What is Dawah? (دعوة)
A strategic “invitation” that builds loyalty, spreads ideology, and fuels terrorist networks across the world.
In its benign form, dawah simply means inviting others to learn about Islam. But in the hands of Islamist movements and terrorist-linked organizations, dawah becomes something very different: a calculated system of outreach, recruitment, and narrative control. It operates through charities, student groups, religious centers, media platforms, and community programs — all designed to normalize extremist ideas, create networks of influence, and prepare individuals for political or even militant action.
Most Americans know the names Hamas, Al-Qaeda, and the Taliban — but few know about the hidden network behind them: Dawah, a decades-old strategy of ideological infiltration that operates in plain sight.
Originally presented as a religious “invitation” to faith, Dawah has evolved into a powerful organizational tool for advancing political Islam. Movements such as Jamaat-e-Islami and the Muslim Brotherhood have weaponized it to spread extremist ideology, build global influence, and reshape societies according to the principles of Sharia law.
CounterDawah exists to expose this hidden system. Our investigative reports and open-source intelligence trace the reach of Dawah through political campaigns, nonprofits, and humanitarian fronts — revealing how movements once confined to South Asia have quietly expanded into Western institutions.
Our mission is twofold:
Educate and expose — helping citizens, journalists, and decision-makers understand how Dawah operates as a global force behind radical Islam.
Advocate for accountability — calling for groups like Jamaat-e-Islami and the Muslim Brotherhood to be formally designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).
Breaking Reports:
Sophia Farooq: The Invisible Candidate of the cobb county gop race
In 2025, Sophia Farooq — granddaughter of one of Jamaat-e-Islami’s founding figures — ran for chair of the Cobb County GOP in Georgia. While presenting herself as a fresh face in local politics, her family’s deep ties to Jamaat-e-Islami — a movement long accused of supporting terrorism — remained carefully hidden.
Local to Global: How One Invisible Candidate Led To The Exposure Of A Vast, Invisible Network
Part 2 of the investigation uncovers how Sophia Farooq’s connections extend beyond local politics, linking her to a network of ideological and financial influence spanning continents — part of a broader Dawah-based strategy operating through social, educational, and philanthropic channels worldwide
Switching Gears: How One Organization Is Actually Hundreds Around The World
Part 3 of the investigation, “Switching Gears,” exposes how groups like Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Hezbollah, and the Muslim Brotherhood sustain operations through charitable and humanitarian fronts. The 61-page dossier traces U.S.-based nonprofits that funnel money, evade sanctions, and build global influence — revealing a security crisis hidden behind the façade of philanthropy.
Additional Resources
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Jamaat-e-Islami: The Global Movement for Sharia Power
A deep dive into one of the most dangerous Islamic movements in the world.
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NYPD - Radicalization in the West: The Homegrown Threat
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
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TWO FACES OF IDEOLOGICAL LEGACY: NOOR BIN LADIN VS. SOPHIA FAROOQ
In this analysis, we explore how family legacy influences political identity through the cases of Noor Bin Ladin and Sophia Farooq. Both women descend from powerful and controversial Islamic lineages, yet their responses to that heritage could not be more different.
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SENATE REPUBLICANS BLAST BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FOR WIRING TAX DOLLARS TO TERRORISM-TIED GROUP
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Designate Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami as a Foreign Terrorist Organization
At issue is Jamaat-e-Islami, a hard-line Islamist group intricately tied to terrorism. The roots of Jamaat-e-Islami date to 1941. The Muslim Brotherhood inspired its founder, Syed Abul Ala Maududi, to reject both the West and liberal democracy in favor of a far more conservative Islamist approach.
Maulana Abul Ala-Maududi (1903-1979) Founder of the Jamaat-e-Islami organization and the ideological father of the Taliban movement in Pakistan
“Islam does not want to bring about the revolution in one country or a few countries. It wants to spread it to the entire world. Although it is the duty of the Muslim Party to bring this revolution first to its own nation, its ultimate goal is world revolution.”
Tell Congress to Pass & EXPAND the ‘No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act’
H.R.260 - No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act | Introduced in House (01/09/2025)
We need your help calling attention to this critical issue. While H.R.260 — the No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act — targets funding to the Taliban, it doesn’t go far enough. All Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) must be included to ensure that no U.S. tax dollars ever end up supporting violence or extremism in any form. Contact your local representative today and urge them to amend and advance this bill. Together, we can bring public awareness to this urgent matter and demand stronger safeguards to protect American aid, accountability, and national security.
