Yusuf al-Qaradawi
Yusuf al-Qaradawi (Arabic: يوسف القرضاوي, romanized: Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwī; or Yusuf al-Qardawi; 9 September 1926 – 26 September 2022) was an Egyptian Islamic scholar based in Doha, Qatar, and chairman of the International Union of Muslim Scholars. His influences included Ibn Taymiyya, Ibn Qayyim, Sayyid Rashid Rida, Hassan al-Banna, Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi, Abul A’la Maududi and Naeem Siddiqui. He was best known for his programme الشريعة والحياة, al-Sharīʿa wa al-Ḥayāh (“Sharia and Life”), broadcast on Al Jazeera, which had an estimated audience of 40–60 million worldwide. He was also known for IslamOnline, a website he helped for establishment in 1997 and for which he served as chief religious scholar.
Al-Qaradawi published more than 120 books, including The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam and Islam: The Future Civilization. He also received eight international prizes for his contributions to Islamic scholarship, and was considered one of the most influential Islamic scholars living. Al-Qaradawi had a prominent role within the intellectual leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Egyptian political organization, although he repeatedly stated that he was no longer a member and twice (in 1976 and 2004) turned down offers for the official role in the organization.
Al-Qaradawi was sometimes described as a “moderate Islamist”. Some of his views, such as his condoning of Palestinian suicide bombings against Israelis, caused reactions from governments in the West: he was refused an entry visa to the United Kingdom in 2008, and barred from entering France in 2012.
Yusuf al-Qaradawi, an influential Islamic scholar, held controversial views on suicide bombings and terrorism that evolved over time. His stance on these issues has been a subject of significant debate and criticism.
Endorsement of Suicide Bombings
In April 2001, al-Qaradawi became one of the most prominent clerics to declare that suicide bombings carried out by Palestinians against Israelis were religiously permissible[1]. He described these attacks as “one of the greatest forms of jihad” and argued that they were a necessary tactic for Palestinians to use against Israeli aggression[1]. Al-Qaradawi’s fatwa was particularly significant because it came from a cleric widely regarded as moderate, which helped bring the issue into the mainstream[1].
Al-Qaradawi defended his position by arguing that:
- The psyche of a militant carrying out a suicide operation is different from that of a depressed person committing suicide[1].
- These attacks were a form of “martyrdom operations” rather than suicide, which is prohibited in Islam[6].
- Israeli society was “completely military” and did not include civilians, making all Israelis, including women and even unborn babies, valid targets[10].
Impact and Criticism
Al-Qaradawi’s endorsement of suicide bombings had far-reaching consequences:
- It provided ideological justification for terrorist groups to carry out such attacks[1].
- The Palestinian group Hamas began deploying women for suicide bombings based on al-Qaradawi’s authority[2].
- His fatwa made it easier for extremist groups to extend the practice to other contexts beyond the Israeli-Palestinian conflict[1].
Critics argued that al-Qaradawi’s position contradicted Islam’s strict prohibition against suicide and endangered innocent civilians[1][10].
Change in Stance
In the summer of 2016, al-Qaradawi changed his view on suicide bombings[1]. He stated:
“The Palestinian brothers were in need of the [tactic] to instill terror in the hearts of Israelis. They told me they no longer need it, so I told them I no longer approve of it.”[1]
However, this disavowal was not a general condemnation of the practice, but rather presented as withdrawing a “prescription” that was no longer needed[1].
Broader Views on Terrorism
While al-Qaradawi supported suicide bombings in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, his stance on other forms of terrorism was more complex:
- After the September 11 attacks, he urged Muslims to donate blood for the victims and condemned the killing of innocent civilians[10].
- He called for Muslims to travel to Syria to take up arms against the Assad regime[6].
- Al-Qaradawi issued a fatwa calling for the abduction and killing of American civilians in Iraq[6].
Legacy
Yusuf al-Qaradawi’s views on suicide bombings and terrorism remain controversial. While some regarded him as a moderate voice in Islam, his endorsement of violence in certain contexts has been widely criticized. His complex legacy highlights the challenges in reconciling religious interpretation with modern conflicts and the far-reaching impact that influential clerics can have on global events[1][6][10].
Citations:
[1] https://newlinesmag.com/argument/yusuf-al-qaradawi-leaves-behind-a-complex-legacy/
[2] https://www.meforum.org/middle-east-quarterly/the-qaradawi-fatwas
[3] https://www.counterextremism.com/extremists/yusuf-al-qaradawi
[5] https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2022/10/03/islamist-cleric-qatar/
[6] https://www.counterextremism.com/yusuf-al-qaradawi
[8] https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-115hhrg31367/html/CHRG-115hhrg31367.htm