Tareq Al-Suwaidan
Tareq Mohammed Al-Suwaidan (Arabic: ;طارق محمد السويدانborn November 23, 1953) is a Kuwaiti
entrepreneur, Islamic author and speaker, and a leader of the Kuwaiti Muslim Brotherhood. He is well-known
in the Middle East and in Muslim communities throughout the world for his management/strategic planning
training, motivational speaking and television shows and appearances. According to Forbes magazine (Arabic
edition: Forbes Arabia), Dr. Al-Suwaidan ranks second in annual net income among preachers in the Muslim
world with an estimated net profit of $1 million in 2007. [1]
Tareq Al-Suwaidan
Al-Suwaidan was trained in the classical Islamic sciences in his youth and lived and studied in the United
States, having received a B.S. in petroleum and natural gas engineering from Penn State University and an
[Link]. and Ph.D. in petroleum engineering from the University of Tulsa.[2] He currently resides in Kuwait with
his wife and six children.
Media & Management
Al-Suwaidan is a TV personality, with TV shows ranking among the highest in ratings on Middle East satellite
TV channels such as MBC, Abu Dhabi TV, Orbit, Dream, Iqra and Al-Resalah TV.[3] [4] [5] An estimated 10
million viewers tune in daily to his show on MBC annually in Ramadan[6]
Al-Suwaidan is the General Manager of Al-Resalah Satellite TV the brainchild of Saudi businessman Prince
Al-Waleed bin Talal.[7]
Al-Suwaidan is a management, leadership and strategic planning consultant in the Middle East and is CEO of
the Gulf Innovation Groups.[8] He is frequently consulted by prominent regional governmental and private
sector organizations.[9] He is also the chairman of the AWARE (Advocates for Western-Arab Relations &
Exchange) center in Kuwait.[10]
[edit] Views and Ideology
Al-Suwaidan is a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in Kuwait and describes himself as a "moderate islamist".
[11][12]
Al-Suwaidan holds pro-democratic, free speech and freedom of religion viewpoints and is one of the
signatories of A Common Word Between Us and You, an open letter by Islamic scholars to Christian leaders,
calling for peace and understanding.[13][14] He has supported women's rights within Islamic sharia law and
advocated for reforming traditional understanding of Islam.[15][16]. Al-Suwaidan has condemned the 9/11
terrorists saying "these people are very dangerous to themselves, to the Arab world, to the Islamic world itself,
and to Islam itself."[17]
Al-Suwaidan has called for the liberation of Palestine and said Muslims would be willing to sacrifice their sons
for the cause of the Al-Aqsa mosque.[18] In May 2007, Al-Suwaidan was listed by federal prosecutors, along
with a group of U.S Muslim Brotherhood members, as an unindicted co-conspirator in the terrorism financing
case against the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development which was convicted along with its leaders
of financing Hamas.[19][20] [21] Al-Suwaidan has not been charged in any associated prosecutions.
[edit] Educational Initiatives
Al-Suwaidan founded the American Creativity Academy in Kuwait, a private institution that offers an
American college-preparatory education within the context of Islamic values. [22] [23] [24]
[edit] Books and Audio Productions
Dr. Alsuwaidan is the author of thirty best-selling books and spoken word audio tape albums. His album,
‘Qasas al Anbiyaa’ (Lives of the Prophets) is the highest selling Islamic album in the world with well over 2
million copies sold. Additionally, over 1.2 million listeners have downloaded his lectures on the popular Islamic
broadcast website "Islamway".[25]
