Asra Nomani Unveils the Alliance Between Radical Leftists and Islamists
From the streets of Chicago: Anti-Israel activists rally during the #MarchOnDNC2024 at the Democratic National Committee. Photo credit: Asra Nomani
Published on 8/29/2024
Asra Nomani is well known among AHA supporters for her relentless advocacy against Islamist extremism. Her commitment to this cause was further amplified after the brutal murder of her friend, The Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, by Islamic militants in Pakistan in 2022. Since then, she has authored several books, testified in front of Congress, and delivered numerous articles and speeches challenging the radical ideology.
We reached out to Asra Nomani and asked her to share with you about her new book “Woke Army” and the insights from her recent investigative work into the alliance of far-left and Islamist ideologies.
*The opinions in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of AHA Foundation*
AHA Foundation: Can you explain Islamism to our readers and how it differs from the view of Islam that you were brought up with?
Asra Nomani: Islamism is the new edict by the Taliban that women and girls cannot show their faces in public or have their voices heard. The Islam in which my parents raised me empowers me to raise my voice and deliver one simple message to the Taliban: “Go to hell!”
Islamism is the ideology that says that Muslims must fall lock-step behind terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah and fight for the destruction of the state of Israel and the West as we know it. The Islam that I inherited from my parents taught me that it is my sacred duty to stand up for justice and expose these terrorist groups for the dangerous, violent, extremist criminals that they are.
Islamism is a political ideology that seeks to impose a specific interpretation of Islam as the governing system, often through authoritarian means. It prioritizes establishing an Islamic state governed by strict sharia law, or Islamic law, undermining individual freedoms. The Islam I grew up with emphasized faith, spirituality, and coexistence. Islamism distorts these values by intertwining religion with power and control. My advocacy for Islamic feminism aims to assert values of justice, equality, and progressiveness that are present in Islam’s birth but undermined by Islamism.
“Islamism has found common ground with radical leftist ideologies, influencing social and political movements in the U.S. These groups use social justice rhetoric to mask their true agenda…”
AHA Foundation: How do you see the intersection of Islamism and the current social and political climate in the United States?
Asra Nomani: Islamism has found common ground with radical leftist ideologies, influencing social and political movements in the U.S. These groups use social justice rhetoric to mask their true agenda, as seen in the Democratic National Committee protests where chants like “Killer Kamala” and anti-Israel slogans were prevalent. This alliance is not about progressive causes but destabilizing society, and it must be addressed to protect democratic values.
AHA Foundation: What challenges have you faced as a Muslim reformer, particularly in the aftermath of 9/11, and how have you addressed them?
Asra Nomani: After 9/11, I faced intense backlash from Islamists who labeled me a traitor for advocating reforms, and I faced skepticism from non-Muslims who viewed Islam through the lens of extremism. I addressed these challenges by using my platform to expose Islamism while promoting a moderate Islam.
My work with the Pearl Project helps shed light on extremist networks, protecting both democracy and individual rights. First, starting in 2002, I exposed the network that kidnapped and murdered my friend Daniel Pearl for being a Jew and grandson of Israel.
Most recently, I reported from the streets of Chicago in the trenches with the anti-Israel activists who assembled there to urge the Democratic National Committee to destroy the state of Israel. In that reporting, published in a series of five articles in a new feature called “Dispatches From,” I detailed the network of global organizations that assembled in Chicago to #MarchOnDNC2024 and are antisemitic and anti-Israel, and I built out a database–the Malign Foreign Influence Index–that chronicles this network’s close ties to Russia, China, Cuba, North Korea and other socialist campaigns in Venezuela, the Philippines and nations in Africa.
“Media and public discourse are crucial in shaping how people understand Islamism and reform. Unfortunately, the media often fails to scrutinize protests and movements, giving extremist groups a platform.”
AHA Foundation: That sounds fascinating. What did you discover in the Malign Foreign Influence Index?
Asra Nomani: This is what I discovered: a total of 242 organizations are members and supporters of the #MarchOnDNC coalition and organizers of the violent Make It Great Like ’68 protest that week, when protestors rammed into police. Of those organizations, 34 are self-described socialist groups, 166 are socialist-adjacent and pro-socialist, working closely with socialist groups, and 42 organizations are Palestinian, Arab or Muslim. Here is a link to the Pearl Project’s Malign Foreign Influence Index.
In the first bucket, 34 groups openly identify as some form of socialism–from “anti-revisionist Marxist-Leninist” to “Revolutionary Socialist” and even “building toward the creation of a new Communist Party” in the U.S. These groups, with names like ANSWER, Freedom Socialist Party, International League of People’s Struggles, the New Afrikan Black Panther Party, World Workers Party, Denver Communists, and Keweenaw Socialists from Michigan, support the dictatorial governments in China, Russia, North Korea and Cuba, and they seek to replace capitalism with socialism in the U.S. and globally.
The 166 groups that are “socialist-adjacent” or pro-socialist work closely with the openly socialist organizations and nations. For example, the Korean Friendship Association USA speaks highly of Respected Supreme Leader Comrade Kim Jong Un, the mercurial leader of the communist Workers’ Party of Korea, which the group lauds as “revolutionary.”
Finally, many of the 42 groups that are Muslim, Palestinian or Arab have sympathies for Islamism and Hamas, like American Muslims for Palestine, Students for Justice in Palestine, the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights and the U.S. Palestinian Community Network. While innocuous sounding, they seek the destruction of the state of Israel “from the river to the sea.”
AHA Foundation: What role do you believe media and public discourse play in shaping the narrative around Islamism and reform efforts?
Asra Nomani: Media and public discourse are crucial in shaping how people understand Islamism and reform. Unfortunately, the media often fails to scrutinize protests and movements, giving extremist groups a platform. The Pearl Project’s Malign Foreign Influence Index aims to expose these groups’ true motives and ensure public discourse is informed by facts.
“I would highlight the evolving threat of Islamism, which has found new allies in radical leftist ideologies. This ‘red-green alliance’ is gaining influence in education, media, and activism, often cloaked in social justice rhetoric.”
AHA Foundation: In 2017, you and Ayaan Hirsi Ali testified before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs about the Muslim reformation and brutal treatment of women under Islamist rule. If you were to testify again today, what would you tell the Senate Committee?
Asra Nomani: I would highlight the evolving threat of Islamism, which has found new allies in radical leftist ideologies. This “red-green alliance” is gaining influence in education, media, and activism, often cloaked in social justice rhetoric. I would urge the U.S. Senate to recognize this alliance as a significant threat to democratic values and address it accordingly.
AHA Foundation: Your latest book, “Woke Army,” has been receiving a lot of attention. What prompted you to write this book, and what do you hope readers will take away from it?
Asra Nomani: “Woke Army: The Red-Green Alliance That Is Destroying America’s Freedom” was inspired by my concern about the alliance between Islamists and radical leftist ideologies in the U.S. This “red-green alliance” threatens the freedoms that make our society strong. I hope readers will understand the dangers of this alliance and feel empowered to push back against it. It predicted the anti-Jewish clashes on the streets and on our campuses following the brutal Oct. 7th attack by Hamas militants.
“Many followers are genuinely motivated by a desire for justice but may not realize these movements are being co-opted by groups with sinister agendas.”
AHA Foundation: In your book, you highlight the alliance between Islamists and radical leftist ideologies. Those who question these movements face backlash. Why do you think followers don’t see through this?
Asra Nomani: Many followers are genuinely motivated by a desire for justice but may not realize these movements are being co-opted by groups with sinister agendas. The backlash against critics is a tactic to silence dissent, creating an environment of ideological conformity. This prevents people from questioning the movements’ true motives.
AHA Foundation: Many see through this but are afraid to speak up. How can we expose and embolden pushback?
Asra Nomani: To expose and embolden pushback, we need to create spaces for people to express their concerns and build networks of support. Raising awareness through platforms like the CLARITy Coalition is crucial. By providing people with facts, we can empower them to speak out against misinformation and extremism.
AHA Foundation: Looking back on your journey as an advocate and reformer, what are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Asra Nomani: Resilience is one of the most important lessons I’ve learned. Advocacy is a long, challenging journey, but it’s essential to stay true to your principles and keep pushing forward. Building strong allies is crucial, as seen in the coordinated efforts of adversaries to Muslim reform, like Students for Justice in Palestine and the Council on American-Islamic Relations. We must build our own networks to counter their influence.
If you’d like to contribute to my efforts with the Pearl Project or have tips for our investigation, please reach out to me at asra@asranomani.com. You can donate here to the Pearl Project, a nonprofit journalism initiative. Thank you for your support of our 21st century dissidents!
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