Egyptian media has reported that Global Muslim Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi has said that he hoped that the Egyptian Brotherhood would boycott the upcoming Egyptian parliamentary elections. According to a report in Al-Masry Al-Youm:
Head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars Yusuf al-Qaradawi told the German DPA news agency on Monday that he hoped Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood (MB) opposition group would boycott Sunday’s parliamentary elections. “It is obvious that the opposition will receive only scraps from the Egyptian regime,” he said in reference to the elections, suggesting that the MB may have only opted to participate in the races in order to drum up popular support. “Otherwise, the regime would ban them from talking to the public,” added al-Qaradawi, who went on to urge all Egyptians to participate in the polls.
A post from yesterday reported that Ibrahim Al-Mounir, part of the international leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood, also supported an election boycott.
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.