Son of Hamas founder claims Islam wants to control the whole word

March 30, 2015

WRITER

Mosab Hassan Yousef is the son of the founding leader of Hamas, the terror organization that bombards Israel with rockets hidden in the schools and homes of Gaza. Despite being raised in the heart of Islamic extremism, Mosab turned away from the teachings of his father and now sounds the alarm against the untold evils of radical Islam. He shared his incredible with Glenn and TheBlaze audience on Monday's 'Glenn Beck Program'.

Glenn: Like it or not, the Middle East is changing. If we don’t decide now who our real friends, or as the case may be, friend, is and become a nation of principle, things are going to get much worse. Joining me now is Mosab Hassan Yousef. He is the son of Shiekh Hassan Yousef. He is the founding leader of Hamas. Mosab is also New York Times best-selling author of this book called Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices

, has an absolutely amazing story. How are you?

Mosab: I’m good. Thank you.

Glenn: Good. Tell me your story. You’re raised by a guy in Hamas, leading Hamas, and you’re captured by the Israelis. They flip you to the good side, but it’s my understanding because you knew what your dad was doing was wrong.

Mosab: Well, I didn’t know at that time. You know, I was brought up in a state of delusion, you know, believing the Islamic theory that once we control the globe and build an Islamic state we can bring humanity, justice, and happiness and solve the human condition. So, this is what I used to believe.

Glenn: Hang on just a second. Nobody in our country is talking about that. They will say that that’s not what we’re fighting, because they’ll say, you know, Muslims are just like us, the Muslims in the Middle East. They mocked me for saying they wanted a caliphate. Now, you’re saying they want to control the whole world.

Mosab: Right. Well, they have been mocking me for the last seven years also, so, you know, when you face humanity with a truth, people prefer to stay in their comfort zone chasing after their short-term interest, and they don’t see the higher interest of humanity and the evolvement of the human consciousness. Islam is a very dark theory, you know, and we need to face this reality.

Glenn: You were Muslim.

Mosab: I was born a Muslim.

Glenn: You’re raised Muslim. You practiced Islam.

Mosab: Yes.

Glenn: Okay, and you’re telling me—are we at war with Islam?

Mosab: No, absolutely not. I believe that Islam is at war with everything that is not Muslim. Islam has been in a war against the West and its foundations for the last 1,400 years. This is a fact. The Islamic phenomena that we see in ISIS, Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, Boko Haram, Al Qaeda, Taliban, this is not just a new phenomenon. It has been out there for the last 1,400 years, and I think this is the time for humanity to have the courage and to say no to the Islamic theory.

Glenn: Do you think people can in the Middle East be woken up like you were woken up?

Mosab: Yes, I believe every human being is capable of awakening if they are willing.

Glenn: Correct. If there was a group of people that wanted to wake people up, would you be willing to help them?

Mosab: You know, I’ve been trying as much as I can.

Glenn: Right, I know.

Mosab: You know, writing the book was at the expense of losing my identity, my family, everything, and that was the reason, to help people see a different reality.

Glenn: Have you ever been contacted by Grover Norquist?

Mosab: No.

Glenn: No, okay, I just wondered because that’s his stated goal. I would think that he would reach out to somebody like you instead of the Muslim Brotherhood. Okay, so you did write this. How difficult is your life? I mean, when you said I want to tell the truth, and I’m going to put my face on it and you live here in the United States, how scary is that?

Mosab: You know, it was not an easy decision, most importantly not to disappoint people you love, which, you know, they don’t see your reality. You see theirs, but they are not capable of seeing beyond theirs. It meant losing your friends, your family, identity, and heading towards the unknown.

Glenn: Have you talked to your father? Is your father alive?

Mosab: He is alive. He’s in an Israeli prison today.

Glenn: Have you talked to him?

Mosab: Since publishing the book, he publicly disowned me and has not spoken to me since then.

Glenn: When you were taken with the Israelis or by the Israelis, what was it that opened your eyes? What changed you?

Mosab: Well, you know, many events happened that helped me evolve consciously. One of them was the important thing to see the Israeli Constitution, the Israeli law, and the Israeli democratic model versus our society where, you know, we still live in the dark ages of Islam. When I start to see the Israeli model, I came to realize that our problem is within, and we need to change our way that we see life.

Glenn: Living here in the United States, you think you guys are living right on top of each other. You’re living right there. How do you not see that when you’re over there?

Mosab: You know, because people believe in lies, not in the truth. It’s easier for them to listen to the leader who’s blaming all the social problems and many other problems on Israel and the United States of America.

Glenn: Boy, this sounds familiar.

Mosab: For example, I was brought up believing in the conspiracy theory that the United States of America and the West, including Israel, is plotting day and night to destroy Islam and destroy the Muslim world, which is, you know, a lie. This is how, you know, terrorist organizations kept pushing the average person to fight on their behalf and against the United States of America and against Israel. While I believe, you know, Israel as a Democratic model in the region is a solution for that region.

Glenn: It is.

Mosab: It is not the problem, but I think today Middle Easterners see that the enemy is within. They see ISIS, they see their brutality. Even the Palestinians in Gaza, they see the brutality of Hamas and their absolute control over their lives. This is for the first time they come to realize that this is the Islamic theory in action. This is the Islamic theory manifestation.

[break]

Glenn: You are fascinating. I hope we get a chance to spend some more time with you. What is it we need to know? First of all, ISIS, what should we say? The president says they’re not Islam, that’s not Islamic. Is it?

Mosab: Well, you know—

Glenn: Does it matter?

Mosab: No, it really matters, you know? When the president of the free world mislead public, this is a big, big problem, I believe. ISIS is the real face of Islam. ISIS is the real manifestation of the Islamic ideology, of the Islamic theory.

Glenn: Have you ever heard of Zuhdi Jasser?

Mosab: Yes.

Glenn: Okay, do you respect him? Kind of? Not really? He’s a reformer of Islam. Do you believe it could be reformed?

Mosab: Islam cannot be reformed.

Glenn: Why?

Mosab: Because it’s the mentality of the seventh century. Islam is based on a tribal conflict. What’s happening right now in Yemen, in Libya, in Syria between Iran and the Sunni world is the same tribal conflict that Muhammad was doing in the seventh century.

Glenn: ISIS is using exactly the tactics that were used by Muhammad.

Mosab: Muhammad burned people. Muhammad slaughtered people. Muhammad launched military campaigns against people who did not fight against him. Muhammad killed many innocent people. How can we blame ISIS for this responsibility? The highest model of Islam led this chaos for the last 1,400 years.

Glenn: What happens if we continue down this road? Right now, the president is over negotiating, and one of the Iranian reporters who is now no longer welcome back in Iran said it’s like he is negotiating from the Iranian point of view. We’ve really lost our way.

Mosab: You know, this happens, and it happened in the past, but always we can find our sight again, I believe. In the meantime, the Middle East is a very dangerous region, and we have to be very careful how we deal with it.

Glenn: Was this caused by us going into Iraq and everything? Is this a George Bush problem? Is this a Barack Obama problem? Is it a both problem?

Mosab: I would say that this is a problem of not understanding the region very well. There is lack of intelligence, I believe, and the intention of both presidents, I believe, was pure for the higher interest of humanity, not only of the United States of America, but it’s a muddy and dangerous region. If we don’t understand the internal conflict between Shia and Sunni and between the other Muslim denominations, we will always lead ourselves from a mistake to a bigger mistake.

Glenn: When you see the Muslim Brotherhood in our government, in our White House, what do you think?

Mosab: Well, the Muslim Brotherhood is the biggest terrorist exporter in the world. The Muslim Brotherhood is the mother movement of all those movements. All the terrorist organizations that we see today are inspired by Hassan al-Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood and by Sayyid Qutb, so basically the Muslim Brotherhood, even though they don’t get involved directly in our days in terrorist attacks, they created Hamas.

Glenn: So, when you see Benjamin Netanyahu rejected by the White House, but you see the Muslim Brotherhood invited into the Oval Office, what do you think?

Mosab: Well, I think that this is really disappointing to see. The Muslim Brotherhood is a very dangerous organization. Israel…I’m not talking now about Bibi or talking about who is Prime Minister of Israel.

Glenn: Right, no politics.

Mosab: Israel is an ally of the United States of America. United States of America can rely on Israel as the only friend in the region, not because of friendship with the Prime Minister’s office, because the values that in common between the United States of America and the state of Israel.

Glenn: Have you ever thought about running for office?

Mosab: I don’t like politics.

Glenn: Yes, that’s probably why you should run for office. I want you to read this book. It’s called Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices

, New York Times bestseller. I would love to have you back and really spend some more time with you and really kind of talk about your childhood and everything else. You’re fascinating and a great help. Thank you for speaking out.

Mosab: Thank you for having me.

Glenn: God bless you and protect you. Thank you so much.

What our response to Israel reveals about us

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I have been honored to receive the Defender of Israel Award from Prime Minister Netanyahu.

The Jerusalem Post recently named me one of the strongest Christian voices in support of Israel.

And yet, my support is not blind loyalty. It’s not a rubber stamp for any government or policy. I support Israel because I believe it is my duty — first as a Christian, but even if I weren’t a believer, I would still support her as a man of reason, morality, and common sense.

Because faith isn’t required to understand this: Israel’s existence is not just about one nation’s survival — it is about the survival of Western civilization itself.

It is a lone beacon of shared values in the Middle East. It is a bulwark standing against radical Islam — the same evil that seeks to dismantle our own nation from within.

And my support is not rooted in politics. It is rooted in something simpler and older than politics: a people’s moral and historical right to their homeland, and their right to live in peace.

Israel has that right — and the right to defend herself against those who openly, repeatedly vow her destruction.

Let’s make it personal: if someone told me again and again that they wanted to kill me and my entire family — and then acted on that threat — would I not defend myself? Wouldn’t you? If Hamas were Canada, and we were Israel, and they did to us what Hamas has done to them, there wouldn’t be a single building left standing north of our border. That’s not a question of morality.

That’s just the truth. All people — every people — have a God-given right to protect themselves. And Israel is doing exactly that.

My support for Israel’s right to finish the fight against Hamas comes after eighty years of rejected peace offers and failed two-state solutions. Hamas has never hidden its mission — the eradication of Israel. That’s not a political disagreement.

That’s not a land dispute. That is an annihilationist ideology. And while I do not believe this is America’s war to fight, I do believe — with every fiber of my being — that it is Israel’s right, and moral duty, to defend her people.

Criticism of military tactics is fair. That’s not antisemitism. But denying Israel’s right to exist, or excusing — even celebrating — the barbarity of Hamas? That’s something far darker.

We saw it on October 7th — the face of evil itself. Women and children slaughtered. Babies burned alive. Innocent people raped and dragged through the streets. And now, to see our own fellow citizens march in defense of that evil… that is nothing short of a moral collapse.

If the chants in our streets were, “Hamas, return the hostages — Israel, stop the bombing,” we could have a conversation.

But that’s not what we hear.

What we hear is open sympathy for genocidal hatred. And that is a chasm — not just from decency, but from humanity itself. And here lies the danger: that same hatred is taking root here — in Dearborn, in London, in Paris — not as horror, but as heroism. If we are not vigilant, the enemy Israel faces today will be the enemy the free world faces tomorrow.

This isn’t about politics. It’s about truth. It’s about the courage to call evil by its name and to say “Never again” — and mean it.

And you don’t have to open a Bible to understand this. But if you do — if you are a believer — then this issue cuts even deeper. Because the question becomes: what did God promise, and does He keep His word?

He told Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you.” He promised to make Abraham the father of many nations and to give him “the whole land of Canaan.” And though Abraham had other sons, God reaffirmed that promise through Isaac. And then again through Isaac’s son, Jacob — Israel — saying: “The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I give to you and to your descendants after you.”

That’s an everlasting promise.

And from those descendants came a child — born in Bethlehem — who claimed to be the Savior of the world. Jesus never rejected His title as “son of David,” the great King of Israel.

He said plainly that He came “for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” And when He returns, Scripture says He will return as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah.” And where do you think He will go? Back to His homeland — Israel.

Tamir Kalifa / Stringer | Getty Images

And what will He find when He gets there? His brothers — or his brothers’ enemies? Will the roads where He once walked be preserved? Or will they lie in rubble, as Gaza does today? If what He finds looks like the aftermath of October 7th, then tell me — what will be my defense as a Christian?

Some Christians argue that God’s promises to Israel have been transferred exclusively to the Church. I don’t believe that. But even if you do, then ask yourself this: if we’ve inherited the promises, do we not also inherit the land? Can we claim the birthright and then, like Esau, treat it as worthless when the world tries to steal it?

So, when terrorists come to slaughter Israelis simply for living in the land promised to Abraham, will we stand by? Or will we step forward — into the line of fire — and say,

“Take me instead”?

Because this is not just about Israel’s right to exist.

It’s about whether we still know the difference between good and evil.

It’s about whether we still have the courage to stand where God stands.

And if we cannot — if we will not — then maybe the question isn’t whether Israel will survive. Maybe the question is whether we will.

America’s moral erosion: How we were conditioned to accept the unthinkable

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Every time we look away from lawlessness, we tell the next mob it can go a little further.

Chicago, Portland, and other American cities are showing us what happens when the rule of law breaks down. These cities have become openly lawless — and that’s not hyperbole.

When a governor declares she doesn’t believe federal agents about a credible threat to their lives, when Chicago orders its police not to assist federal officers, and when cartels print wanted posters offering bounties for the deaths of U.S. immigration agents, you’re looking at a country flirting with anarchy.

Two dangers face us now: the intimidation of federal officers and the normalization of soldiers as street police. Accept either, and we lose the republic.

This isn’t a matter of partisan politics. The struggle we’re watching now is not between Democrats and Republicans. It’s between good and evil, right and wrong, self‑government and chaos.

Moral erosion

For generations, Americans have inherited a republic based on law, liberty, and moral responsibility. That legacy is now under assault by extremists who openly seek to collapse the system and replace it with something darker.

Antifa, well‑financed by the left, isn’t an isolated fringe any more than Occupy Wall Street was. As with Occupy, big money and global interests are quietly aligned with “anti‑establishment” radicals. The goal is disruption, not reform.

And they’ve learned how to condition us. Twenty‑five years ago, few Americans would have supported drag shows in elementary schools, biological males in women’s sports, forced vaccinations, or government partnerships with mega‑corporations to decide which businesses live or die. Few would have tolerated cartels threatening federal agents or tolerated mobs doxxing political opponents. Yet today, many shrug — or cheer.

How did we get here? What evidence convinced so many people to reverse themselves on fundamental questions of morality, liberty, and law? Those long laboring to disrupt our republic have sought to condition people to believe that the ends justify the means.

Promoting “tolerance” justifies women losing to biological men in sports. “Compassion” justifies harboring illegal immigrants, even violent criminals. Whatever deluded ideals Antifa espouses is supposed to somehow justify targeting federal agents and overturning the rule of law. Our culture has been conditioned for this moment.

The buck stops with us

That’s why the debate over using troops to restore order in American cities matters so much. I’ve never supported soldiers executing civilian law, and I still don’t. But we need to speak honestly about what the Constitution allows and why. The Posse Comitatus Act sharply limits the use of the military for domestic policing. The Insurrection Act, however, exists for rare emergencies — when federal law truly can’t be enforced by ordinary means and when mobs, cartels, or coordinated violence block the courts.

Even then, the Constitution demands limits: a public proclamation ordering offenders to disperse, transparency about the mission, a narrow scope, temporary duration, and judicial oversight.

Soldiers fight wars. Cops enforce laws. We blur that line at our peril.

But we also cannot allow intimidation of federal officers or tolerate local officials who openly obstruct federal enforcement. Both extremes — lawlessness on one side and militarization on the other — endanger the republic.

The only way out is the Constitution itself. Protect civil liberty. Enforce the rule of law. Demand transparency. Reject the temptation to justify any tactic because “our side” is winning. We’ve already seen how fear after 9/11 led to the Patriot Act and years of surveillance.

KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / Contributor | Getty Images

Two dangers face us now: the intimidation of federal officers and the normalization of soldiers as street police. Accept either, and we lose the republic. The left cannot be allowed to shut down enforcement, and the right cannot be allowed to abandon constitutional restraint.

The real threat to the republic isn’t just the mobs or the cartels. It’s us — citizens who stop caring about truth and constitutional limits. Anything can be justified when fear takes over. Everything collapses when enough people decide “the ends justify the means.”

We must choose differently. Uphold the rule of law. Guard civil liberties. And remember that the only way to preserve a government of, by, and for the people is to act like the people still want it.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Stand with Voddie Baucham’s family in this time of loss

In the quiet aftermath of a profound loss, the Christian community mourns the unexpected passing of Dr. Voddie Baucham, a towering figure in evangelical circles. Known for his defense of biblical truth, Baucham, a pastor, author, and theologian, left a legacy on family, faith, and opposing "woke" ideologies in the church. His book Fault Lines challenged believers to prioritize Scripture over cultural trends. Glenn had Voddie on the show several times, where they discussed progressive influences in Christianity, debunked myths of “Christian nationalism,” and urged hope amid hostility.

The shock of Baucham's death has deeply affected his family. Grieving, they remain hopeful in Christ, with his wife, Bridget, now facing the task of resettling in the US without him. Their planned move from Lusaka, Zambia, was disrupted when their home sale fell through last December, resulting in temporary Airbnb accommodations, but they have since secured a new home in Cape Coral that requires renovations. To ensure Voddie's family is taken care of, a fundraiser is being held to raise $2 million, which will be invested for ongoing support, allowing Bridget to focus on her family.

We invite readers to contribute prayerfully. If you feel called to support the Bauchams in this time of need, you can click here to donate.

We grieve and pray with hope for the Bauchams.

May Voddie's example inspire us.

From isolation to connection: Overcoming loneliness

Loneliness isn’t just being alone — it’s feeling unseen, unheard, and unimportant, even amid crowds and constant digital chatter.

Loneliness has become an epidemic in America. Millions of people, even when surrounded by others, feel invisible. In tragic irony, we live in an age of unparalleled connectivity, yet too many sit in silence, unseen and unheard.

I’ve been experiencing this firsthand. My children have grown up and moved out. The house that once overflowed with life now echoes with quiet. Moments that once held laughter now hold silence. And in that silence, the mind can play cruel games. It whispers, “You’re forgotten. Your story doesn’t matter.”

We are unique in our gifts, but not in our humanity. Recognizing this shared struggle is how we overcome loneliness.

It’s a lie.

I’ve seen it in others. I remember sitting at Rockefeller Center one winter, watching a woman lace up her ice skates. Her clothing was worn, her bag battered. Yet on the ice, she transformed — elegant, alive, radiant.

Minutes later, she returned to her shoes, merged into the crowd, unnoticed. I’ve thought of her often. She was not alone in her experience. Millions of Americans live unseen, performing acts of quiet heroism every day.

Shared pain makes us human

Loneliness convinces us to retreat, to stay silent, to stop reaching out to others. But connection is essential. Even small gestures — a word of encouragement, a listening ear, a shared meal — are radical acts against isolation.

I’ve learned this personally. Years ago, a caller called me “Mr. Perfect.” I could have deflected, but I chose honesty. I spoke of my alcoholism, my failed marriage, my brokenness. I expected judgment. Instead, I found resonance. People whispered back, “I’m going through the same thing. Thank you for saying it.”

Our pain is universal. Everyone struggles with self-doubt and fear. Everyone feels, at times, like a fraud. We are unique in our gifts, but not in our humanity. Recognizing this shared struggle is how we overcome loneliness.

We were made for connection. We were built for community — for conversation, for touch, for shared purpose. Every time we reach out, every act of courage and compassion punches a hole in the wall of isolation.

You’re not alone

If you’re feeling alone, know this: You are not invisible. You are seen. You matter. And if you’re not struggling, someone you know is. It’s your responsibility to reach out.

Loneliness is not proof of brokenness. It is proof of humanity. It is a call to engage, to bear witness, to connect. The world is different because of the people who choose to act. It is brighter when we refuse to be isolated.

We cannot let silence win. We cannot allow loneliness to dictate our lives. Speak. Reach out. Connect. Share your gifts. By doing so, we remind one another: We are all alike, and yet each of us matters profoundly.

In this moment, in this country, in this world, what we do matters. Loneliness is real, but so is hope. And hope begins with connection.