Reuters

Doha 

 

Qatar-based Islamic scholar Sheikh Yousuf al-Qaradawi has said all views expressed in his preaching have been his own and not those of the Qatari government.

“My personal position does not reflect the position of the Qatari government ... I do not take on an official position, but just express my personal opinion,” he said in an e-mailed statement yesterday.

Qaradawi said he loved all Gulf countries.

 “I would like to say I love all the countries of the Gulf, and they all love me: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Bahrain. I consider them one country and one house,” he said.

On March 5, in an unprecedented move, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain recalled their ambassadors from Qatar, accusing Doha of failing to abide by an accord not to interfere in each other’s internal affairs. Qatar denies the charge.

The three states, according to some sources, seemed to be upset  at Qatar’s policy towards the Muslim Brotherhood, a movement that holds Qaradawi in high esteem.

In his statement, Qaradawi noted that he had been awarded prizes in Saudi Arabia and UAE for his work, adding he valued the awards highly.

Qaradawi said the opinions he expressed in his public statements were only delivered as a means of constructive criticism.

“What I said, and I say, is a matter of sincere advice, which will prove its sincerity after a while,” he said.

In his statement, Qaradawi denied media reports that he would be leaving Qatar soon. He said: “I am part of Qatar, Qatar is a part of me ... I am now 88 years old, and I will stay in Qatar to be buried in its soil.”

Last week, Gulf states took a step towards resolving their rift by agreeing on ways to implement the security agreement they had reached last November.

The Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) secretariat said in a statement then that foreign ministers of the six-member body had met in Riyadh for a comprehensive review of measures used to implement foreign and security policies.

“It was agreed to adopt the mechanisms that would ensure moving forward in a collective framework, and that the policies of any of the GCC member states would not affect the interests, stability and security of its members and without impacting on the sovereignty of any of its members,” the statement had said.

 

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