In the latest development in the long running saga of Youssef Qaradawi, Qatari media is reporting that the Global Muslim Brotherhood leader has denied that he has any plans to leave Qatar. According to a report in The Peninsula:
Youssef Qaradawi
April 20, 2014 DOHA: Noted Qatar-based Islamic scholar Dr Yousuf Al Qardawi has denied reports that he is moving to another country.
The scholar, who has been at the centre of a controversy after his recent criticism of some neighbouring GCC countries, said what had been reported about him was ‘totally baseless’.
Reports circulating in a section of the media and several social networking sites say that the scholar has been asked to leave Qatar for Tunisia.
‘These (reports) are nothing but the hopes and dreams of some enemies of Islam. They are not going to materialise, God willing,’ Al Sharq quoted Al Qaradawi as saying.
His statement gains importance in the context of a GCC deal signed on Thursday to end tension between Qatar and three other GCC countries.
‘The Father Emir and the Emir are closest to me. I love them from the depth of my heart,’ Al Qaradawi added.
He, however, said his personal views did not represent the opinion of the Qatar government, as the country’s Foreign Minister had clarified earlier.
The GMBDW reported last week that Qaradawi did not resume his sermons last Friday as expected.
The GMBDW reported in late February that the latest sermon by Global Muslim Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi had further threatened relations between Qatar and its Gulf neighbors. Meanwhile, Qatari media is reporting that Qaradawi is defending remarks he made critical of the military deposition of former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi as well as revealing that he has been ill again of late. Our predecessor publication reported in 2012 on what was at that time the latest in a series of hospitalizations of the Global Muslim Brotherhood leader. The GMBDW had reported earlier in February that Qaradawi had called upon Saudi Arabia to stop supporting the military-led government in Egypt whom he called “far from God and Islam.” The GMDW has been reporting recently on Qaradawi’s clash with UAE saying that the country was “against Islamic rule.” The GMBDW has also reported that Egypt is seeing his extradition in connection with a mass jailbreak during 2011.
Youssef Qaradawi is the most important leader of the Global Muslim Brotherhood and is the de facto spiritual leader of the movement. He is also considered to be the “spiritual guide” for Hamas and his fatwas in support of suicide bombings against Israeli citizens were utilized by Hamas to justify their operations. In 2004, Qaradawi turned down the offer to head he Egyptian Brotherhood after the death of the Supreme Guide and now denies that he has any relationship with the Egyptian Brotherhood. He is based in Qatar and has said the Qatari Emir has protected from being designated as a terrorist by the U.S. He has also reportedly amassed substantial wealth by serving as the Shari’ah adviser to many important Islamic banks and funds. Qaradawi is the head of the Union of Good (UOG), a worldwide coalition of charities helping to raise funds for Hamas and is the leader of the European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR), the theological body of the European Muslim Brotherhood. MEMRI has produced two video compilations of Qaradawi’s extremist statements. The first collection contains Qaradawi’s statements about Europe and the US as well as about Israel and Jews. 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. Qaradawi been banned from entering the US since 1999 and UK since 2008. Last year, authorities also refused him entry into France.
For a more extensive profile of Youssef Qaradawi, go here.
