiss-based human rights NGO Alkarama.^[32] Two of Alkarama’s founding members, Abd al-Rahman bin Umayr al-Nuaymi and Abdul Wahab al-Humaiqani, listed by the U.S. Treasury as a financier and representative of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, are Specially Designated Global Terrorists.^[29] Alkarama has also represented clients linked to Islamist militias operating in Syria.^[31]

Al-Rabban is also a member of the Global Anti-Aggression Campaign led by a close mentor of Osama bin Laden, Safar bin Abdul Rahman al-Hawali.^[6] The group, which also lists al-Nuaymi as a member, has supported and hosted members of Hamas’ leadership and their calls for jihad.^{[33][34][35][36]}

References