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Qaradawi predicts a Muslim apocalypse

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The unexpurgated views of Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi about Israel, Jews, Zionism and Palestine have been revealed for the first time in an English translation of a book he wrote in Arabic four years ago.

In a compilation of 14 rulings on various aspects of the Middle East conflict called Fatawa on Palestine, or “Rulings on Palestine”, the Islamic scholar feted by former London Mayor Ken Livingstone predicts an apocalyptic final battle between all Jews and all Muslims that would presage the day of judgement.

Mr Qaradawi believes that:

-Israel should be removed from all Muslim land.

-Muslims all over the world should involve themselves directly in the Israel-Palestine conflict and decide on the fate of Jerusalem — stating that “Palestinians do not have the competence to decide on the fate of Jerusalem”.

-Muslims should not be friends with Jews in general and Israelis in particular as this would diminish their appetite for fighting.

-Every Jew in the world is an enemy.

The book also covers his well-known views on the legitimacy of suicide bombers and whether or not Muslims should buy anything that has any connection with Israel and its supporters.


It has been reviewed by Mark Gardner and David Rich of the Community Security Trust for Democratiya, a quarterly internet journal based at Edge Hill University, in Ormskirk, Lancs, dealing with global politics.

The bulk of the book forms a diatribe against Israel and Jews.

In their review for Democratiya, the pair say that Sheikh al-Qaradawi “personifies the combination of theological anti-Judaism, modern European antisemitism and conflict-driven Judeophobia that make up contemporary Islamist attitudes to Jews”.

Mr Gardner, the CST’s director of communications, commented: “Sheikh al-Qaradawi’s views are even more extreme than we had thought previously. This is an important book as it is written in English for an English-speaking audience.

“It reveals the awful extent of the Muslim Brotherhood’s hostility to all Jews and their desire to extend the Israeli-Palestinian conflict across all borders.

“It should put an end, finally, to the idea that Qaradawi is a genuinely moderate voice.”

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