Latest news with #IUMS
Saba Yemen
3 days ago
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Muslim Scholars Union calls for designating Friday as day of support for Al-Aqsa Mosque
Occupied Quds - Saba: The International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) called on Thursday for tomorrow's Friday to be a day of solidarity with Al-Aqsa Mosque and outrage over the genocide in the Gaza Strip. In a statement, the union said, 'In light of its religious and moral responsibility, the IUMS urges the scholars, preachers, imams, and religious leaders of the Muslim Ummah to make this Friday—3 Dhu al-Hijjah 1446 AH, corresponding to May 30, 2025—a day of support for Al-Aqsa and condemnation of the occupation's crimes in Gaza.' The union renewed its call for a "broad Islamic mobilization" to express absolute rejection of the aggression and affirm the Ummah's support for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people. It demanded that Friday sermons be dedicated to condemning the Israeli enemy's aggression against Al-Aqsa Mosque and its atrocities in Gaza, while praising any stance calling for an end to the war and the genocide. Additionally, the IUMS called for organizing peaceful, civilized demonstrations in major cities and capitals, as well as in front of embassies and international missions, to amplify the Ummah's voice and pressure for an end to the aggression and the lifting of the siege, according to the Palestinian Ma'an News Agency. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Memri
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Qatari Media Figures Praise Washington D.C. Terror Attack On Jewish Event For Young Professionals That Killed Two Israeli Embassy Employees
The May 21, 2025, shooting attack that killed two Israeli Embassy employees outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., was met with a wave of responses on social media, including some by Qatari media figures. This report reviews some of these responses. Journalist For Qatari Government Daily: Imagine, Where Would The Zionists Be If There Were A Few More Like Rodriguez In Arab Countries That Maintain Ties With Israel? Qatari journalist Abdallah Alamadi, a columnist for the Qatar government daily Al-Sharq, called for more attacks targeting Israeli Embassies in Arab countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Israel. On his X account, he shared a photo of the Washington D.C. attacker, Elias Rodriguez, alongside a report on the attack, writing: "Imagine, where would the Zionists be if there emerged an Egyptian Rodriguez, a Jordanian, an Emirati too, a fourth from Bahrain, and a fifth from Morocco?"[1] Columnist For Government Daily Al-Sharq Responds To Terror Attack: The World Hates You Egyptian journalist, film producer, and former Al Jazeera presenter Assaad Taha, who has a column in Qatari government daily Al-Sharq, wrote on his X account hours after the attack: "The world hates you."[2] Al Jazeera Fact Checking Agency Employee: The Attacker Is A Man Who Raised His Voice For Gaza Adnan Alhussein, a journalist and supervisor at the editing team of Al Jazeera's fact-checking Sanad Agency, wrote on his X account: "The leftist writer [who works] for 'The HistoryMakers' organization, Elias Rodriguez, shot dead two employees of the Israeli Embassy in Washington. He waited for the police and told them it was for Gaza, [and yelled:] 'Free Palestine'. This is the curse of Palestinian blood and the blood of Gaza on the world."[3] On his Facebook account, Alhussein shared a photo of the shooter, writing: "From here, a distant land, a man emerged who raised his voice for Gaza. Two employees of the Israeli Embassy in Washington were shot to death. Oh, Mighty Allah, ease things for our people in Palestine and Gaza."[4] Member Of The International Union Of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), Backed And Funded By Qatar, Responds To Attack: 'All Decent Humans, From All Faiths, Stand Against #Gazagenocide' Mohammad Al-Mukhtar Al-Shinqiti, a member of the Internation Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), which is backed and funded by Qatar, who is also a lecturer at Qatar University, shared on his X account the video of the D.C. attacker being apprehended, writing in English: "A young American, #eliasrodriguez, killed 2 employees of the #Israel embassy in DC, chanting #FreePalestine. All decent humans, from all faiths, stand against #GazaGenocide, except Israel's slaves in Washington and Washington's slaves in the Arab world."[5]
Memri
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Memri
UAE Political Analyst: The Qatar-Supported International Union Of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) Should Be Designated A Terrorist Organization – Are The U.S. And Europe Waiting For More Terrorist Attacks Like 9/11?
In response to the Qatar-backed International Union of Muslim Scholars' (IUMS) [1] publication of a fatwa (Islamic religious ruling) calling for waging jihad against Israel, UAE political analyst Salem Al-Ketbi wrote, in an article titled "The International Union of Muslim Scholars: A Platform for Terrorism Disguised as Religion," that the IUMS should be designated a terrorist organization and that decisive steps should be taken against it to protect global security and stability. According to Ketbi, the IUMS explicitly incites terror attacks, calls for financially supporting terrorist organizations, and casts the West as an infidel enemy. Thus, he says, it is a direct security threat to regional and international stability and to the national security of Western countries. Asserting that the IUMS exploits religion and its status as a religious platform to legitimize violence and terrorism, he asked whether the U.S. and Europe would take immediate action against it and similar organizations – before there were more attacks like 9/11 because of the IUMS's inciting and extremist discourse. Salem Al-Ketbi (Source: , October 12, 2023) The following are translated excerpts from Ketbi's article: "Are the U.S. and Europe waiting for new terrorist attacks like the events of September 11 to take decisive steps against the organizations that clearly call for violence and terrorism under the auspices of religion? What obliges me to ask this question is the recent statement from the Committee for Ijtihad and Fatwa at the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) [2] and the ruling issued by the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) – posted... on its official website ( and reposted and confirmed by IUMS chairman Ali Al-Qaradaghi on his personal X account. [It] is a clear example of an incitement discourse calling for violence and terrorism, under religious names, with the aim of recruiting Muslims from all over the world, including those who live in Western countries, to join operations of violence and terrorism. "This statement is part of a long history of similar calls issued by the IUMS, an organization which was founded in 2004 by [Sheikh] Yousuf Al-Qaradawi, the prominent member of the Muslim Brotherhood movement. Despite attempts by the IUMS to present itself as a 'moderate and central' institution, its discourse and its activities reveal its true face as a global and religious arm of terrorist organizations, and specifically of the Muslim Brotherhood organization. "Many experts believe that the IUMS represents a dangerous platform that takes the guise of religion to issue calls of incitement to violence and to terrorism. The most recent statement released by the IUMS ijtihad, the council for religious rulings, includes explicit calls for waging armed jihad. This is a dangerous thing that is reiterated by the IUMS and constitutes a direct call to perpetrate operations of murder and terrorism. "Moreover, the statement calls for monetary jihad, in order to support what it refers to as 'the resistance.' This is in fact a clear call to financially support terrorist organizations in all countries of the world. These kinds of calls constitute a great danger, for they are likely to lead to the financing of terrorist operations in the guise of charitable activities. The IUMS also urges military intervention and the establishment of military alliances based on religious foundations, which will strengthen the idea of religious conflict and fuel the disputes across the globe. These calls are a threat to regional and international stability and thwart the efforts toward peace in which [efforts] have been invested for decades. Even worse, the IUMS urges the Muslim communities in the West to exert pressure on their governments, which generally leads to – as events have proven in the past – the radicalization of some members of these communities and the perpetration of terrorist operations. "These repeated calls for jihad and violence issued by the IUMS make it necessary for it to be designated a terrorist organization, and for decisive steps to be taken against it to protect global security and stability. "Without a doubt, the calls by the IUMS constitute a serious security threat, on several levels. On the level of the individual, they are likely to spur extremists to carry out individual attacks, known as the 'lone wolf' phenomenon. It is difficult for the security apparatuses to anticipate these types of attacks [and to prevent them]... and Europe and the U.S. have already experienced several [such] operations carried out by people influenced by a similar religious extremist discourse... "The IUMS call regarding 'the obligation of monetary jihad' also undoubtedly constitutes an additional threat, for it is likely to lead to fundraising that will be used to support terrorist operations. The danger here lies in the difficulty to follow the small financial transactions from supporters [of terrorist organizations], especially when this is done in the guise of charitable activities and one can use unofficial financial networks and charitable funds as a disguise for funding armed organizations. "The danger of the calls by the IUMS is not limited only to direct security threats – it has serious implications for societies in the West. The discourse of unity strengthens the perception of 'us against them' and presents the West as an infidel enemy. This is despite the fact that many [Muslim] extremists have emigrated to the West and to the U.S. to live, and enjoy the social assistance and the freedom of religion [there] and [also] establish organizations to exert political pressure on the countries that host them. The terrorist incidents in the West and in the U.S. prove this. "In light of the preceding, it has become clear that there are weighty reasons to designate the IUMS a terrorist organization. The organization explicitly calls for armed jihad, in a manner which contradicts the laws pertaining to fighting terrorism in most of the countries of the world. It also exploits [its] religious platform to justify violence and to grant it legitimacy. "Therefore, it is clear as day that the UIMS is a direct threat to the national security of Western countries, because it incites the Muslims who live in them and threatens the stability of Western societies by sowing the seeds of terrorism and extremism. "Thus, are the U.S. and Europe waiting for new terrorist attacks, such as the events of September 11, before taking decisive steps against these organizations? Or will they act now to deal with this threat before it is too late? The answer to this question will determine the future of peace and security in the coming years." [3] [1] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 11903, Fatwa By International Union Of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), Based In And Funded By Qatar, Declares 'Armed Jihad' Against Israel Obligatory For All Muslims, Calls To Urgently Form 'Islamic Military Alliance' Against Israel, March 31, 2025. In response to the fatwa, on April 7, 2025, Dar Al-Ifta, Egypt's official fatwa-issuing body, published a statement harshly attacking the IUMS fatwa and declaring that it contradicts shari'a law. See MEMRI Special Dispatch No.11918, Egypt's Official Fatwa-Issuing Body In Attack On Calls For Jihad Against Israel By Qatar-Affiliated International Union Of Muslim Scholars (IUMS): These Calls Are Irresponsible And A Violation Of Shari'a Law, April 9, 2025. It is notable that the IUMS is an arm of the Qatari regime that disseminates anti-Western extremist Islamic terrorist ideology, and is based in and funded by Qatar. The IUMS routinely disseminates extremist ideology and a discourse of hatred, incitement to jihad and terrorism and antisemitism, in a manner which corresponds to Qatar's decades-long support for various terrorist organizations across the world. The IUMS was founded in 2004 by Egyptian-born sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradawi, an important Muslim Brotherhood ideologue known for his extremist pro-jihad and terrorism positions, and even in support of suicide attacks, as well as for his extremist positions regarding the West and the aspiration that Islam will control Europe. As a result of these positions, Al-Qaradawi became a controversial figure in the Islamic world and appears on designated terrorist lists in several Arab countries, and is banned from entering a number of Western countries. Those who have followed in his footsteps in the IUMS, such as Ahmad Al-Raissouni who was the group's chairman until 2022, and Ali Al-Qaradaghi who has been chairman since 2024, have held similar positions in favor of jihad and terrorism. [2] The word ijtihad means a religious ruling made by an expert in Islamic religious law based on the sources of this law in cases where the ruling regarding an issue is unclear. [3] April 8, 2025.
Memri
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Egypt's Official Fatwa-Issuing Body In Attack On Calls For Jihad Against Israel By Qatar-Affiliated International Union Of Muslim Scholars (IUMS): These Calls Are Irresponsible And A Violation Of Shari'a Law
On March 31, 2025, the Qatar-based and funded International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) – an arm of the Qatari regime that disseminates anti-West extremist Islamic terrorist ideology – issued a fatwa (religious ruling) calling on all Muslims and all Islamic countries to wage jihad against Israel, and presenting this as an duty incumbent on every Muslim. [1] In response to the fatwa, on April 7, 2025, Dar Al-Ifta, Egypt's official fatwa-issuing body, published a statement harshly attacking the IUMS fatwa and declaring that it contradicts shari'a law. No element or organization, it said in the statement, is entitled to issue religious rulings on a sensitive matter such as jihad in a manner contradicting Islamic shari'a law and endangering the stability of the Muslim countries and societies. It added that it is only the ruler and the country that may make decisions about war – not any entity or association lacking legitimate authority, and went on to assert: "A call to wage jihad, without taking into account the capabilities of the ummah [Islamic nation] and its existing political, military, and economic situation, is an irresponsible call, which contradicts the principles of shari'a." Dar Al-Ifta further stressed in the statement that Islamic shari'a law warns against hasty decisions that do not take the public interest into consideration and are likely to increase the damage that will be done to the Muslim ummah (nation) and to society. It also said: "Whoever calls for waging jihad must, first and foremost, stand himself at the head of the ranks, just as the Prophet Muhammad led the battles." It is notable that several days before the Dar Al-Ifta issued this statement, the Egyptian Salafi sheikh Yasser Borhamy spoke out against the IUMS fatwa. His move was viewed as corresponding to the position of the Egyptian regime. [2] It may be that the tension between the IUMS and Dar Al-Ifta – religious institutions representing Qatar and Egypt respectively – reflects the tensions between the two countries, which have increased following the current "Qatargate" scandal in Israel and the allegations that Qatar had paid advisers to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to provide negative messages about Egypt to journalists, which would also lessen the latter's role as an honest broker between Israel and Hamas. These tensions were apparent in criticism of Qatar by Egyptian politicians and journalists, and accusations that it was scheming against Egypt. [3] Emblem of the Egyptian Dar Al-Ifta (Source: The following is a translation of Dar Al-Ifta's statement in response to the IUMS fatwa calling for jihad against Israel: "In the name of Allah the Compassionate and the Merciful "The Egyptian Dar Al-Ifta studied the calls published recently announcing that it is the duty of every Muslim to wage armed jihad against the Israeli occupation, and demanded of the Islamic countries that they intervene militarily immediately to impose a counter siege [on Israel]. "In the framework of our shari'a responsibility and based on the rules of Muslim jurisprudence and the foundations of the Islamic shari'a, Dar Al-Ifta declares the following: "1. Jihad is an explicit shari'a concept that has clear and specific conditions, foundations, and goals from a standpoint of religious law. [No] particular element or organization has the right to initiate a religious ruling regarding such delicate and sensitive issues, in a manner which contradicts the rules of shari'a and its noble intentions or in a way which endangers the security of the societies and the stability of the Islamic countries. "2. The Egyptian Dar Al-Ifta asserts that support of the Palestinian people and its legitimate rights is a shari'a, humanitarian, and moral obligation, but on the condition that the support will be in the framework of the interests of the Palestinian people and not in service of certain agendas or escapades whose consequences have not been taken into account and which will bring upon the Palestinians themselves more destruction, displacement, and disasters. "3. One of the most prominent rules of the Islamic shari'a is that the declaration of jihad and the decision to wage war and fight are made only under a flag, and in our times, this is implemented [only] by a legitimate country and the political leadership, and not by means of statements that are issued by entities or associations which lack any legitimate authority and that do not represent the Muslims in theory or in practice. All incitement [urging] individuals to take action that opposes their countries and to come out against decisions made by the ruler are deemed a call to chaos, to unrest, and to degeneracy on earth, and this is forbidden by Allah and the Prophet [Muhammad]. "4. A call to wage jihad, without taking into consideration the capabilities of the ummah and its current political, military, and economic situation, is an irresponsible call which contradicts the principles of shari'a which instruct us to take measures and to take the outcomes into account. The Islamic shari'a encourages us to evaluate the benefits and damage, and warns against hasty decisions that don't consider the public interest and are even likely to multiply the damage that will be caused to the ummah and to society. "5. One of the laws of Islam is that whoever calls for jihad must, first and foremost, stand himself at the head of the ranks, just as the Prophet Muhammad led the battles, [4] instead of sparking feelings and arousing emotions and leaving it to others to deal with the consequences. "6. It would be wise and correspond to the aims of shari'a, if the efforts of the Islamic ummah were directed to serious work to stop the escalation and prevent the uprooting [of the Palestinians], rather than to ill-considered escapades that will deepen the crisis and worsen the tragedy of the Palestinians. "Based on the above, the Egyptian Dar Al-Ifta stresses the necessity to gird oneself with knowledge of religious law, with wisdom and with insight and not to be influenced by grandiose slogans bereft of all logic or connection to reality..." [5] [1] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 11903, Fatwa By International Union Of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), Based In And Funded By Qatar, Declares 'Armed Jihad' Against Israel Obligatory For All Muslims, Calls To Urgently Form 'Islamic Military Alliance' Against Israel, March 31, 2025. The International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) routinely disseminates extremist ideology and a discourse of hatred, incitement to jihad and terrorism and antisemitism, in a manner which corresponds to Qatar's support, for decades, of various terrorist organizations across the world. The IUMS was founded in 2004 by Egyptian-born sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradawi, an important Muslim Brotherhood (MB) ideologue known for his extremist positions in favor of jihad and terrorism and even in support of suicide attacks, as well as for his extremist positions regarding the West and the aspiration that Islam will control Europe. As a result of these positions, Al-Qaradawi became a controversial figure in the Islamic world and appears on designated terrorist lists in several Arab countries while he is forbidden to enter a number of Western countries. Those who have followed in his footsteps in the IUMS, such as Ahmad Al-Raissouni who was the group's chairman until 2022, and Ali Al-Qaradaghi who has been chairman since 2024, have held similar positions in favor of jihad and terrorism. [2] April 5, 2024; April 6, 2025; and Al-Arab (London), April 6, 2025. [4] The Arabic term ghazwa is used to refer to raids and battles led by the Prophet Muhammad in the early days of Islam. [5] April 7, 2025.
Middle East Eye
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Egypt's grand mufti rejects fatwa for jihad against Israel as 'irresponsible'
Egypt's Grand Mufti Nazir Ayyad on Monday said it was "irresp0nsible" for the International Union Of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) to issue a fatwa that said all "able Muslims" are under an obligation to wage "jihad" against Israel due to its atrocities in Gaza. The IUMS said all Muslim countries are under a legal duty "to intervene immediately militarily, economically and politically to stop this genocide and comprehensive destruction" and to impose a siege on Israel. 'The failure of the Arab and Islamic governments to support Gaza while it is being destroyed is considered by Islamic law to be a major crime against our oppressed brothers in Gaza,' its secretary general, Ali al-Qaradaghi, said in a decree issued on Friday. In response, Ayyad, who is the highest authority for issuing religious opinions in Egypt, rejected the fatwa, saying that "no individual group or entity has the right to issue fatwas on such delicate and critical matters in violation of Sharia principles and its higher objectives". "Such actions may endanger the security of societies and the stability of Muslim states," he added. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters "Supporting the Palestinian people in their legitimate rights is a religious, humanitarian and moral duty. However, this support must be provided in a way that truly serves the interests of the Palestinian people, and not to advance specific agendas or reckless ventures that could lead to further destruction, displacement, and disaster for the Palestinians themselves." Ayyad said that the declaration of jihad in Islam must be made by a "legitimate authority". "In our current era, this authority is embodied in the recognised state and political leadership, not in statements issued by entities or unions that lack legal authority and do not represent Muslims either religiously or in practice," he said. 'Calling for jihad without regard to the nation's capabilities and its political, military and economic reality is an irresponsible act that contradicts Sharia principles' - Nazir Ayyad, Egypt's grand mufti "Calling for jihad without regard to the nation's capabilities and its political, military and economic reality is an irresponsible act that contradicts Sharia principles, which call for preparedness, prudence, and consideration of consequences." Instead of calling for military intervention and jihad, it is wise of Muslim nations to attempt to deescalate instead, Ayyad added. Qaradaghi is one of the region's most respected religious authorities and his decrees carry significant weight among the world's 1.7 billion Sunnis. A "fatwa" is a non-binding Islamic legal ruling from a respected religious scholar, usually based on the Quran or the Sunnah - the sayings and practices of the Prophet Muhammad. His statement, which was also backed by 14 other prominent Muslim scholars, called on all Islamic countries to 'review their peace treaties' with Israel and for Muslims in the United States to pressure President Donald Trump to 'fulfill his election promises to stop the aggression and establish peace'. Israel has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians since its war on Gaza began in October 2023. It has laid waste to the Palestinian enclave, displaced most of its inhabitants and in recent weeks enforced a siege that has blocked all food and medical aid from entering. A case brought by South Africa at the International Court of Justice has accused Israel of waging genocide. The International Criminal Court has also issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant. More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel in Gaza since October 2023.
