Cleric calls on Muslims to 'profit from world crisis'

CRISIS CALL: Qatar-based cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi. (AFP)

Muslims should take advantage of the global financial crisis to build an economic system compatible with Islamic principles, Qatar-based Sunni cleric Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi has said.

"The collapse of the capitalist system based on usury and paper and not on goods traded on the market is proof that it is in crisis and shows that Islamic economic philosophy is holding up," said the influential Egyptian-born cleric.

"The Western system has collapsed and we have a complete economic philosophy as well as spiritual strength," he said at Sunday's opening of a conference on Jerusalem.

"All riches are ours... the Islamic nation has all or nearly all the oil and we have an economic philosophy that no one else has," Qaradawi said.

He urged Muslims to "profit from the crisis to bring about the triumph of the (Islamic) nation, which holds the spiritual and material resources for victory."

The sixth conference on Jerusalem is being attended by around 300 people representing political parties as well as Muslim and Christian NGOs, from various countries.

It is staged by Al-Quds (Jerusalem) International Institution, which is dedicated to the conservation of the holy city and its sacred places.

Participants include Khaled Meshaal, exiled head of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, and Ali Akbar Velayati, a top adviser to Iranian spiritual leader Ali Khamenei.

The three-day conference will look at ways of protecting Jerusalem and its holy sites, which participants believe are threatened by Israel.

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READERS' COMMENTS

Incorrect reporting
Posted by Firoz, Doha, Qatar on Tuesday 14 October 2008 at 08:37 UAE time

The report on renowned scholar Qaradawi's was spinned too much. All mainstream medias reported the speech in it's true spirit.

Tell me this doesn't sound awful...
Posted by Frank, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Monday 13 October 2008 at 09:52 UAE time


Minister tells Christians to profit from Islamic crisis

Christians should take advantage of the financial crisis affecting the Islamic world to build an economic system compatible with Christian principles, US-based evangelical leader John Smith has said.

"The existing Islamic system has collapsed and we Christians have a complete economic philosophy as well as spiritual strength," he said at Sunday's opening of a conference."

"All riches are ours... the Christian nation has all or nearly all the intellectual power and capital and we have an economic philosophy that no one else has," Smith said.

He urged Christians to "profit from the crisis to bring about the triumph of the (Christian) nation, which holds the spiritual and material resources for victory."

The sixth conference on the Christian Economy is being attended by around 300 people representing political parties from various countries.

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Of course no one would report this guff - it would be a terrible mixture in insanity, stupidity and ignorance - and complete idiocy. It would also be a bit, well, insensitive to people who may be losing their jobs, savings, livelihoods...

It is also to assume (wrongly) the Islamic world is immune to this crisis...

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