Jordanian media has reported that the King of JOrdan has bestowed honors on Youssef Qaradawi and Mustafa Ceric, two leaders of the Global Muslim Brotherhood. According to a report in the Jordan Times:
AMMAN (Petra) –– His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday honoured several participants in the 15th General Conference of the Royal Al al Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, which concluded yesterday. King Abdullah conferred Al Nahda Medal of First Order on HRH Prince Ghazi, the King’s Special Adviser and Personal Envoy and chairman of the institute, in recognition of his distinguished contribution to serving Islamic causes, in addition to his pioneering role in supporting Islamic institutions. The Monarch also presented the King Abdullah II Award for Muslim Scholars and Preachers and an honorary doctorate from the University of Jordan to Grand Sheikh of Al Azhar Ahmad Tayeb, and the King Abdullah I International Award to Mustafa Ceric and Mohammad Kamali. His Majesty also bestowed the Kawkab Medal of the First Order on Abbas Jarari and Rusmir Mahmutcehajic, and the Istiklal Medal of the First Order on Yusuf Qaradawi, Mustafa Dama, Murad Hofmann, Wahbe Zuheili, Omar Jah, Sheikh Sayyed Ali Ben Sayed Al Hashem and Mohammad Osmani. In addition, King Abdullah presented the Istiklal Medal of the First Order and Al al Bayt Institute membership certificates to Mohammad Shams Addin, Ingrid Mattson and Amr Khalid. Mohammad Bshari, Abdullah Fadaq, Sheikh Moez Masoud and Mnawar Muheid also received membership certificates.
Youssef Qaradawi is often referred to here as the most important leader of the global Muslim Brotherhood, an acknowledgement of his role as the de facto spiritual leader of the movement. In 2004, Qaradawi turned down the offer to lead the Egyptian Brotherhood after the death of the Supreme Guide. Based in Qatar, Sheikh Qaradawi has reportedly amassed substantial wealth through his role as Shari’ah adviser to many important Islamic banks and funds. He is also considered to be the “spiritual guide” for Hamas and his fatwas in support of suicide bombings against Israeli citizens were instrumental in the development of the phenomenon. A recent post has discussed a video compilation of Qaradawi’s extremist statements. Qaradawi played a major role in sparking the Danish cartoon controversy be declaring a “Day of Rage” although he had never seen the cartoons in question.
Considered by some to be a leading “liberal” Islamic leader, Mustafa Ceric is tied to the global Muslim Brotherhood through his membership in the European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR), headed by Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi and by his participation in the U.K.-based “Radical Middle Way” consisting of a wide range of associated scholars representing the global Muslim Brotherhood. Several earlier posts have discussed Dr. Ceric’s increasing visibility and importance within the global Muslim Brotherhood, noting that Ceric sees himself as a possible future leader of a “European Islam.” Dr. Ceric recently compared the Iranian Revolution with the French Revolution and Iranian media reported that Dr. Ceric recently told former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani in a meeting that he considers Iran a “good friend” of his country.”