Gulf media is reporting that the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), referred to here as the IUIS, has called on all Muslim countries not to sign international treaties without consulting “Islamic scholars.” According to a Peninsula report, the statement referred especially to the schedule discussion on the document on violence against women:
02 March 2013 Doha: The International Union for Islamic Scholars (IUIS) issued a statement yesterday, urging all Muslim countries not to sign international conventions before consulting Islamic scholars. The statement, signed by Qatar-based Islamic scholar Dr Yusuf Al Qaradawi, Chairman of IUIS, and Secretary-General Sheikh Dr Ali Qaradaghi, noted that some of the UN documents contradict Islamic Shariah. The union urged governments not to sign any international conventions and protocols without referring to Islamic scholars, especially the upcoming document on violence against women that is going to be discussed at United Nation’s 57th meeting of the commission on the status of women. ‘The decision at these conferences is taken as the international law. ‘The same document is used as an instrument for practising political and economical pressures, without considering the articles that contradict Shariah,’ the statement said. The upcoming UN meeting which will be held from Monday and end on March 15, will discuss a document entitled ‘Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls.’ ‘Of course Islam is against violence against women, but UN documents use this term in a way that eliminates all natural differences between men and women,’ the union said
The GMBDW assumers that by “Islamic scholars”, the IUMS is referring to themselves.
The IUMS was launched on July 11, 2004 in conjunction with a visit by Global Muslim Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi to London for a meeting of the European Council for Fatwa and Research. Many prominent individuals tied to the Global Muslim Brotherhood and/or Hamas are or have been associated with the IUMS including:
- Rachid Ghannouchi (leader of the Tunisian Muslim Brotherhood)
- Ismail Haniyeh (Hamas Prime Minister in Gaza)
- Safwat Hegazi (close to the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood )
- Isam al-Bashir (Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood leader)
- Jamal Badawi (U.S. Muslim Brotherhood leader)
- Mohammad Sawalha (U.K. Muslim Brotherhood/Hamas)
- Basheer Nafi (Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader, formerly associated with the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT)
- Isaq Farhan (Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood)
- Salah Sultan (formerly tied to U.S. Muslim Brotherhood, noted anti-Semite)
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.