Alwaght | News & Analysis Website

Alwaght- The Russian presence in Syria as a part of coalition to fight ISIS is getting day by day more intensive responds which among them Muslim brotherhood reaction is distinguishable.

Extremist clerics in Syria and Saudi Arabia, have called on the public all over the Islamic world to “hurry” to Syria where they should be fighting Russian forces. The clerics, some of which are members of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, called on “all those who are able, to answer the calls of jihad”.

According to experts, by issuing this statement, inciters seek to implicate Saudi, Persian Gulf, and Muslim youths in the fight against Russian forces, mirroring Al-Qaeda’s and the Taliban’s recruitment of young fighters during the Afghan-Soviet war.

The statement also called for Syrian opposition fighters to “unify their front” and urged those with capabilities to fight and expertise to remain in Syria and not leave.

Some of the clerics who signed the statement previously issued fatwas (religious verdicts) to urge extremist to join terrorist groups in the embattled country. The International Union of Muslim Scholars also released a similar statement calling on Muslims to “support the fighting in Syria and provide it with money and any other means of cooperation, according to their abilities and jihad spirit as support can also be provided with money and prayers.”

The fatwa, in a bid to fuel sectarian war in the region, stated that “The holy warriors of Syria are defending the whole Islamic nation. Trust them and support them … because if they are defeated, God forbid, it will be the turn of one Sunni country after another,” And that “The Western-Russian coalition with the Safavids (Iran) and the Nusairis (Alawites) are making a real war against the Sunni people and their countries,” the statement continues.

As first response the Dubai-based Saudi television news channel, claimed that the fatwa was not supported by the Saudi government, which has officially denounced ISIS.

In the same perspective, Wahhabi clerics also painted Russia’s defense of the al-Assad government in Syria and its airstrikes on terrorist groups in the country as an Orthodox Christian crusade.

Earlier this year Saudi Arabia and Turkey established Jaish al-Fatah, or the Army of Conquest, a command structure for terrorist groups in Syria that includes Jabhat al-Nusra, Ahrar ash-Sham, Jund al-Aqsa and the Muslim Brotherhood of Syria linked Sham Legion.

An unexpected call has also been made by an Egyptian preacher, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood Movement, Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, calling on the Arab and Muslim countries to impose political and economic boycott on Tehran and Moscow because of their support of the Assad regime.

"The Arab and Islamic world must stand against Russia. We must boycott Russia. We must consider Russia as our number one enemy. It is Russia that prevents the Security Council from condemning the Syrian regime, adopting a resolution against it and taking a decision to fight against it", said Sheikh Qaradawi.

He also urged to pray for the overthrow of Assad government and the destruction of his army which, as emphasized the Sheikh of Muslim Brotherhood, use Russian-made weapons and military jets to kill Syrians.

It is to be recalled that because of Sheikh Qaradawi's controversial fatwas, leading Islamic scholars repeatedly accused him of conformity, ignorance of provisions of Sharia and Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and simply of delusion and distortion of the Sharia.

Obviously, the change of view by Qaradawi on Russia and proclaiming it enemy of Islam # 1 is a purely politically motivated position because 2 years ago Qaradawi forbade Mujahideen in Chechnya and the Caucasus from any work against the authorities, some experts say that all of his declaration is motivated by the fear of changing the situation in Syria, in the benefit of the legitimate government.