June 8, 2013 A Muslim union headed by Doha-based scholar Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi yesterday called for a “Day of Rage and Support” for rebels fighting Syrian regime troops.
The Association of Muslim Scholars urged its millions of supporters to demonstrate, stage peaceful sit-ins, make speeches and pray for the Syrian rebels on June 14.
The association strongly condemned “the horrific crimes… committed by the Syrian regime, with support from Iran and its tails in Lebanon, in Qusayr”, the town rebels were ousted from on Wednesday.
Syria’s 26-month civil war erupted after forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, who belongs to the Alawite offshoot of the Shia sect, waged a bloody crackdown on democracy protests.
The conflict pitting regime forces backed by Iran and the Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah against insurgents, has killed at least 94,000 people.
On Thursday, the grand mufti of Saudi Arabia urged governments and fellow clerics to punish Hezbollah for its intervention in the war.
A post from last week reported on comments by Qaradawi calling on Sunni Muslims to join the Syrian rebels, described widely in the Mideast as a call for “Jihad.”
In 2008, Qaradawi caused a firestorm in the Islamic world when he accused Shiite Muslims of being heretics who were “invading” Sunni society, accusations he repeated in 2009.
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. 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.
