[1] He was the former head of the Movement of Unity and Reform [fr] (MUR), an organization closely linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and the Moroccan Justice and Development Party.

[2][3] Raïssouni is one of main figures in the Moroccan Sufi Islamic reform and revivalist movement started by Allal al-Fassi.

[7][14] The MUR is considered the ideological branch of the Islamist Justice and Development Party,[12][15] and maintains close ties with the Muslim Brotherhood.

[18] Raïssouni is known for his controversial opinions, his criticism of the King's religious authority as Amir al-Mu'minin to issue fatwas led to his resignation from the position at MUR and Attajadid in 2004.

[24] In 2017, he entered the terrorist watchlist of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates due to his ties with Qatar.

[30] On his site, Raïssouni said that his statements were "misunderstood", that he was talking from a "historical view", and invited "every Moroccan [...] to visit their brothers in Tindouf".

[31] The Mauritanian Parliamentary Group for Moroccan Friendship said these Raïssouni's remarks "heavily offended" Mauritania, and that they are "against the simplest values of brotherhood, dignity and neighborliness", the parliamentary group urged Raïssouni to "apologize to the two brotherly peoples for offending them, damaging the official efforts in fraternal relations in bilateral and regional cooperation".

[28] Mohamed Melainine Ould Eyih, a Mauritanian government spokesman, stated that Raïssouni's remarks lacked "credibility and wisdom, and goes against historical and geographical evidence".