Influential Muslim scholar Hamza Yusuf denies claims of supporting UAE-Israel normalization deal
"My allegiance is and has always been with the oppressed peoples of Palestine, whether Muslim, Christian, or otherwise. Anyone who says differently is a liar", Yusuf wrote in a Facebook post.
Abu Dhabi (QNN)- Hamza Yusuf, a prominent Muslim scholar based in the United States, denied claims of supporting or endorsing the UAE-Israel normalization deal and reiterated his position with Palestine and the Palestinian people.
On his Facebook account, Yusuf, who was once dubbed “the most influential Muslim scholar in the western world,” said that the recent reports alleging his political views were “fabricated and erroneous.”
“I do not engage in or endorse geopolitical strategies or treaties”, he wrote. “My allegiance is and has always been with the oppressed peoples of Palestine, whether Muslim, Christian, or otherwise. Anyone who says differently is a liar.”
Yusuf stressed that he was never contacted by any news or media outlet for a statement or clarification on the recent controversy.
A statement by the Forum for Promoting Peace in Middle East Societies (FPPMES), an organization led by his Saudi-based teacher, Abdullah bin Bayyah, was published on Thursday, endorsing the normalization deal.
The statement, which begins by heaping praise on Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed and the country’s foreign minister, Abdullah bin Zayed, claimed that normalization “stopped Israel from extending its sovereignty over Palestinian lands,” and was a means to “promote peace and stability across the world”.
The statement included names of other scholars, who allegedly endorsed the normalization deal, including Aisha Al-Adawiya, the founder and President of Women in Islam, Inc., who strongly denied her endorsement of the statement as well.
Al-Adawiya stressed that during the latest meeting of the Forum, there were no discussions on Palestine or the UAE normalization deal with ‘Israel’. She also reiterated her position in solidarity with the Palestinian people and resigned in protest against the Forum’s statement.
https://www.facebook.com/aisha.aladawiya/posts/10224883843862327?_rdc=1&_rdr
