al-Jazeera Muslim Cleric Hate
MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD AND TV CLERIC BACK HEZBOLLAH
Adnkronos International
July 27, 2006
Egypt, 27 July (AKI) -
Egypt's banned but tolerated Muslim Brotherhood movement has asked permission
from the interior ministry to organise a protest at the capital Cairo's soccer
stadium against Israel and in support of the people of Lebanon and the
Palestinian territories. A well-known Sunni Muslim cleric who preaches on the
al-Jazeera Arab satellite network, Egyptian-born Sheikh Yussef al-Qardawi, on
Thursday also came out backing to Hezbollah, terming the Lebanese resistance a "legimate
holy war (Jihad)," and stating that Sunnis should support their Shiite fellow
Muslims.
The Muslim Brotherhood's demonstration is planned for 15 August, the organisers
said. The 88 Brotherhood MPs, who were elected to parliament in December as
independents, as well as a number of MPs from the ruling National Democratic
Party (PND), have requested an emergency session of the parliament, which is
currently closed for its summer recess.
On the session agenda, should be discussion of a strategy to provide assistance
to the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance movements. The MPs have announced
that they have already began to gather signatures to present to Egypt's
president, Hosni Mubarak. His permission is needed for the emergency session of
the parliament to be be convened, according to the constitution .
The Egyptian public's support for the Lebanese people, including Hezbollah, is
at odds with the government's position. While it has joined international calls
for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, in recent days, the
government has levelled criticism at Hezbollah's leader, Sheikh Hasan Nasrallah,
who has vowed to send rockets deeper into Israel.
Some in Egypt have begun to argue that Hezbollah, a Shiite movement, should not
be supported by Sunnis - who make up 85 percent of the world's Muslims. But al-Qaradawi
silenced such voices saying: "Even if they are different from Sunnis in many
respects, Shiites must receive our backing."
"Islamic law (Sharia) is life. The Lebanese resistance is a legitimate Jihad,and
it is a duty for every Muslim to support Hezbollah in its struggle against the
Israeli invasion," al-Qaradawi added. He is known to millions in the Arab world
due to his al-Jazeera appearances.
In interview published on Thursday in the Egyptian opposition's al-Wafd
newspaper, al-Qaradawi explained that "the resistance is the most honourable
thing that the community of believers can profer to the enemy." He added: "The
objective of Shiites, like Sunnis, must always be the defence of Islam."
Al-Qaradawi is currently head of the European Council for Fatwas and Research
(established in 1997). He has written more than 80 books on Islam, many of which
have met with great success in the Arab world and in the West. They have been
translated into a number of languages.