The website of Global Muslim Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi is reporting that a delegation of Qaradawi’s International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), headed by Qaradawi himself, was on a four-day visit to Libya at the invitation of the Transitional Council. According to a Google translation of the Arabic language report:
The delegation of the International Union for Muslim Scholars headed by Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi Thursday Benghazi to a rapturous reception and welcome public hot, where he stressed his virtue on his firm support of revolutions of the Arab, called on Libyans to start building Libya on a new basis, and that everyone is open to is open to everyone. Large crowds and took a plane on landing delegation Benghazi International Airport, where the delegation was received by Dr.. Ghaith on behalf of the Honorary Scholars Libya, and the Chairman and members of the local council of the city, and the President of the General Authority of Endowments and the elders and members of the Endowment. And a delegation of scientists – according to Qatar’s leading newspaper – a visit to Libya last four days, at the invitation of the Transitional Council of Libya. It is scheduled to deliver the Friday sermon eminence in Benghazi, to leave the evening with the delegation to the capital. And went Qaradawi addressed the crowds of recipients, in which he stressed his unwavering support of the Arab revolutions, pointing out that he was with the Revolution of Libya from the start and before you, as well as with the revolutions of Tunisia, Egypt, Syria and Yemen.
According to the report, two U.K.-based individuals tied to the Global Muslim Brotherhood were part of the delegation- Wanis Mabrouk, a leader in the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE) and Salem Al-Sheikhi, a member of Qaradawi’s European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR).
A previous post recommended Israeli analyst Jonathan D. Halev’s article titled “Did The Libyan Leadership Deceive the West” in which he writes:
Qatari involvement is likely to produce a regime in Libya that follows the political orientation of Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, thereby giving the Muslim Brotherhood an open door in the new Libya. The political debate in Libya will be within an essentially Islamist universe, with different leaders distinguished by the degree to which they seek to implement their Islamism. It seems that the strategy of the democratic states that trusted the promises of the rebel forces to adopt and implement the principles of democracy has collapsed, and that Western aid to overthrow Gaddafi’s tyrannical regime prepared the groundwork for the establishment of an Islamic state, which eventually may become hostile to the West.
Read the rest here.
Earlier posts reported that the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood held its first ever public conference on Libyan soil and that “senior Muslim clerics” were forming a new political party to rule the country based on “moderate” Islamic laws.
A post from September reported on what the New York times called the “growing influence of Islamists in Libya”, identifying Qatari Muslim Brotherhood figure Ali Sallabi (aka Ali Salabi), already known to be the Revolution’s “spiritual leader and a close associate of Global Muslim Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi, as well as for the first time Abel al-Rajazk Abu Hajar who is said to lead the Tripoli Municipal Governing Council and is described as a “Muslim Brotherhood figure.” An earlier post reported on Ali Sallabi and his association with Qaradawi who is known for espousing his view of moderate Islam.
Qaradawi, a virulent anti-Semite 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 some of which have been discussed in previous posts including Qaradawi stating:
- Islam will conquer Europe through peaceful means.
- Hitler was divine punishment for the misdeeds of the Jews and that the Holocaust was exaggerated.
- He desires to end his life in the service of Jihad by visiting Israel and throwing a bomb, becoming a “martyr” in the process
- Calling for the death of all Jews.
- Calling for the collapse of the US if it doesn’t end its “unjust ways.”
The second collection contains various statements by Qaradawi on social issues such as discussing the killing of homosexuals and stating that beating is “suitable” for some wives.