Doha – Palestinian Information Center

The President of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, Sheikh Ali Mohieddin Al-Qaradaghi, confirmed that the Union played a major and important role in defending the rights of the Palestinian people and denouncing the crimes of the Israeli occupation committed daily against the people of Gaza since the seventh of last October.

Sheikh Al-Qaradaghi added – in an interview with Al Jazeera Net – that the union had an important role in mobilizing the Islamic street and implementing a general strike in which the peoples of a number of Arab and Islamic countries participated, pointing to other projects that will be presented – in the coming days to support Gaza – to major Islamic countries such as Turkey, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The President of the International Union of Muslim Scholars revealed that a delegation formed by the Union, headed by him, is arranging with Egypt to enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing.

He added that it was agreed to operate 100 ships in support of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, calling on the countries overlooking the Mediterranean Sea to protect them until they reach Gaza.

Dr. Al-Qaradaghi praised the position of the State of South Africa regarding the lawsuit it filed against Israel in the International Court of Justice, denouncing the failure of a large number of Arab and Islamic countries to support this step.

The following is the text of the interview:

The role of the International Union of Muslim Scholars has become limited to statements of support and opposition, despite its wide membership of scholars, preachers and preachers in the Arab and Islamic worlds. What was the role of the Union in moving the street towards the Gaza war?

The International Union of Muslim Scholars played a very important role in the cause of moving the Islamic, Arab and humanitarian street towards interacting with the Al-Aqsa flood operation and denouncing the destruction that occurred in the Gaza Strip and the Nazi attack on the Israeli occupation, which reached the stage of true annihilation.

For example, a group of statements were issued, as well as influential fatwas, especially the comprehensive fatwa that we issued regarding the necessity of defense, protection, prevention, and the necessity of exerting all efforts, and the necessity of resistance, and the obligation, each in its place, of the rulers in terms of their political, military, and economic capabilities, and of the peoples as well. This statement that we issued had a great impact.

How influential is this statement?

I believe that this statement that we issued was the most widespread statement in the world. We also issued another statement on the issue of the general strike, and it had an echo and application in Arab and Islamic countries and governments such as Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Jordan, and other countries, where these countries implemented a comprehensive strike known as the “day strike.” Monday, corresponding to December 11, 2023, and the peoples of these countries expressed their ability and potential to influence.

In fact, the Union had a prominent role in mobilizing the street, in addition to the fact that from the beginning of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” and the stage of the barbaric invasion, we issued fatwas and statements regarding the need for preachers to remind people of this issue and the necessity of supporting our people in Palestine and that abandoning them is forbidden by law.

What measures has the Union taken and will it take during the coming period regarding the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip?

During the previous period, we used all our means to condemn the Israeli aggression, in addition to what I mentioned previously, and in fact, I personally, as a representative of the Union, visited several countries to support this issue, including visiting Turkey 3 times to meet its senior officials, and a visit to Malaysia as well, where we met important officials, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and others. The meetings were at a very high level.

During the coming days, we will present to major Islamic countries such as Turkey, Malaysia and Indonesia several projects to support the Palestinian people and the Palestinian cause, in addition to that we have presented to the Arab and Islamic countries overlooking the Mediterranean the idea that we in the Union are ready to arrange and equip 50 large ships loaded with food and medical supplies and accommodation services. For the Palestinian people, through our relations with Islamic charitable and international institutions, and we are ready to implement this project.

But who will protect these ships and how will they reach the Palestinian people in light of the continuing aggression?

Yes, we called on the Arab and Islamic countries overlooking the Mediterranean to protect these ships, and we sent some heads of state and ministers of Islamic affairs direct messages and asked them to protect aid ships. When I went to Malaysia, it seemed that they had heard about this initiative, and they told us that they were ready to send and protect 50 more ships, bringing the total to 100 ships loaded with aid.

Where have you reached with the idea of ​​establishing an international Islamic humanitarian alliance to serve the nation’s issues?

We called for the establishment of an international Islamic, humanitarian, Arab alliance to serve the issues of the Islamic nation, and on behalf of the union, I sent messages to some of the leaders of the major Islamic countries, and we asked these countries that oppose the war of extermination in Gaza to call for this alliance, as we actually addressed about 80 countries in this regard, so that a summit would be held. These countries will produce a global humanitarian declaration to protect Gaza and protect the oppressed everywhere.

Also, one of the important means adopted by the “Doha Declaration”, which was arranged by the Union, was that we devoted an entire day of the General Assembly to the Gaza issue and the role of the nation in supporting and championing it. The conference resulted in the “Doha Declaration” of the Humanitarian Alliance to protect and defend the oppressed, led by Gaza.

What is the importance of the Gaza Conference held in Doha and what were its results?

The Gaza Conference that we held in the first act of the new Union President, which I believe was extremely important, resulted in the “Doha Declaration.” We were not satisfied with the announcement being made among scholars, as we are present in 52 countries and include more than 100,000 scholars, and about 64 associations in the Union, and we invited civil society institutions and human rights and humanitarian institutions.

A large number of Arab and Muslim parliamentarians and humanitarian forums joined us in this conference, and according to our studies now, we are heading to reach 365 Islamic and humanitarian institutions and associations with whom we have contact, and they are expected to join the union. I believe that it is a big step to put pressure on the occupation government and those who support it, to stop killing our people in Palestine and allow aid to enter.

What is the vision of the International Union of Muslim Scholars to confront plans to displace Palestinians from their lands?

The Gaza Conference, and the nation’s role in supporting it, resulted in a set of measures, the most important of which was the proposal that scholars from the International Union of Muslim Scholars, and I would be the first to go to Rafah and then enter the Gaza Strip, even if that cost us martyrdom, it is an honor for us, and this is the first measure that will be implemented after things are arranged. With Egypt.

The issue of the displacement of Palestinians raises concerns for the Union, but we all hope for the steadfastness of the heroic Gazan people, who, despite all these calamities in the north, south, east and west of Gaza, are still steadfast, and we support this steadfastness in every sense of the word.

How do you view the popular boycott of many products and companies that support Israel?

We are the first to boycott since the days of the aggression against Gaza at the beginning of the 21st century, when the Union issued fatwas in the presence of His Eminence Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi (may God Almighty have mercy on him) to boycott Israeli goods obligatory and obligatory, and to prohibit dealing with them, as well as the prohibition of dealing with companies that directly support Israel, and this is a fundamental fatwa. Because abstention comes under the heading “And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.”

Could you explain to us your vision for developing the Union’s work and enhancing its effectiveness in the Arab and Islamic societies after you assumed its presidency?

During the year 2010, I presented a strategic plan for the Union’s work, in which I sought the help of a number of strategic scholars. We developed this plan and it was presented to the General Assembly and approved. During 2014, it branched out into multiple plans, and we were able to implement many of them. We certainly were not able to achieve everything we wanted due to the lack of money we had. This results in a lack of human resources.

This plan was re-discussed and the observations and challenges it faces were addressed. 17 observations were made on it in 2018, the strategic plan was amended, and we formed an evaluation committee of senior specialized scholars. Accordingly, the plan, programs and projects emanating from it were amended, and this plan was discussed and approved during the last sixth session of the General Assembly of the World Federation.

How do you view the role and influence played by the International Union of Muslim Scholars in addressing the crises in Syria and Libya?

As for Syria, it is the Union’s main concern, as we paid the greatest attention to this issue in our statement, and we have sought, in the past and present, to reach some kind of internal consensus and internal unity for the Syrian opposition, as well as encouraging some countries with which we have good and strong relations to develop a project to end this crisis. In a way that helps our brothers in Syria, and achieves their freedoms and ambitions, this is a project that we are adopting at this stage.

As for Libya, the Secretary-General of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi, is one of the senior and influential figures in the Libyan arena and has a major role in this issue. Now his role will be doubled by entering into the issue of reconciliation and unity and reaching free and fair elections so that the Libyan people choose who will rule them according to their will.

Do you have any plan or initiative that you are taking to reduce the escalation in Sudan and find peaceful solutions to end the conflict?

Yes, we have a project that we will present soon, but its details cannot be revealed now. It aims to reduce the escalation in Sudan. One of the Vice-Presidents of the Union, Dr. Essam Al-Bashir, will play this important and sensitive role. He has been assigned the task of carrying this project on behalf of the Union to present it, hoping that it will carry some solutions. Through which the Union can contribute to stopping the fighting in Sudan.

What is your message to South Africa, which filed a lawsuit against the Israeli occupation? What do you say to the Arab and Islamic countries about supporting this claim?

We issued a statement in which we greatly thanked South Africa for the lawsuit it filed against Israel in the International Court of Justice on charges of “genocide” in Gaza, and I even devoted a large portion of my speeches to the issue of South Africa, in which I blamed and denounced the position of the Arab and Islamic countries for not taking a similar step in this field. .

Many Arab and Islamic countries are still silent without any support for South Africa’s position, which has received support from a small number of countries, and the International Union of Muslim Scholars will submit an official letter to the President of South Africa through its ambassador in Doha.

How does the Union confront the anti-Islamic calls and practices committed by some, such as burning the Qur’an and insulting the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace?

The role of the Union in this regard is dual. On the one hand, it demands that Muslims and preachers improve the image of Muslims in the world so that this leads to improving the image of Islam itself, and not provoking conflicts that lead to major problems and challenges.

As for the second role, it is to call people to God, convey the message, and publish books by all means and languages. We have established a committee for translation in a total of 11 languages. We have selected a number of books, translated them, and will be printed and published in all media outlets.

Source: Al Jazeera