It is undoubtedly the case that the revolutions of 2011, popularly known as the “Arab Spring” did much to upset prevailing paradigms used to understand events in the region, particularly the relationship between Religious and Political Authorities and democracy. In that context, it is the striking rise of Qatar’s geo-political influence, along with the added attention now being paid to the power of Arabic media that has naturally led many scholars and analysts to look to the role of al-Jazeera, along with the iconic figure of Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaradawi. As the Arab uprisings gathered pace in 2011, al-Qaradawi’s popularity rose even further on the basis of his perceived independence and support for democracy, while other figures of similar stature appeared to be constrained by their complex relationships to the varying regimes throughout the region. However, it was the case of Bahrain, and later Syria, that al-Qaradawi’s portrayal of the uprisings there as sectarian led many to question his apparent neutrality and commitment to democracy, put further in doubt for some by his unflinching support for the Muslim Brotherhood during their time in government.
This case demonstrates that the picture is far more complicated, and the paper will explore the relationship between Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Qatar's foreign policy and the Muslim Brotherhood by outlining the networks of special interests that impact upon the Shaykh, along with the most notable of his fatwas issued between 2011-2013 including his call for the killing of Muammar al-Gaddafi, the declaration of Jihad in Syria, and the affirmation that it was the duty of all Egyptians to support the recently deposed Egyptian President, Muhammad Mursi.
International Relations/Affairs