"When I spoke about Shi'i fanatics I did not mean Iran" - Yusuf al-Qardawi

Muslim Brotherhood website Ikhwanonline, on 17 July 2008, carries a 4,000-word interview with leading Muslim Cleric Dr Yusuf al-Qardawi by Islam Tawfiq entitled: "Dr al-Qardawi in a special interview with Ikhwanonline."

Asked to comment on the charges made against some Islamic movements operating in the political field that they give priority to the political and media aspects over the Da'wa (call to Islam) aspect, al-Qardawi said: "No-one can deny that some movements which call themselves Islamic are doing this because they are unaware of the real facts of Islam and the need for political work to proceed alongside the Da'wa work," adding: "some movements should admit that they exaggerate political work at the expense of the Da'wa at a time when people should be balanced, sponsoring a middle-of-the-road approach based on moderation and aversion of the extreme right and the extreme left."

Asked how he views the Hamas movement, he said that Hamas is basically a resistance movement and that when it decided to enter the realm of politics, not everyone agreed.

He noted: "There is no doubt that Hamas has been negatively affected when it decided to become involved in political work, because when it entered the world of power and politics, it had to face problems which have not been resolved as yet, particularly that it has many foes and enemies lying in wait for it at home and abroad," adding: "these enemies are hunting for Hamas's mistakes and are fabricating problems for it."

Al-Qardawi explained: "Some people with good judgment were of the view that Hamas should not have entered the realm of power or politics and that it should have restricted its activities to resistance, freeing itself from the ploys of politics," adding: "Nonetheless, Hamas was compelled to enter the realm of politics, because if it did not do so, it would have been devoured."

He went on to say: "Hamas was compelled to embark on political action to defend itself, even after it ran for elections in which the Palestinian people gave the majority vote to Hamas," adding: "However, once again, there were views that Hamas should not have entered politics and should have stayed in the opposition, because under such circumstances, power means endless difficulties."

Al-Qardawi declared: "I must say that Hamas was compelled to fight the battle and run into politics, and it is our duty to implore God to help the Hamas people."

Asked what should be done to support the Palestinians, al-Qardawi said: "Arab governments should adopt political and diplomatic stands that are supportive of the Palestinian people in general and the Gaza residents in particular and should pressure the Americans, the Zionists and their allies to restore the rights of the Palestinians."

He added: "Aid, barred by the banks, given by the various countries should be allowed to reach the Palestinians, and the Arab governments should make a firm stand against any measure harmful to the security of the Palestinians, stress the point that the Palestinians are entitled to live a good and secure life in their own country and that they should receive their dues."

He went on to say: "The Arab peoples should pressure their rulers and send aid, rather than donations, because the word 'donation' implies charity, and this is not the case among the citizens of the one nation," adding: "the Arab peoples should also boycott the enemies of the Palestinian and Islamic issues, including the Zionists and Americans, and should not buy their goods."

Asked to comment on a statement that he has made once criticizing "the Shi'i fanatics" because of their negative influence on the Islamic nation and the fact that his statement was viewed as approval of a US military strike against Iran, al-Qardawi said: "When I spoke about the Shi'i fanatics, I did not mean Iran, because I do not view Iran as a sponsor of this fanaticism," adding: "the reports about a US military strike against Iran has nothing to do with religion, but would be the outcome of a clear political difference, and as Sunni clerics, we oppose this strike, and we support all Islamic countries, particularly since Iran is seeking to generate nuclear energy for use in peaceful purposes, and it has a natural right to do so."

Al-Qardawi said: "If the United States launches a military strike against Iran, we are certainly against such a strike."

He went on to say: "Nonetheless, we oppose the spread of Shi'ism in Sunni areas as well as the dissemination of the Shi'i thought and doctrine in Sunni land, and we have declared openly that we are against it," adding: "During my visit to Iran 10 years ago, I cautioned them against this and asked them what would be their gain if 100 or 200 Sunnis convert into Shi'is, knowing in advance that people will hate and condemn them."

He said that he is afraid that billions are being spent in bids to convert Sunnis, who are not immunized against Shi'i thought, into Shi'ism.

Al-Qardawi pointed out that this trend would lead us to sedition and conflict at a time when we do not want to "undermine the unity of the nation."

He added that some people are saying that the Shi'is love the Prophet Muhammad's household more than the Sunnis, "overlooking the fact that the Sunnis also love the Prophet Muhammad's Household," adding: "The main ideological difference between the Sunnis and the Shi'is is that the Shi'is have 12 infallible Imams while the Sunnis do not believe in he concept of infallibility."

He explained that another difference between the Sunnis and the Shi'is is that the Sunnis respect and revere the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad while the Shi'is despise and slander them. He added that the Sunnis also do not believe in the "anticipated Mahdi" while the Shi'is strongly believe that he will be coming down to earth.

Asked to comment on the US presidential elections, al-Qardawi said that the Arabs and Muslims have suffered a great deal at the hands of the incumbent Republican administration of President George W. Bush, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and all-out support for Israel.

"As for Obama, he is a coloured man of an African stock, and the weaker segments of society believe that he fully represents these segments, in addition to the fact that his father is a Muslim, and this would enhance Muslim sympathy with him," adding: "We expect Obama to be better than Bush, and I believe that anyone after Bush will be better than him and his party."

Source: Ikhwanonline website, Cairo, in Arabic 17 Jul 08