Mrcapone
30-01-2011, 12:08
DOHA: Eminent cleric and head of World Muslim Scholars’ Union, Dr Yusuf Al Qaradawi, has called on the people of Egypt to continue with the uprising and oust President Hosni Mubarak.
“Do not rest until you have achieved your end,” he exhorted Egyptians while speaking to Al Jazeera Arabic channel here yesterday.
“They went in peaceful protest,” he said of the Egyptian people, adding that they had been suffering hunger, corruption and unemployment for long.
The cleric had a piece of good counsel for Mubarak as well and said: “He must step down before the uprising intensifies and people catch him and put him on trial.”
“His regime must learn a lesson from the happenings in Tunisia. I advise Mubarak to leave Egypt. Having been in the saddle for 30 years is enough.”
About Mubarak’s speech and the ‘cosmetic’ reshuffle he announced in his regime, Al Qaradawi said that he was expecting the Egyptian leader to actually announce his resignation.
He described Mubarak’s regime as "blind, deaf and stupid" and said he heartily hailed the Egyptian people for rising in protest after suffering poverty, hunger and unemployment for so long.
Talking about incidents of looting reported from Egypt during the protests, he said these were the people who were forced to resort to such acts due to protracted deprivation and hunger.
“Stealing is haram (forbidden in Islam),” he, though, cautioned those among the protesters who indulged in pillaging and stealing public property.
The scholar, who has massive following in Egypt, also had a word of advice for the Egyptian army and said the situation being critical, they must ensure a smooth transition to civilian rule.
Al Qaradawi instantly struck a cord with the common Egyptian expatriate in Qatar.
The community was largely fearful and tight-lipped until Friday but many began speaking openly against Mubarak’s regime after watching the protests intensify back home leading to as many as 73 deaths.
Egyptians here largely feel that the ‘cosmetic’ changes made by the president in his government wouldn’t help him survive the crisis he faces in the form of growing public protests.
“We expect him to go, but it seems so difficult to be happening,” said an Egyptian expatriate weary of Mubarak’s 30-year rule.
Omer Suleman, the former intelligence chief who was named Vice-President by Mubarak, is hated by the people, some Egyptian expatriates this newspaper spoke to here yesterday said.
The move is actually seen by the people as the president trying to hold on to power by shuffling his ‘stooges’ within his regime.
Although the new prime minister, Ahmed Shafiq, has a good image since he was not in direct contact with people having been aviation minister, his nomination is unlikely to calm down the protesters.
“We want a complete overhaul of the government. We don’t want any vestiges of Mubarak in the new dispensation,” said an Egyptian not wanting his name in print.
Most of the protesters, according to Egyptians here, are young and unemployed graduates.
Joblessness is among the major woes facing the Egyptian youth.
The economic situation is made worse by the rising prices and the privatisation of public enterprises and corruption in high places which have almost annihilated the middle class and widened the gap between the rich and poor.
Qatar Airways, meanwhile, said their flights to Cairo were operating on schedule.
“But we are in constant touch with our Cairo office,” said a source from the airline.
Egypt Air said its flight to Cairo yesterday was delayed by an hour. “But our services on the sector are not disrupted at all,” said an official from the airline.
Exchange houses said remittances on the Doha-Egypt sector fell yesterday and added that they expected to decline further since all the banks in Egypt will remain closed today.
“We have been facing problems for the past few days in sending money home,” said an Egyptian whose family is based in Alexandria.
Mobile phone connections and the Internet remained largely disrupted yesterday as well and the only way some Egyptians here could contact their near and dear ones back home was through landlines.
“I got connected to my family after trying for long,” said another expatriate. THE PENINSULA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Do not rest until you have achieved your end,” he exhorted Egyptians while speaking to Al Jazeera Arabic channel here yesterday.
“They went in peaceful protest,” he said of the Egyptian people, adding that they had been suffering hunger, corruption and unemployment for long.
The cleric had a piece of good counsel for Mubarak as well and said: “He must step down before the uprising intensifies and people catch him and put him on trial.”
“His regime must learn a lesson from the happenings in Tunisia. I advise Mubarak to leave Egypt. Having been in the saddle for 30 years is enough.”
About Mubarak’s speech and the ‘cosmetic’ reshuffle he announced in his regime, Al Qaradawi said that he was expecting the Egyptian leader to actually announce his resignation.
He described Mubarak’s regime as "blind, deaf and stupid" and said he heartily hailed the Egyptian people for rising in protest after suffering poverty, hunger and unemployment for so long.
Talking about incidents of looting reported from Egypt during the protests, he said these were the people who were forced to resort to such acts due to protracted deprivation and hunger.
“Stealing is haram (forbidden in Islam),” he, though, cautioned those among the protesters who indulged in pillaging and stealing public property.
The scholar, who has massive following in Egypt, also had a word of advice for the Egyptian army and said the situation being critical, they must ensure a smooth transition to civilian rule.
Al Qaradawi instantly struck a cord with the common Egyptian expatriate in Qatar.
The community was largely fearful and tight-lipped until Friday but many began speaking openly against Mubarak’s regime after watching the protests intensify back home leading to as many as 73 deaths.
Egyptians here largely feel that the ‘cosmetic’ changes made by the president in his government wouldn’t help him survive the crisis he faces in the form of growing public protests.
“We expect him to go, but it seems so difficult to be happening,” said an Egyptian expatriate weary of Mubarak’s 30-year rule.
Omer Suleman, the former intelligence chief who was named Vice-President by Mubarak, is hated by the people, some Egyptian expatriates this newspaper spoke to here yesterday said.
The move is actually seen by the people as the president trying to hold on to power by shuffling his ‘stooges’ within his regime.
Although the new prime minister, Ahmed Shafiq, has a good image since he was not in direct contact with people having been aviation minister, his nomination is unlikely to calm down the protesters.
“We want a complete overhaul of the government. We don’t want any vestiges of Mubarak in the new dispensation,” said an Egyptian not wanting his name in print.
Most of the protesters, according to Egyptians here, are young and unemployed graduates.
Joblessness is among the major woes facing the Egyptian youth.
The economic situation is made worse by the rising prices and the privatisation of public enterprises and corruption in high places which have almost annihilated the middle class and widened the gap between the rich and poor.
Qatar Airways, meanwhile, said their flights to Cairo were operating on schedule.
“But we are in constant touch with our Cairo office,” said a source from the airline.
Egypt Air said its flight to Cairo yesterday was delayed by an hour. “But our services on the sector are not disrupted at all,” said an official from the airline.
Exchange houses said remittances on the Doha-Egypt sector fell yesterday and added that they expected to decline further since all the banks in Egypt will remain closed today.
“We have been facing problems for the past few days in sending money home,” said an Egyptian whose family is based in Alexandria.
Mobile phone connections and the Internet remained largely disrupted yesterday as well and the only way some Egyptians here could contact their near and dear ones back home was through landlines.
“I got connected to my family after trying for long,” said another expatriate. THE PENINSULA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------