Yusuf al-Qaradawi

Yusuf al-Qaradawi
Philosophical work
Era	Modern era
Region	Muslim scholar

Yusuf al-Qaradawi (Arabic: يوسف القرضاوي) (born September 9, 1926) is an Egyptian Muslim scholar and preacher best known for his popular al Jazeera program, ash-Shariah wal-Hayat ("Shariah and Life"), and IslamOnline (a website that he helped to found in 1997), where he offers opinions and religious edicts ("fatwa") based on his interpretation of the Qur'an. He has also published some fifty books, including The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam and Islam: The Future Civilization.

Among many Muslims, al-Qaradawi is considered a moderate conservative, who seeks to explain and adapt an Islamic lifestyle to modern society. Others consider him as a staunch Islamist, who rejects universal human rights and some of the fundamentals of democracy, and note his endorsement of Palestinian suicide bombing attacks against Israeli civilian targets.

Biography

Qaradawi was born in Egypt, and attended the Al-Azhar Theological Seminary before moving to Qatar. Following his father's death, the 2-year old Qaradawi was raised by his uncle. His family urged him to either run a grocery store or to become a carpenter. Instead, he memorized the entire Qur'an by age nine. Qaradawi was a follower of Hasan al-Banna during his youth and was imprisoned first under the monarchy in 1949, then three times after the publication of Tyrant and the Scholar, poetic Islamic plays expressing a message through theme. Other works such as Fiqh-al-Zakat (Laws of the Obligatory Charity) are Islamic law treatises which go into precise details.

Qaradawi worked in the Egyptian Ministry of Religious Endowments, and was the Dean of the Islamic Department at the Faculties of Shariah and Education in Qatar, and served as chairman of the Islamic Scientific Councils of Algerian Universities and Institutions.

Qaradawi was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, and has turned down offers to be the Muslim Brotherhood leader various times. Qaradawi is the head of the European Council for Fatwa and Research.

Religious edicts (fatwas)

Yusuf al-Qaradawi has issued many religious edicts throughout his life (see also IslamOnline). Qaradawi is known for edicts that are meant to be compatible with everyday life. He is also noted for his political fatwas regarding the conflict in the Middle East. Qaradawi has stated that in the case of conflicting fatwas, a Muslim must follow the fatwa that his true conscience believes is closer to the truth.

Popularity

Qaradawi hosts a television program on Al Jazeera called "Sharia and Life" in which he tackles controversial questions, such as the fate of Palestinian suicide bombers. Qaradawi's vision of a moderate Islam have included support for democratic principles: '"Islam calls for democracy and grants people the right to choose their governor" and "Free integral elections should be guaranteed, where values of justice and rule of law also prevail" . He frequently quotes the hadith of Muhammad saying "Extremism destroyed those before you".

Qaradawi is very popular within much of the Islamic world, and his tapes and videos are available as far away as Indonesia and Malaysia. Azzam Tamimi of the Institute of Islamic Political Thought in London has said "If Sheik Qaradawi gives a fatwa, that fatwa will be heeded tomorrow in hundreds of places around the world."

Qaradawi criticised by conservative Muslims

Qaradawi has been attacked by all sides of the Islamic ideology spectrum for his vision of "moderate" Islam. During the 2002 elections in Bahrain, Qaradawi released a fatwa allowing women, especially those past their child-bearing years, as candidates in municipal elections. A Saudi scholar quickly responded that this was illegal under his interpretation of Islamic law.

Qaradawi also urged the Taliban to reconsider its decision to tear down the Buddha statues in Afghanistan in 2001. He was quickly criticized for supporting "idol worship". Upon meeting with leaders from the Taliban, Qaradawi reversed his position and praised the act of the destruction of the statues.

Qaradawi's vision of moderate Islam is one that, in his own words, "seeks balance between intellect and the heart, between religion and the world, between spirituality and materialism and between individualism and the group."

Scholars schooled in traditional settings and advocating strict adherence to traditional methods of learning and understanding do not agree with Qaradawi's more lax approach to Sharia.

However, most Muslim scholars generally respect Yusuf al-Qaradawi, which is why he is the head of many fiqh councils around the world, which have representation from many diverse strains of Islamic thought.

The late Sheikh al-Albanee, a Salafi scholar disagreed with Qaradawi's stance that photography and pictures were lawful. Al-Albanee wrote the book "The Islamic Ruling on Tasweer (pictures)" with his arguments in a response to Qaradawi's ruling. Despite their differing opinions, al-Albanee and Qaradawi never attacked each other personally and maintained friendship.

Many Salafis who agree with al-Albanee have attacked Qaradawi, using the words "wicked muftee (jurist)" and others. In their view, Qaradawi's opinions are sometimes un-Islamic. Other Salafis who agree with al-Albanee do not attack Qaradawi, and respectfully disagree with his opinions.

Another point of conflict is Qaradawi's opinion of the lawfulness of some music and art. Some Muslims believe that music and art are unlawful, some even rejecting "Islamic" music and art.

Shaikh Ibn Uthaimeen and Shaikh Muqbil bin Haadee on Qardawi

Shaikh Muqbil bin Haadee who stated in his refutation of Yusuf Al Qardawi the book "Silencing the Hounding Dog", "On this day I was informed by the brother, Saalih al-Bakri that he heard some words of (al-Qaradawi) in a cassette that he says that this Jew (i.e. the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu) was victorious by 99% of votes and that Allaah cannot even achieve this, even if the people voted for Allaah, He would not be able to acquire 99% of the votes. These words are clear and manifest misguidance. If he wished to make a Jew superior to Allaah, free is He from imperfection, the Most High, then he is a disbeliever (i.e. apostate). And if he intended that the Jews and Christians and the worshippers of the cow and chickens and others are very many in number yet they do not vote for Allaah, then this is another matter, however it is still clear misguidance (on al-Qaradawi’s behalf). "Voting is only needed by a weak man, O Pauper!…. Have you disbelieved O Qaradawi or have you brought yourself nearer?…And after that this Aqeel al-Maqtari comes along, may Allaah not bless him, and he honoured and welcomed Yusuf al-Qaradawi, just as he honoured and welcomed Muhammad Suroor… " (Silencing the Hounding Dog, pp.110-112).

• Shaikh Ibn Uthaimeen after these words were played to him, "I seek refuge in Allaah. It is obligatory for this person to repent. And if he does not he should be killed as an apostate, since he made the creation more knowledgeable than the Creator. It is upon him to repent to Allaah, so if he repents, then Allaah forgives the sins of His servants. And if not then the Wullaat ul-Amr should strike his neck (with the sword)." (Cassette Recording, quoted in Silencing the Hounding Dog, p.119).

Response to Muslim criticism

Qaradawi has responded on his website Islamonline.net to criticism: ...Sheikh Al-Qaradawi maintains that as having different views on any issue is something natural, one should not concentrate on controversial matters, nor should one focus on refuting others' opinions on slight matters, because this contradicts the syllabus of the righteous predecessors, may Allah be pleased with them. Rather a true believer should be tolerant even if he has a different point of view and be cooperative in applying agreed upon matters. By tolerance he means not to be fanatic in judging controversial matters, doctrines or Imams. Rather a Muslim should be tolerant, as Sheikh Rashid Rida states in his famous magazine Al-Manar saying: “We ought to excuse one another and show tolerance to each other's view regarding controversial issues.”

His views on Sufism

Qaradawi has also been an avid caller to what he calls "Islamic Sufism". In his work on reforming the Muslim ummah, Priorities of the Islamic Movement in the Coming Phase he wrote: "Of course, we reject all the fallacies of philosophical Sufism (including such tenets as: hulul "divine incarnation" and ittihad "mystic communion with God"), ecstatic utterances of heretic Sufists and the deviations of money-oriented Sufism. What we really seek is the pure, quintessential Sufism of the pioneer Sufists, such as Al Hassan Al Basri, Al Fudayl Ibn lyad, Ibrahim Ibn Adham, Abu Sulayman Al Darani, Abul Qasim Al Junayd and others like them. We seek the Sunnite Sufism that follows a balanced line of Quran and Sunna, the Sufism that cares about the "piety of hearts" before it concerns itself with the "acts of the organs of the body". It is said in the sound hadith that "Allah shall not look at your bodies or your faces, but rather into your hearts." [Muslim]. We seek the Sufism that addresses the ailments of the heart, plugs the holes through which Satan can steal into hearts, and resists the desires of the human soul, so that it may have proper morals and virtues and abandon sins. Someone described Sufism in a nutshell, saying, "Sufism is being true to Allah and good to mankind". This is what Allah the Almighty means by saying, "For Allah is with those who restrain themselves and those who do good" [Surat Al Nahl: 128]. The Sufists are with Allah by being pious, and with people by doing good.".

This, as well as his support for the celebration of Muhammad's birthday, or Mawlid, seen as a grave heretical innovation by many Salafi Muslims, has made Qaradawi the target of even more criticism.

His Acceptance of the Ashari school

Qaradawi has been a staunch defender of the Ashari school of Islamic theology. In an obituary written for the Egyptian Islamist Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazali, Qaradawi wrote, "I know that our Salafi brethren do not like this, but I would like to say that the whole Muslim Ummah follows the Ash'ari school. So, has the whole Ummah gone astray? Azhar, Zaituna, Al-Qaraweyah, and Dupand of India are all Ash'aris. All religious schools in the world are Ash'aris."

New initiatives

His reach is felt in Europe through his presidency of the Dublin-based European Council for Fatwa and Research, an organisation described by The Economist as comprising "32 leading scholars, from Europe and the Middle East, whose self-appointed task is to ponder the dilemmas, moral, personal, and political, faced by European Muslims". (The Herald) In August 2005, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Council had used the infamous anti-Semitic forgery known as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion in its theological deliberations.

Qaradawi was involved in two initiatives in early 2004. First, he opposed the French ban on the hijab (or Muslim headscarf) in public schools, sending a letter to President Jacques Chirac declaring "Mr. President, we have felt resentful over your considering Hijab an aggression on others. It is just worn out of commitment to religious principles, no more, no less."

And on April 29 2004 Qaradawi announced a new initiative to form an all-inclusive world union of Muslim scholars "with the aim of preserving Islamic identity, promoting religious awareness, confronting 'destructive trends' and giving advice to leaders of Muslim countries." Qaradawi said the new body would use direct and indirect means to realize its objectives, including newspapers, radio and television networks as well as the Internet.

Qaradawi seen from a democratic perspective

Al-Qaradawi's opinions are criticised by many democrats as essentially incompatible with democracy, or even contrary to democracy. Several of his fatwa's are seen by many as against universal human rights:

• He refuses the separation of state and church: "Since Islam is a comprehensive system of `Ibadah (worship) and Shari`ah (legislation), the acceptance of secularism means abandonment of Shari`ah, a denial of the Divine guidance and a rejection of Allah’s injunctions. (...) the call for secularism among Muslims is atheism and a rejection of Islam. Its acceptance as a basis for rule in place of Shari`ah is a downright apostasy." [1]. At the same time, he appears to know very well this is a crucial element in democracy.
• He accepts equal rights for women except in certain cases, e.g. in areas as family law and inheritance law): "Those misguided people cudgel their brains in finding out lame arguments that tend to give both males and females equal shares of inheritance." [2].
• He supports freedom of religion, except for those who have accepted Islam, and then become apostates. For them the death penalty is the punishment: "All Muslim jurists agree that the apostate is to be punished. However, they differ regarding the punishment itself. The majority of them go for killing; meaning that an apostate is to be sentenced to death." [3].
• He personally prefers that women be circumcised to a certain extent only. This does not mean removing the entire clitoris,only a small part of the top. , [4]), though he admits it's not obligatory in Islam. (See also: Female Circumcision Not Obligatory: Qaradawi).

See http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503548446 for Qaradawi's fatwa that FGM that is harmful to women is not permissible.

Qaradawi on the Danish Cartoon Controversy

Qaradawi called for a 'Day of Anger' over the cartoons, but condemned violent actions in response to them.

Qaradawi on democracy in the Muslim World

Speaking in Istanbul, Turkey, Qaradawi explained his opinion that the entire Muslim world needed democracy.

"The Muslim world needs democracy. It wants democracy. But it should be real democracy and not just democracy by name only... Democracy has done some good things. It has saved humanity from despots and dictators who act like gods. The details should be left to the people. Let them decide for themselves"

Qaradawi on Homosexuality

On June 5 2006, on the Al Jazeera "Sharia and Life" programme he regularly features on, al-Qaradawi reiterated orthodox views on homosexuality. When asked about the punishment for people who "practise liwaat (sodomy) or sihaaq (lesbian activity)", al-Qaradawi replied: "The same punishment as any sexual pervert - the same as the fornicator." (MEMRI translation)

Qaradawi on Terrorism

After the September 11 attacks, Qaradawi, urging Muslims to donate blood for the victims of the attacks, stated,

"Islam, the religion of tolerance, holds the human soul in high esteem, and considers the attack against innocent human beings a grave sin, this is backed by the Qur'anic verse which reads:

Who so ever kills a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he has killed all mankind, and who so ever saves the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind," (Al-Ma'dah:32).

"The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, is reported to have said, 'A believer remains within the scope of his religion as long as he doesn't kill another person illegally'"

"Islam never allows a Muslim to kill the innocent and the helpless." He denies that Palestinian suicide bombing attacks constitute terrorism, claiming that "when Palestinians face such unjust aggression, they tend to stem bloodletting and destruction and not to claim the lives of innocent civilians", but qualifies that with "I do agree with those who do not allow such martyr operations to be carried out outside the Palestinian territories."

Qaradawi said it was a duty upon Muslims to bring to justice the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks: "It is a duty on Muslims to participate in this (War in Afghanistan)effort with all possible means".

Opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Suicide bombings

Qaradawi strongly supports Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets, including against civilians, claiming they are legitimate form of resistance. Qaradawi claims that hundreds of other Islamic scholars are of the same opinion.

Defending terrorist bombing against off duty soldiers Qaradawi told BBC Newsnight that:

• "An Israeli woman is not like women in our societies, because she is a soldier."
• "I consider this type of martyrdom operation as an evidence of God's justice."
• "Allah Almighty is just; through his infinite wisdom he has given the weak a weapon the strong do not have and that is their ability to turn their bodies into bombs as Palestinians do".

At the press conference held by the organizations sponsoring Qaradawi's visit to London, Qaradawi reiterated his view that "martyrdom operations" are a justified from of "resistance" to Israeli occupation. In the past, Qaradawi has justified such terrorist actions on the basis that all Israel civilians are potential soldiers since Israel is a "militarized society."

Due to this, Qaradawi has been accused of supporting terrorism.

However, he is opposed to attacks outside of the Palestinian territories and on other than Israeli targets. For example, on March 20, 2005, Qaradawi issued a condemnation of a car-bombing that had occurred in Doha, Qatar the day before. One Briton, Jon Adams was killed. Qaradawi issued a statement that said “Such crimes are committed by insane persons who have no religious affiliation and play well into the hands of the enemies.” and “I urge all Qataris to stand united in facing such an epidemic and uproot it to nip the infection in the bud, otherwise it will spread like wildfire. I, in the name of all scholars in Qatar, denounce such a horrendous crime and pray that it would be the last and implore God to protect this secure country.”.

See also his comments here:.

Opinion on the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict

In response to Saudi shaykh Abdullah Bin Jabreen's fatwa declaring that it was forbidden for Muslims to support or pray for Hezbollah because they are Shia, Qaradawi issued a fatwa stating that, to the contrary, it was the duty of all Muslims to support Hezbollah in its fight against Israel, affirming that "Shias agree with the Sunnis in the main principles of Islam while the differences are only over the branches." In this fatwa, he also called upon the Sunnis and Shia of Iraq to end the civil war.

Qaradawi on Arab reform

On May 20 2004, Qaradawi was interviewed by al Jazeera on his stances on Arab reform. Qaradawi said that Islam welcomes reform which he defined as "turning the thing that is corrupt into something upright." He said reform combats 3 types of corruption: political, economic and moral.

"First there is political corruption, the deceiving of the masses to serve authority; an example would be a journalist who uses his pen to tout for a leader, or an occupier who invades a country and revamps its political structure to serve his interest.

...You also have economic corruption, a subject that the Qur'an has addressed as well. Those who misuse public funds for their own purposes while their people are undergoing extreme poverty are an illustration of this.

Moral corruption is another problem that must be confronted and reformed. It can extend to engulf an entire society turning it into a nepotistic, nihilist and morally loose one.

There are also other forms of corruption that would include environmental corruption, the destruction of the beautiful Earth that God has created, and so on."

Qaradawi stated that Muslims loathe corruption and should strive to initiate reforms. He clarified that each nation is responsible for reforming itself, rather than other's reforming it (a response to the U.S. "Greater Middle East Initiative"). Qaradawi said there are 5 conditions to reform in Islam:

1. The principles of Islam are used to fulfill Islamic interests and not outside interests.
2. The methodology of reform must come from Muslim scholars and not outside influences.
3. Reform must be implemented by the will of the people, and by the people themselves.
4. Reforms must come from within and not from outside influences.
5. Gradualism while implementing reforms.

Entry into western countries

Qaradawi has been banned from entering the United States of America since 1999, though he visited London in 2004.

Boycott fatwa

According to IslamOnline, Qaradawi released a fatwa on April 14 2004 stating boycott of American and Israeli products was an obligation for all who are able.The fatwa reads in part :

"If people ask in the name of religion we must help them. The vehicle of this support is a complete boycott of the enemies' goods. Each riyal, dirham …etc. used to buy their goods eventually becomes bullets to be fired at the hearts of brothers and children in Palestine. For this reason, it is an obligation not to help them (the enemies of Islam) by buying their goods. To buy their goods is to support tyranny, oppression and aggression. Buying goods from them will strengthen them; our duty is to make them as weak as we can. Our obligation is to strengthen our resisting brothers in the Sacred Land as much as we can. If we cannot strengthen the brothers, we have a duty to make the enemy weak. If their weakness cannot be achieved except by boycott, we must boycott them.

American goods, exactly like “Israeli” goods, are forbidden. It is also forbidden to advertise these goods. America today is a second Israel. It totally supports the Zionist entity. The usurper could not do this without the support of America. “Israel’s” unjustified destruction and vandalism of everything has been using American money, American weapons, and the American veto. America has done this for decades without suffering the consequences of any punishment or protests about their oppressive and prejudiced position from the Islamic world."

Fatwa controversy with MEMRI

Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), citing Asharq Al-Awsat, alleges that Qaradawi issued a Fatwa following the Iraqi insurgency, saying,

"...all of the Americans in Iraq are combatants, there is no difference between civilians and soldiers, and one should fight them, since the American civilians came to Iraq in order to serve the occupation. The abduction and killing of Americans in Iraq is a [religious] obligation so as to cause them to leave Iraq immediately. The mutilation of corpses [however] is forbidden in Islam."

Qaradawi, however, denies this allegation, having "disowned" that which was said in my name in the media on the subject of the killing of American civilians in Iraq":

I have not published a Fatwa on this issue. At the Egyptian Journalists' Union a few days ago I was asked about the permissibility of fighting against the occupation in Iraq, and I answered that it is permitted. Afterwards I was asked concerning the American civilians in Iraq and I merely responded with the question – are there American civilians in Iraq? It is a matter of common knowledge that in Fatwas such as these I do not use the word "killing" but rather I say "struggle," which is a more comprehensive word than the word "killing" and whose meaning is not necessarily to kill. In addition, I have condemned the taking of hostages on a number of occasions in the past and have demanded that they be released and that their lives not be threatened."

According to MEMRI, this alleged fatwa raised a wave of reactions. Certain Islamic scholars issued similar verdicts. Shaker Al-Nabulsi called for the creation of a petition to the UN calling to put Qaradawi and his like on trial for incitement and support of terrorism.

However before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, he made the fatwa that a Muslim who fights the US invasion will martyr.

See also

• Abdullah bin Bayyah
• Khurshid Ahmad
• Qur'an
• Quick list on Islam

External links

Profile of Qaradawi

• BBC World News Profile of Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi

Transcript of Qaradawi show

• "Our War with the Jews Is in the Name of Islam": partial transcript of Qatari TV show, Feb. 25, 2006, translated by MEMRI
• Eulogizes Saddam Hussein and Declares: In Recent Years, Saddam Was a Changed Man, Did Charitable Work and Helped People Build Mosques
• Calls Upon Iraqi Kurds to Join Sunni Fight against Shiites Once Mediation Fails
• Original version of fatwa later edited, stating that apostates deserve to be killed

Books by Qaradawi online

• Priorities of the Islamic Movement in the Coming Phase
• Towards a Sound Awakening
• The Status of Women in Islam
• Islamic Awakening between Rejection and Extremism
• The Lawful and Prohibited in Islam
• Diversion and Arts In Islam (in progress)

Sheikh al-Qaradawi's websites

• Islam-Online (English)
• Al-Qaradawi's Homepage (Arabic)

Anti-Qaradawi opinions

• Truth about Qaradawi (Arabic)
• Some Mistakes of Yusuf al-Qaradawi
• Salafi Website against Yusuf al-Qaradawi
• Mayor Livingstone and Sheikh Qaradawi

Other resources

• Fatwas at Islam Online
• 9/11 Fatwa
• Fatwa on boycott of American and Israeli products and
• Biography and Moderate Vision
• Qaradawi on Arab Reform: Interview with Al Jazeera
• BBC Story on Qaradawi's Visit to London
• Islamonline's Story of Qaradawi's Visit to London
• The Herald Islamic moderate or rabble-rouser?
• Hour of Power with an Islamist Superstar by Martin Kramer
• Speech on MEMRI TV
• Yusuf al-Qaradawi