Facebook group administrator Mariam disabled Messenger after receiving a flood of unsolicited messages from men telling her how to dress, instructing her not to raise her voice or wear makeup, and demanding she cover her hands with gloves. The harassment stemmed from what researcher Sarah Kaddoura calls the "Muslim manosphere," a subset of the broader online manosphere that repackages antifeminist ideology in the language of Islamic faith.
Kaddoura, a feminist researcher, examined the Arabic-speaking manosphere in a 2025 report and identified prominent influencers like Jordanian relationship coach Kareem Atta'i, who posts as "Coach Kareem" or "Red Pill Arabic." Videos watched by WIRED Middle East show Atta'i framing interactions between men and women as contests for power and describing violence as a means of "disciplining" women or retaliating against sexual rejection.
The Muslim manosphere adapts Western Red Pill content to local concerns around religion, masculinity, marriage, and social change. Influencers leverage financial insecurity, political instability, religious identity, and fears about declining morality to build audiences. Misogyny becomes an explanation for broader frustration, with women as its visible target.
The movement crosses borders. UK-based creator Ali Dawah, whose channel features street debates about relationships and gender roles, has stated he hates Muslim feminists "the most" and approaches women in public to challenge their clothing choices. Influencers termed "Dawah Bros" operate more aggressively than their predecessors, the Islamic television preachers of the 1990s who answered scheduled callers' questions. Today's creators are not bound by broadcast schedules and target people who have not chosen to engage.
A 2026 Institute for Strategic Dialogue report analyzed nearly 14,000 Instagram comments directed at 40 public figures and influencers in Jordan over 12 months. Among comments classified as hate speech, harassment, or abuse, 72 percent targeted women. Of comments classified as religious or moral harassment, 85 percent targeted female influencers. All comments classified as sexual harassment targeted women.
Kaddoura notes that recommendation algorithms on TikTok, YouTube, X, and Instagram amplify misogynistic content through engagement-based systems that reward emotionally charged and polarizing posts. These systems shape the manosphere's reach without deliberate curation required.