WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
  • Abdul El-Sayed denied that he or his family had personal ties to the Muslim Brotherhood during a Sunday Meet the Press appearance.
  • His sister, Eman Abdelhadi, wrote in 2012 that her family had “long been MB.”
  • Abdelhadi posted in 2013 that she was praying for family members supporting the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.
  • The posts directly contradict El-Sayed’s denial and cite additional alleged family associations.

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is facing renewed scrutiny after social media posts attributed to his sister surfaced in which she described a history of Muslim Brotherhood involvement within their family.

The posts, made by Eman Abdelhadi, an assistant professor at the University of Chicago and El-Sayed’s sister, were highlighted after El-Sayed said Sunday on Meet the Press that neither he nor his family had personal ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Abdelhadi’s comments, however, appear to directly raise questions about that assertion.

In a 2012 post responding to writer Omar Kamel, Abdelhadi wrote, “:( :( sh[*]t. My family has long been MB, but I've always felt that it has navigated the political sphere poorly/destructively,” referring to the Muslim Brotherhood by the abbreviation “MB.”

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The post came just days after Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi became president of Egypt. El-Sayed has previously acknowledged holding dual citizenship involving Egypt.

Abdelhadi returned to the subject in 2013 as political turmoil in Egypt intensified.

“Praying for all my family that supports the #MB in #Egypt. Lie low, stay safe,” she wrote.

The abbreviation “MB” has long been used on social media as shorthand for the Muslim Brotherhood. Morsi was removed from power in 2013.

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The posts are now being cited by critics of El-Sayed who argue that they conflict with his claim that his family has no personal connections to the organization.

The controversy also comes amid broader criticism of El-Sayed over political and family associations involving groups and individuals his opponents have linked to Islamist organizations.

Critics have pointed to El-Sayed’s decision to campaign with Hasan Piker, who has drawn condemnation for comments about the October 7 attack in Israel. This raises questions about El-Sayed’s mother and father-in-law, Tayeb Jukaku, alleging connections to organizations tied to Islamist political activity and noting that Jukaku donated to El-Sayed’s campaign.

One of El-Sayed’s in-laws had been placed on a terror watchlist, and members of his extended family have worked with organizations described by critics as fronts for extremist groups. Those allegations have become part of a wider effort to challenge El-Sayed’s statements about the extent of his family’s political and religious connections.

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The Muslim Brotherhood has long been a controversial political and religious movement operating across the Middle East and beyond. Hamas emerged from the broader Muslim Brotherhood movement, a connection frequently cited by critics who argue that political candidates with close family or organizational ties to Brotherhood-linked groups should face greater scrutiny.

El-Sayed’s critics say the newly resurfaced posts are significant because they were not vague or speculative statements from political opponents. They were written by his own sister and explicitly referenced her family’s relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood.

The 2012 statement that “My family has long been MB” is particularly central to the dispute because of El-Sayed’s more recent denial that members of his family have personal ties to the organization.

The controversy has also revived debate over whether voters are receiving a complete picture of El-Sayed’s family background and political associations as he campaigns for a U.S. Senate seat.

Some of El-Sayed’s opponents have gone further, arguing that the dispute should be considered in the context of Islamist political strategy and the concept of taqiyya, which they describe as permitting deception under certain circumstances. That interpretation is itself disputed and has often been used broadly in political arguments about Muslims and public office.

What is clear from the material cited by critics is that Abdelhadi publicly wrote that her family had “long been MB” and later said she was praying for family members who supported the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.

Those posts now stand in contrast with El-Sayed’s public denial that his family has personal ties to the organization, creating another controversy for the Michigan Democrat as his Senate campaign moves forward.

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