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February 18, 2011 Special Dispatch No. 3600

Sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi in Friday Sermon at Cairo's Tahrir Square: Pray for the Conquest of Al-Aqsa

February 18, 2011
Special Dispatch No. 3600

Today in Cairo's Al-Tahrir Square, prominent Sunni cleric and International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) head Sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi led Friday prayers.

Sheikh Al-Qaradhawi has not been allowed to lead Friday prayers in Egypt for the past 31 years;[1]he last delivered a Friday prayer sermon in Egypt in 1981 following the assassination of President Anwar Al-Sadat.[2]

The following is a report on the sermon, compiled by MEMRI; following that are links to MEMRI's extensive research on Sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi.

Al-Qaradhawi: Revolution Against "Tyrannical Pharaoh" Belongs To All Egyptians

During a massive gathering at Cairo's Tahrir Square, where crowds were estimated at one million, Friday prayers were led by International Union of Muslim Scholars head Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradhawi.

In his sermon, he expressed his esteem for Egypt's youth for their accomplishments in the revolution against "the tyrannical pharaoh" Hosni Mubarak, and said that the revolution belongs to all Egyptians, both Muslim and Christian.

Youth Must Not Let Revolution Be Snatched From Their Hands

Al-Qaradhawi called on the young people to contribute to the building of the country, to preserve their unity, and to prevent the revolution from being snatched from their hands. He praised the army's announcement of support for democracy, elections, and the establishment of a committee for changing the constitution.

He asked the army to disband the new government and to free the political prisoners, and promised that the Egyptian military would not be less patriotic than the Tunisian military.

Arab Leaders Must Listen To Will of the People

Addressing the Arab leaders, he called for them to regard the will of the people, because no one can change the wheels of history.

Pray For Conquest of Jerusalem; I Want To Give Friday Prayer Sermon At Al-Aqsa

In a special mention of the Palestinian issue, Al-Qaradhawi asked the Egyptian army to open wide the Rafah crossing and to pray for the re-conquest of Jerusalem by the Muslims, so that he and the Muslims could pray in security at Al-Aqsa Mosque. This part of his sermon was cheered and applauded by the crowd.[3]

He also said that he wants to give the Friday prayer sermon at Al-Aqsa mosque.[4]

APPENDIX I: MEMRI TV Research on Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi

Al-Qaradhawi Compilation Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWppx61BJUw&feature=youtu.be&a

Al-Qaradhawi Compilation Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuAlVMZcsUU&feature=channel

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2793 – "Egypt Uprising: Leading Sunni Scholar Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi Calls Upon All Young People of Egypt to Join the Revolt"
Qatar TV - February 4, 2011

http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2793

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2774 – "Leading Sunni Scholar Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi: People Must Take Action to Confront the Corrupt Arab Rulers "
Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar) - January 20, 2011

http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2774

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2764 – "Tunisian Uprising: Islamic Scholar Abd Al-Fattah Idris Responds to Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi: The Tunisian Who Committed Suicide Was Acting Out of Free Will"
Al-Hayat 2 TV (Egypt) - January 18, 2011

http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2764

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2761 – " Tunisian Uprising: Leading Sunni Scholar Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi Says to Ousted President Ben Ali: 'You Idiot! It Took Four Weeks and Hundreds of Casualties for You to Get It?!'"
Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar) - January 16, 2011

http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2761

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2757 – British Salafi Abu Waleed: Aafia Siddiqui Will Be Released over the Dead Body of Barack Obama"
The Internet - 2010

http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2757

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2745 – "Leading Sunni Scholar Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi: It Is Prohibited for a Muslim to Vote for the Secession of South Sudan"
Qatar TV - December 31, 2010

http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2745

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2731 – "Leading Sunni Scholar Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi Supports Suicide Bombings in Palestine and Declares: 'I Am Against the Peace Process'
Al-Hayat 2 TV (Egypt) - December 17, 2010

http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2731

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2712 – "Sunni Scholar Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi on FIFA's Selection of Qatar to Host 2022 World Cup: 'America Wants to Have a Monopoly on Everything'"
Qatar TV - December 3, 2010 -

http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2712

MEMRI TV Clip No.2670 – "Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi Joins Crowds in Jihad Chants at Rally in Mauritania"
The Internet - October, 2010

http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2670

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2514 – "Egyptian Expert on Islamic Law Malika Zarrar Blasts Fatwas Permitting 'Shameful' Sexual Practices"
Al-Faraeen TV (Egypt) - April 16, 2010

http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2514

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2482 – "Top Sunni Scholar Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi: What Was Taken By the Sword Will Not Be Restored by the Pen"
Qatar TV - May 14, 2010

http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2482

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2451 – "New Sheik of Al-Azhar Warns against Shiitization of Sunni Societies and States: A Copt Cannot Become the Leader of Egypt"
Al-Arabiya TV (Dubai/Saudi Arabia), BBC Arabic (The UK) - April 2-5, 2010

http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2451

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2394 – "Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi Reiterates His Support of Suicide Bombings and States: Women and Copts Are Allowed to Run for President in Egypt"
BBC Arabic (The UK) - February 8, 2010

http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2394

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2350 – "Sheik Al-Qaradawi Suggests that Mahmoud Abbas Should Be Stoned to Death and Is Rebuked by PA Minister of Religious Endowments"
Palestinian Authority TV -January 7, 2010
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2350

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2325 – "Islamic Scholar Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradawi: US Responsible for Attempted Airplane Bombing; Egypt-Gaza Border Is 'Artificial'"
Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar) - January 1-3, 2010
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2325

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2300 – "Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradawi: Celebrating Christmas in Muslim Countries Is Prohibited; Obama Does Not Deserve the Nobel Peace Prize"
Qatar TV - December 11, 2009
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2300

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2290 – "Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradawi Threatens a Boycott on Switzerland if 'We Despair of Other Measures'"
Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar) - December 7, 2009
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/0/2290

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2267 – "Sunni Scholar Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradawi Explains His Objection to Muslim-Christian Interfaith Dialogue,"
Qatar TV - October 30, 2009
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/0/0/0/0/0/2267

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2138 – "Sunni Scholar Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradawi Protests: Obama Drew a Parallel between the Koran and the Bible"
Qatar TV - June 5, 2009
http://www.memritv.org/clip_transcript/en/2138.htm

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2103 – "Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradawi Criticizes Jordan for Hosting the Pope: He Should First Apologize for Affronting Islam and the Prophet Muhammad,"
Qatar TV - May 8, 2009
http://www.memritv.org/clip_transcript/en/2103.htm

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2057 – "Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradawi: The Arabs Should Obtain Nuclear Weapons for Deterrence"
Qatar TV - February 20, 2009
http://www.memritv.org/clip_transcript/en/2057.htm

MEMRI TV Clip No. 2005 – "Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradawi: Allah Imposed Hitler upon the Jews to Punish Them - 'Allah Willing, the Next Time Will Be at the Hand of the Believers'"
Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar) - January 28-30
http://www.memritv.org/clip_transcript/en/2005.htm

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1979 – "Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradawi Incites against Jews, Arab Regimes, and the U.S., and Calls on Muslims to Boycott Starbucks, Marks and Spencer"
Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar) - January 9, 2009
http://www.memritv.org/clip_transcript/en/1979.htm

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1922 – "British Islamist Kamal Al-Hilbawi and Liberal Nabil Yassin Debate Whether Israeli Children Constitute Legitimate Military Targets"
BBC Arabic (U.K.) - November 24, 2008
http://www.memritv.org/clip_transcript/en/1922.htm

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1864 – "Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradawi: Muslim Nation Plagued by Tragedies, Like the Rule of the Cowardly Jews"
Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar) - September 29, 2008
http://www.memritv.org/clip_transcript/en/1864.htm

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1783 – "Arab-American Psychiatrist Wafa Sultan Blasts Islam, the Prophet Muhammad and Sheik Al-Qaradawi, and States: When You Criticize Their Prophet, It Is As If You Chopped Off Muslims' Noses"
Al-Hayat TV (Cyprus) - June 02, 2008
http://www.memritv.org/clip_transcript/en/1783.htm

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1718 – "Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradawi Accuses Arab-American Psychiatrist Wafa Sultan of Cursing Allah on Al-Jazeera TV"
Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar) - March 16, 2008
http://www.memritv.org/clip_transcript/en/1718.htm

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1691- "Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradawi, Recently Barred from the U.K., Reiterates His Position on Suicide Bombings and Declares: Jews Are Not the Offspring of Apes and Pigs"
Al-Hiwar TV (UK) – February 15, 2008; Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar) - February 18, 2008
http://www.memritv.org/clip_transcript/en/1691.htm

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1592 – "Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi: Islam's 'Conquest of Rome' Will Save Europe from Its Subjugation to Materialism and Promiscuity"
Qatar TV - July 28, 2007
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/1592

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1515 – "Hamas Leader Khaled Mash'al Praises Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi for His Support of Suicide Operations, and Says Holocaust Was Exaggerated and Is Used to Extort Germany; Zionist Holocaust Against Arabs Much Worse"
Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar) - July 16, 2007
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/1515

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1429 – "Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi: 'Virginia Tech Massacre Reflects American Philosophy of Violence; The Americans Kept Quiet About It - Since Shooter Was Not a Muslim'"
Qatar TV - April 20, 2007
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/1429

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1366 – "Sheikh Yousef Al-Qarahawi Calls Upon Iraqi Kurds to Join Sunni Fight against Shiites After Mediation Fails"
Qatar TV - January 21, 2007 - 00:02:25,
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/1366

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1354 – "Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi Eulogizes Saddam Hussein, Declares: In Recent Years, Saddam Was a Changed Man, Did Charitable Work, and Helped People Build Mosques"
Qatar TV - January 5, 2007
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/1354

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1324 – "Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi: If the Shi'ite Doctrine Is Preached in Egypt, There Will Be Civil Strife and Endless Massacres"
Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar) - August 31, 2006
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/1324

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1308 – "Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi on the Risks of Female Masturbation"
Qatar TV - October 28, 2006
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/1308

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1249 – "Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi: The Jews of Today Bear Responsibility for Their Forefathers' Crime against Jesus"
Qatar TV - August 26, 2006
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/1249

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1170 – "Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi: Homosexuals Should Be Punished Like Fornicators But Their Harm Is Less When Not Done in Public"
Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar) - June 5, 2006
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/1170

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1115 – "Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi Criticizes Fatah and Calls to Donate Money to the Hamas Government"
Qatar TV - April 21, 2006
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/1115

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1074 – "Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi's Conditions for Muslim Men Who Want to Marry Christian and Jewish Women in the West"
Qatar TV - March 12, 2006
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/1074

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1052 – "Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi: Our War with the Jews Is in the Name of Islam"
Qatar TV - February 25, 2006
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/1052

MEMRI TV Clip No. 1026 – "Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi Responds to Prophet Muhammad Cartoons: Whoever Is Angered and Does Not Rage in Anger Is a Jackass; We Are Not a Nation of Jackasses"
Qatar TV - February 3, 2006
http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/1026

APPENDIX II: MEMRI Special Dispatches, Special Reports, and Inquiry & Analysis Reports

Special Dispatch – No. 2709, December 21, 2009
Sheikh Al-Qaradawi on Christmas Celebrations in Muslim Countries: 'I Wanted To Warn My People That This Is Prohibited, Shameful, And Inappropriate… Ignorance Of What Islam Obliges Us To Do...;' '[Can] Muslims in Europe and America... Celebrate Ramadan... in the City Centers[?]'
Sheikh Al-Qaradhawi on Christmas Celebrations in Muslim Countries: 'I Wanted To Warn My People That This Is Prohibited, Shameful, And Inappropriate... Ignorance Of What Islam Obliges Us To Do...;' '[Can] Muslims in Europe and America... Celebrate Ramadan... in the City Centers[?]'

Special Dispatch – No. 2689, December 11, 2009
Sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradawi on Al-Jazeera Threatens a Boycott on Switzerland If 'We Despair of Other Measures'
Sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi on Al-Jazeera Threatens a Boycott on Switzerland If 'We Despair of Other Measures'

Special Dispatch – No. 2662, November 19, 2009
Sheikh Al-Qaradawi Explains His Objections to Muslim-Christian Interfaith Dialogue
Sheikh Al-Qaradhawi Explains His Objections to Muslim-Christian Interfaith Dialogue

Special Dispatch – No. 2554, September 22, 2009
Fatwa by Sheikh Al-Qaradawi: Iraqis Must Not Become U.S. Citizens
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP255409

Special Dispatch – No. 2401, June 14, 2009
In Friday Sermon, Sheikh Al-Qaradawi Responds to Obama's Cairo Speech
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP240109

Special Dispatch – No. 2365, May 20, 2009
Al-Qaradawi, Al-Sudayyis, Other Prominent Arab Islamic Scholars: Kashmiri Movement Is Jihad
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=subjects&Area=jihad&ID=SP236509

Special Dispatch - No. 2298, March 26, 2009
"Sheikh Al-Qaradawi Sermon on Qatar TV: The Arabs Must Obtain, But Not Use, Weapons of Mass Destruction- Nuclear, Chemical, And Biological - 'In Order to Strike Terror In The Hearts of Our Enemies'"
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=subjects&Area=jihad&ID=SP229809

Special Dispatch - No. 2224, February 3, 2009
"Sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradawi: Allah Imposed Hitler On the Jews to Punish Them – 'Allah Willing, the Next Time Will Be at the Hand of the Believers'"
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=subjects&Area=antisemitism&ID=SP222409

Special Dispatch - No. 1876, March 20, 2008
"Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi Accuses Arab-American Psychiatrist Wafa Sultan of 'Cursing Allah' on Al-Jazeera TV"
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=subjects&Area=jihad&ID=SP187608

Special Dispatch Series No. 1876, March 20, 2008
"Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi Accuses Arab-American Psychiatrist Wafa Sultan of 'Cursing Allah' on Al-Jazeera TV,"
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP187608.

Special Dispatch No. 1824, January 24, 2008
"Egyptian Businessman Yasser Salem Followed Al-Qaradawi Fatwa, Sponsored Algerians to Go Fight Coalition Forces in Iraq,"
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP182408.

Special Dispatch No. 1672, August 2, 2007
"Hamas Leader Khaled Mash'al Praises Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi for His Support of Suicide Operations, States: Holocaust Exaggerated, Being Used to Extort Germany, and Zionist Holocaust Against Arabs Much Worse,"
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP167207.

Special Dispatch No. 1427, January 17, 2007
"Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi Eulogizes Saddam Hussein in Friday Sermon on Qatar TV,"
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP142707.

Inquiry & Analysis No. 311, December 27, 2006
"Debate over the Status of Shi'ites in Egypt,"
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=ia&ID=IA31106.

Inquiry & Analysis No. 291 - "Pleasure Marriages in Sunni and Shi'ite Islam," August 31, 2006,
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=ia&ID=IA29106.

Inquiry & Analysis No. 277 - "Arab Media Reactions to Iran's Nuclear Project," May 23, 2006,
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=ia&ID=IA27706.

Special Dispatch No. 1146 , April 25, 2006
"Poetry of Resistance at Damascus Rally Calls Bush Accursed Satan; Hamas Leader Mash'al Attacks Abu Mazen & Praises Sheikh Al-Qaradawi; PA FM Al-Zahhar Calls for Right of Return to Jerusalem, Haifa, Jaffa, & Everywhere,"
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP114606.

Special Dispatch No. 1102, February 28, 2006
"Leading Islamist Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi: We Are Fighting in the Name of Islam… This Jihad is an Individual Duty of the Entire Muslim Nation… They Fight Us With the Torah… We Should Fight Them With the Koran,"
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP110206.

Special Dispatch No. 1089, February 9, 2006
"Sheikh Al-Qaradawi Responds to Cartoons of Prophet Muhammad: Whoever is Angered and Does Not Rage in Anger is a Jackass - We are Not a Nation of Jackasses,"
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP108906

[1] Ikhwanweb.com, February 17, 2011

[2] Alarabiya.net, February 17, 2011

[3] Al-Jazeera TV, Qatar, February 18, 2011. Images courtesy YouTube.

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