(Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic pressure against Qatar to expel Qardawi and all members of Muslim Brotherhood, handover them to Egypt, restrict Al Jazeera on Egyptian military coup)
BeyondHeadlines Special Correspondent
Egyptian newspaper Al Ahram has reported that Qatar has given in to the Saudi pressure and has conceded Saudi demand to expel prominent Islamic scholar Yousuf Al Qardawi. Qardawi is most important Islamic scholar who has written more than hundred books and has helped in making of modern day Islamic jurisprudence. Qardwai’s writings have always advocated for moderate understanding of Islam for which he had been attacked by some Saudi scholars. Yousuf Qardwai is graduate of Al Azhar University where he was arrested and tortured by Egyptian dictator Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1949 and was forced to leave Egypt in 1961. Since last 53 years, Qardawi was living in exile in Qatar.
Yousuf Qardawi has been criticizing Egyptian military for its coup against Egypt’s first elected President Mohammad Morsi and massacre of 1000 Morsi supporters in August 2013 and subsequent arrest and torture of 30000 supporters of Muslim Brotherhood. The military coup was supported by Gulf monarchies mainly Saudi Arabia which later on had declared Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization. The Egyptian state owned newspaper says that the 88 year old Islamic scholar may be asked to leave Qatar within few days or he will be extradited to Egypt. Qardawi may ask asylum to Turkey, Sudan or Tunisia. Qardawi is widely respected by Muslims in Asian and African Muslims for his Fatwas in support of modern day issues in which he had recommended non-violence and peaceful coexistence with non-Muslim populations.
State of Qatar was the only Gulf State which has asked Egypt to respect human rights of political oppositions mainly the deposed leader and his Freedom and Justice Party. Al Jazeera’s nine journalists which include three international journalists have been charged of terrorism by Egyptian military and are languished in jail for months. International human right organizations and media groups have been condemning Egypt for its massacres, arrest and torture of Muslim Brotherhood and media persons.
Yousul Al Qardawi was very close friend of former president of Muslim Personal Law Board Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi and his institution. He was widely respected by scholars of Darul Uloom Deoband, Nadwatul Ulama and Jamat Islami Hind.
