veiled4allah: the two sides of Yusuf Qaradawi

Juan Cole calls out Muslim scholar Yusuf Qaradawi for endorsing attacks on Americans in Iraq including civilians. There seems to be some confusion over what Qaradawi said, as one source merely quotes him as saying that all Americans in Iraq are invaders, not distinguishing between soldiers and civilians, while another source claims that Qaradawi called for kidnapping of civilians. There's no quote on the latter, just a paraphrased report, and Cole doesn't have a link to either source, which hopefully he'll be able to get up soon so people can check it out for themselves.

Qaradawi seems to be a man of many faces. I first heard of him because of a book he had written a number of years ago called The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam, which provides a good basic overview of Islamic jurisprudence. In comparing his work with my later readings on the same topics, I found that he is correct in his presentation and that he takes a generally moderate position on most issues.

Qaradawi has also spoken up to condemn various terrorist attacks and killing of civilians, for instance of 9/11 and of Bali.

On the other hand, Qaradawi has also endorsed suicide bombings in Israel and the targeting of civilians. He mentioned this even while condemning 9/11:

I have been asked several questions on TV programs and on public lectures about the martyr operations outside the Palestinian territories, and I always answer that I do agree with those who do not allow such martyr operations to be carried out outside the Palestinian territories. "Instead we should concentrate on facing the occupying enemy directly. It is not permissible, as far as Islam is concerned, to shift confrontation outside the Palestinian territories. This is backed by the Qur'anic verse that reads: "Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loves not, aggressors

So his position on Iraq is basically consistent with his position on Palestine; he considers that civilians who are in occupied territories as part of the occupying force are lawful targets even if they have not taken up arms and therefore are not acting as combatants. I've posted a number of times (more, see also here and here plus sources here and here) setting out clearly why attacks on civilians are forbidden in Islam. Qaradawi is simply in the wrong here and should fear Allah that he seeks to make lawful what Allah has prohibited. No ifs, ands, or buts about that.

Qaradawi is connected with the IslamOnline site that I called out myself a couple of weeks ago for calling the American siege of Najaf "genocide" while denying what's going on in Darfur. I don't know what Qaradawi has to say about Darfur and he wasn't quoted in the Najaf article but there's clearly something really screwed up in the morality of him and his circle.

Qaradawi has contributed a lot in his time to presenting more moderate views on many issues of Islamic law and Muslims in the modern world, but he's rapidly destroying his own moral standing and credibility with his positions on jihad.

May Allah guide him back to the truth.