- Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, is retiring from his positions of religious preacher and leader of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, a global organization that he founded.
- His place will be taken by Sheikh Ahmed al-Raissouni, who is no less extreme or supportive of Islamic terror.
(Arab press)
Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, known as the “Sheikh of the terrorists” and the “head of the snake” of Islamic terror, announced his retirement from the world of religious preaching and leader of the International Union of Muslim Scholars due to his advanced age. He is over 90 years old.
At a conference in Turkey on November 9, 2018, Sheikh Qaradawi, spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, who fled from Egypt when President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi came into power in 2014, announced his retirement while showering his praises upon Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“The history of the Islamic faith began in Istanbul, according to some historians,” Qaradawi claimed. “President Erdogan flew the flag of Islam, even though he had no money or men,” he stressed.
Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi founded the International Union of Muslim Scholars in the Irish capital, Dublin, in 2004. He set up its headquarters in Doha, Qatar, as the supreme authority giving religious approval to the leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Four Arab countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain are boycotting the organization, which they have designated as a “terrorist entity.”
Sheikh Qaradawi’s religious rulings (or fatwas, in Arabic) give religious and ethical approval to all of the Islamic terrorist organizations around the world, led by al-Qaeda and ISIS, and for suicide bombings.
Qaradawi and Bin Laden
Qaradawi likes to boast proudly that the now-deceased leader of al-Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden, was his disciple and a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Qaradawi was the biggest Islamic subversive against Arab regimes. He used to incite the creation of chaos in Islamic societies, and he established political entities or organizations, the purpose of which was to destabilize Arab countries and impose the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood upon them.
Qatar placed its national television station and the Al-Jazeera channel at his complete disposal, and with their help he created a position for himself as the most senior Sunni preacher and religious authority in the Islamic and Arab world.
His main center of activity was in Doha, capital of Qatar. His agenda totally fit that of Qatari ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, which is to create discord among the other Arab countries in accordance with the principle of “divide and rule.”
Sheikh al-Qaradawi has issued religious rulings that permitted assassinations of heads of state and incitement against Egypt’s army and national institutions.
Similarly, he has also issued rulings calling upon officers and soldiers in the Egyptian army to disobey the orders of their commanders.
Egyptian sources claim that Sheikh Qaradawi was compelled to retire due to pressure from Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser, mother of the ruler of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani. She concluded that Qaradawi has become a burden to Qatar and that it is time for him to retire.
At the same time, in Egypt, it is believed that Sheikh Qaradawi has not yet given his final word. As he gives religious approval for Qatar’s policies, the rulers of Qatar need him on their side so that during times of trouble, he can come out and protect them when necessary.
Qaradawi is dependent upon Qatar. His religious rulings are political and conform to Qatar’s needs.
Who Is His Replacement?
Sheikh Ahmed al-Raissouni will replace Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi. He is a prominent figure in the Muslim Brotherhood in the Arab Maghreb [North Africa] who became famous after sharply criticizing former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, who was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. He expressed great satisfaction when Morsi was ousted by Gen. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in 2013.
In 2011, al-Raissouni accused the Muslim Brotherhood of “ideological stagnation.”
He claimed that the organization needed to free itself from the traditions of its founder Hassan al-Banna in order to develop. Al-Raissouni believed it was forbidden for the movement to compete for the role of president of Egypt and take responsibility for the country’s institutions, as this would “burn out” the movement, which is indeed what happened under President Mohamed Morsi.
Al-Raissouni wanted President Morsi to abdicate his position as president, and for Mohamed ElBaradei or Amr Moussa to be elected in his place.
In recent years, al-Raissouni has served as Qaradawi’s deputy at the International Union of Muslim Scholars.
He was born in 1953 in Morocco, where he was educated and studied.
Al-Raissouni is considered to be one of the founders of the International Union of Muslim Scholars. He was the only candidate in internal elections for the leadership of the organization, held in Istanbul, and he secured a vote of 93 percent.
He is perceived to be one of the biggest supporters of the Palestinian problem, and he is strongly opposed to the declaration of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and Israel’s policy on the Temple Mount. He opposes the normalization of relations between the Arab countries and Israel.
In the Arab world, it is thought that al-Raissouni will harden his political-religious line in order to ease his way into the shoes of Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi.
