In a recent remarks, Youssef Qaradawi has said that he will not attend interfaith conferences with Jews and called “holding meetings with Christians a waste of time.” According to a BBC translation:
Shaykh Al-Qaradawi, head of the International Union for Muslim Scholars [IUMS], has criticized the recent inter-faith dialogue held in Doha, pointing out that such conferences do not present anything to the Muslim nation. Al-Qaradawi said that he did not attend the conference because representatives from the Jewish religion have attended it. He went on to say that he will not attend such conferences which are attended by Jews as long as “they keep usurping Palestine and Al-Aqsa Mosque and shedding the blood of the innocent people.” On the reason behind his absence from the conference, Al-Qaradawi said that he did that relying on what God the Almighty said in this context: “And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better (than mere disputation), unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong (and injury). [Partial Koranic verse, Al-Ankabut, 29:46]. “He indicated that there is no injustice more than what the Jews inflicted on the Palestinians when “the Jews came to Palestine from all over the world and expelled the Palestinians, scattered them, and shed their blood.” Al-Qaradawi considered “holding meetings with Christians a waste of time, adding that they do not recognize Muslims and say that Muhammad, peace and blessings of God be upon him, is dishonest and that he created Koran and attributed it to himself.” Al-Qaradawi added: “This comes at a time when Muslims recognize Christianity, Jesus Christ, and his book and religion.” This goes in line with God’s saying: “[Say we believe] in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will (in Islam). [Partial Koranic verse, Al Imran, 3:84].” Al-Qaradawi concluded by warning Muslim scholars and the head of board of trustees of the Al-Quds International Organization against what is being schemed against Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem on the part of the “usurping Jews.”
MEMRI added additional information on Qaradawi’s remarks:
Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradhawi, head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, called upon Islamist leader in Israel Raed Salah to continue defending the Al-Aqsa mosque, saying that the Israeli “invasion” of the mosque was meant to accustom the Arabs to the presence of Jews there, and that the Israelis meant to divide the mosque between Jews and Muslims by 2010. Al-Qaradhawi criticized the interfaith dialogue summit held in Qatar, saying that he boycotted any summit attended by Israelis and would continue to do so as long as Israel continued to oppress the Palestinians and Al-Aqsa. As for Christian-Muslim dialogue, he said that it was a waste of time because Christians did not recognize Islam, and expressed anger that the Pope had not apologized for his September 2006 address against Islam and for the Crusades against the Muslims.
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. Previous posts have discussed numerous claims by Youssef Qaradawi and other elements of the global Muslim Brotherhood that Israelis are conspiring to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Qaradawi has written that all Jews and all Muslims will fight each other in a final battle in which Muslims will emerge victorious. Qaradawi has also written that Israel plots against the Al-Aqsa mosque are harbingers of this coming conflict.
(Source: Al-Rayah website, Doha, in Arabic 31 Oct 09 BBC Monitoring Middle East – Political October 31, 2009 Saturday “Muslim Brotherhood cleric says inter-faith dialogue in Qatar “waste of time”)