In defense of Sheikh Yousuf al-Qaradawi
Earlier this month, a semi-official Iranian news agency lashed out at Dr. Yousuf al Qaradawi, widely considered one of the most eminent living Muslim religious scholars. The agency, called Muhr, castigated the great Alim, or religious scholar, for an interview he had given to an Egyptian newspaper in which he warned against organized efforts by some Shiite circles to convert Sunni Muslims to the Shiite branch of Islam. The Iranian news agency went as far as accusing al-Qaradawi of playing into the hands of Zionists and Jewish rabbis!!
I don’t usually write on religious matters, especially Sunni-Shia affairs. However, I do believe that a clear and unmistakable message should be sent to Shiite circles in Iran and elsewhere, namely that Sunnis are not about to become Shiites and that public support for Iran and Hezbullah in some Sunni countries doesn’t indicate that Sunni Muslims are infatuated with the Shiite faith.
The Sunni masses do support Hezbullah because this is the right thing to do. Hezbullah after all is fighting Israel, the evil brat of Zionism which is the ultimate enemy of Islam and Muslims.
The same thing applies to public support for Iran against the Zionist-controlled American administration which is trying so hard to deprive Iran of its right to develop nuclear technology.
People, regardless of their religious affiliations, support just causes irrespective of other considerations.
However, Sunni support for Iran against American hegemony doesn’t mean that the Sunni masses, which constitute more than 90% of Muslims worldwide, are coming to terms with the despicable habit of cursing the Companions of Prophet Muhammed, such as Abu Bakr, Omar Ibn al Khattab and Othman Ibn Affan.
Let us be very clear about this, cursing the Sahaba, as far as Sunni Muslims are concerned, is and will always remain the ultimate redline.
There can be no Muslim unity unless the Shiites brothers, especially in Iran, abandon this hateful and provocative ritual.
Luckily, some Shiite Ulema or scholars have realized this fact and adopted positive positions toward showing respect to the feelings of their Sunni brothers.
This writer has always supported Iran against Western, especially American predators.
While studying in the United States nearly three decades ago, I regularly took part in anti-Shah demonstrations on American campuses.
We shouted aloud “Tau Margi Shahi Kha’en, Nehzat Idameh dorat” (until the death of the treacherous Shah, the struggle will continue), and ” Istiklal, Azadee, Hokomati Islamee” (Independence , Freedom, Islamic Government.”
I have also written numerous articles in support of Iran and Hezbullah and will continue to do so for reasons having to do with the moral principle of siding with the weak and the oppressed against the unjust and the insolent.
Hence, the Iranian brothers, especially the people at Muhr, shouldn’t think that this defense of Sheikh Qaradawi is coming from a “Zionist agent” as they are almost innately tempted to dismiss criticisms of some of their objectionable practices and attitudes.
I had the honor to meet with Sheikh Qaradawi many years ago. And I have ever since been following up rather closely his pronouncements and positions which I have found to be quite rational and wise.
Sheikh Qaradawi has been a fierce critic of Israeli criminality and the Nazi-like oppression the Zionist regime is meting out to the helpless Palestinians. However, he has never voiced hatred or hostility toward Jews as Jews, as Zionist propaganda circles claim.
He has been a constantly loud voice urging Muslims and Arabs to show solidarity with the Palestinians.
Indeed, one would exaggerate little by saying that had it not been for Qaradawi’s efforts, the Palestinian ordeal would have been much worse.
As to his positions on Iran and Shiites, al- Qaradawi has always adopted decidedly moderate positions in this regard.
He had warmly welcomed the Iranian revolution back in 1978 as the vast bulk of Sunni Muslims did. He also stood against the Iran-Iraq war, calling it a catastrophe.
In recent years, al-Qaradawi stood against extremist Sunni groups such as al-Qaida which adopted a radical theological stance viewing Shiites, especially the Ithna Ashari Shiites (followers of the Twelve Imams) as heretical.
This position invited hostile reactions from some of the Salafi groups (fundamentalist puritanical Orthodox Sunni Muslims) especially in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region.
Indeed, Qaradawi’s uncompromising views on Israel, American imperialism, the Palestinian plight and the ongoing American war on Islam, dubbed deceptively as “the war on terror” have prompted many western governments such as the US and UK to declare him a persona non grata.
So how could a man as such be serving Zionist interests when the Zionists themselves have spared no efforts vilifying and inciting against him?
Shiites circles in Iran and elsewhere miss no opportunity urging Muslims to get united in the face of Israeli aggression and expansionism. This is certainly a commendable and admirable stance.
However, true Muslim unity can’t be achieved while some influential Shiite circles in Iran and probably elsewhere retain the old repulsive practice of cursing the Sahaba of Rasullullah, or companions of the Prophet.
Is Shiism a religion based on cursing?
A few months ago, the highest-ranking Shiite Marjie (religious scholar) in Lebanon, Rev. Sheikh Muhammed Hussein Fadulullah issued a fatwa or religious edict prohibiting the cursing of the Sahaba.
Sunni Muslims warmly welcomed the fatwa and many Sunni intellectuals and religious leaders hoped that it would lead to a genuine reconciliation between the two camps.
However, that fatwa was eventually met with widespread opposition by some influential Shiite ulema in Iraq and Iran who couldn’t abandon the malicious canard that Sunni Muslims were Nassibi or Nawaseb (enemies of Imam Ali), the First Shiite Imam who is also the Fourth Sunni Caliph.
In truth, Sunni Muslims don’t hate Ali and his family. On the contrary, they love them so much. Don’t Sunni Muslims, as do all Muslims, recite at the end of their daily prayers “O God, may thy Peace and blessings be upon Muhammd and the family of Muhammed as Thou had bestowed they peace and blessing on Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim.”?
Besides, history shows that Imam Ali had an active working relationship with the very people many Shiites claim they hated him and dispossessed him of his divine right to become the leader of Muslims after the death of the Prophet.
Not only that, Ali actually had his own daughter married to Omar Ibn al Khattab, the man many Shiites hate most.
Well, does a man have his own daughter married to the man he hates most?
In addition, Imam Ali had three of his sons named after Abu Bakr, Omar and Othman, the first three Caliphs. Hence, one is prompted to seriously question the Shiite claims that Ali hated these caliphs. Well, a man doesn’t name his own children after his worst enemies.
Ali was known of his exemplary bravery and courage. This is why it is highly unlikely that his collaboration with the caliphs occurred under duress. Ali was not the type of man who would cower under duress. He was not the type of man who would play the role of a hypocrite. His heart and his tongue were the same.
In a nutshell, the Shiite brothers should realize that Muslim unity can’t be achieved while certain Shiites keep up reviving ancient hatred by cursing and vilifying historical figures Sunni Muslims glorify and love.
Such behavior would only perpetuate Muslim disunity. It would also prove that some Shiite religious circles are not really serious about Muslim unity.
(end)
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16 Comments on “In defense of Sheikh Yousuf al-Qaradawi”
Shameful, unnecessary piece by Amreyeh.
I didn’t finish this article and I will not do, I agree with you “Free Palestine” unnecessary article from both of them Amreyeh and Qardawi
Hi,
Yes, unnecessary from both but very disappointing and unexpected coming from Amreyeh–someone whose writings I have always respected, defended and looked forward to reading for so many years. I view journalists like him as critical in exposing the crimes of Dahlan and other Fatah leadership. But, I am embarrassed by his article today and offer apologies to our Shia brothers and sisters who might think that we doubt their intentions towards us.
It’s unfortunate that Amreyeh felt the need to jump on this Israeli/American bandwagon.
Someone should advise Amreyeh to stick to writing about the crimes of the occupation and leave the sectarian nonsense to the hooligans in the region that are trying to distract us while they assist the criminals that are killing us and stealing our land and sowing discord among us.
Oh and Eid Mubarak.
@Free Palestine - @Moh’d Shaltaf - What actually you guys didn’t like in his article? (not that I agree with him). It will be useful to spot the issue you don’t agree with and discuss it if necessary.
WHO CARES?!? The Shiites can say all they want. The Sunnis can say all they want. Let God judge them. But this incredibly stupid debate about who is right and who is wrong is…well…INCREDIBLY STUPID.
I could care less what Shiites say about dead people. the only red line for me is the Prophet.
We Sunnis like to say that there are no Saints in Islam. Nice sounding, right? yet we elevate the Sahabah into Saints and are willing to condemn the Shiites for bad-mouthing them. LET GOD DO HIS JOB. IT’S GOD’S ROLE TO JUDGE US. IT’S NOT FOR US TO PLAY GOD.
The world is moving away from religious division and we are making an hobby out of it. In the EU, in China, in India, dozens of religions and ethnicities are learning to co-exist even though they have fundamental differences but here we are tearing each other apart because of of religious differences when such differences are best left to the afterlife to be resolved.
Others unite, we fragment. Others live and let live, we are such total retards we fight over the length of the dress, the size of the hair cloth, the position of hands in paryer, the amount of water during purification, etc. I AM SICK OF HOW BACKWARDS SOME OF US CAN BE. CAN WE TRADE THOSE IDIOTS FOR CHINESE OR INDIANS. At least these two are busy building great civilizations while we are busy getting dumber and dumber.
Hi Haithem,
I didn’t really like the tone and I don’t understand why it’s necessary to write this piece. I can’t tell whether the target audience is supposed to be Sunnis who should consider themselves to be on notice to beware of the intentions of the Shia. Or, is he warning the Shia to “know their place”??? It comes off sounding like thinly veiled sectarianism which is then sugar coated with a few examples of why we shouldn’t “hate” the Shia–we just got be to on the lookout for their intentions.
Sad.
“I don’t know who Khaled Amayreh is but I read two silly articles by him (sent to me by well-wishers, I think) in two days. In one of them, he argued that Ahmadinajad’s nutty thesis of Zionist control of the world is factual. In the second article, he informs me that Yusuf Al-Qaradawi is “wise.” I expect to read a third article by him tomorrow in which he argues that Banana cream pies are NOT delicious.”
Posted by As’ad at 7:21 AM
Haitham:
Awesome Piece !!
Shaltaf & Free Palestine:
I actually think it’s a very moderate and sane article.
See, Haitham ensured our support to the politics of shiites glory movements such as Hezbollah and Iran revolution.
Haitham also called for Muslim unity by prohibiting cursing Sahaba, which is for the common good off All Muslims (Sunnis+ Shiites).
We have common grounds and goals, it seems to me that letting go of cursing sabaha will unite Muslims and make them unstoppable !
ya Haitham
you trigger me again to get back to writing politics and religion
er7amna lool
@ Tamer:
There’s absolutely nothing wrong in respecting other people beliefs and feelings by not cursing their religious symbols !
Abed Hamdan, But I am not going to fight them or hate them if they do. I have two religious symbols: the Prophet and God. Even then, I am not willing to hate anyone or punish anyone for cursing them. I think that’s God’s job.
WE ARE NOT GOD!!!! STOP THIS LUNACY.
WE DEAL WITH RELIGION IN A RETARDED WAY. TO US IT’S A SUNNI FAZ3A VS. A SHIITE FAZ3A.
GOOD GOD! WE ARE SO RETARDED I AM SO ASHAMED OF BEING AN ARAB.
Why don’t Muslims extend this concept of “respecting other beliefs” to non-Muslims? Why the hate, violence and discrimination against us? As a non-Muslim I laugh at your problems. It seems that for the last 1300 years, when infidels are not around, Muslims make do killing and hating each other. How many died in the Riddah wars in the time of the so-called rightly guided caliphs? 40,000 Muslim warriors killing each other as they shouted Allahakbar. Great. Doesn’t the Quran say that the fact that Christians and jews have sects and divisions is proof that their religion is perverted. Welcome to the crowd - or maybe there are no divisions in Islam? Ha! Oh yes, If you care to read your own histories Ali did not want to give his daughter to the so-called rightly guided caliph. He said “she is just a child” but Omar made threats and what the caliph wants the caliph gets (note: some reports put the age of the girl, Umm Kultham, at 4). Omar needed this marriage for legitimacy, just like uthman and his “Two Lights” (other daughters of your prophet).
I have studied Islam, its doctrines and history and I find it fascinating how ignorant Muslims are of their own religion. It took me a week to work out the family and marital relationships (and bitter feud) between the four caliphs. Some few interesting facts: Ali was his own uncle (married to his wife’s sister’s daughter) and Omar is unique because he was one of the few people in history who (by marriage) was his own greatgrandfather (The father-in-law of Mohammad married to the prophet’s granddaughter). Ali was also cousin and son-in-law to Mohammad (because he was married to his daughter Fatima) and grandson-in-law (married to his granddaughter). He was also father-in-law to Omar and double brother-in-law to Uthman. Oh yes, Abu Bakr and Omar (?) even shared a wife (actually a widow). The fact is that they all were family but they were not friends. Yes, Ali was known for his bravery, honesty and mercy (think Battle of the Camel), but he was also a terrible, unimaginative and indecisive leader who probably had a hand in the revolt and murder of Uthman (who died with his blood soaking the first Quran).
See, some of us infidels know Islam better than you Muslims. We look at your religion and see nothing but hate and violence, from 610(?) until 2008ad. We see ignorance and stupidity. At least some of the commenters here acknowledge that and I thank them for their honesty. Don’t blame us infidels for your problems like you always do. I find Muslim history very interesting, not only because of the detail but because of how Sunni and shia interprete it and blame each other. Well, one thing I am certain of, it was not infidels that killed Hussein and his companions and carried 72 heads in bags (including that of the infant greatgrandson of your prophet) as trophies to the Caliph. In fact, the only place Sunni and Shia can really live togther in peace today is in non-Muslim lands. The fact is that the history of Islam is a history of hate and violence, against each other and against non-Muslims. Nothing has changed in 1300 years. When something bad happens, Muslims blame others (usually the jews).
Here we see people defending an old man that preaches hate towards both non-Muslims and Muslims. Here we see people saying that this same man is cooperating with the vile jews and Americans. Do you people have any idea how stupid this is?
Cordially,
Kactuz
@Tamer:
I think you haven’t understood the post very well.
Haitham have not said anything about punishing or hating anybody, but on the contrary, he called for stopping cursing the Sahaba of the prophet which is common sense and will save unnecessary emotional hard feelings. I can’t see what’s wrong with this, and I can’t see any lunacy.
If you are ashamed of being an Arab, then this is your personal business and actually have nothing to do this productive article.
@Abed Hamdan - Just a small clarification/correction: Khalid Amayreh is the author of this piece, not me (Haitham)!
lool good u told me !!
hi Khaled amayreh