Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi: Islam Has No Problem with Judaism

The following are excerpts from an interview with Sheik Dr. Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi that was aired on Al-Jazeera TV on January 16, 2005:

Sheik Dr. Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi: IIslam has accepted the Jews with open arms, and has blessed the relationship with them because they are the "People of the Book." One of the first things the Prophet Muhammad did when he went to Al-Madina was to make a pact with the Jews.

The Prophet Muhammad's attitude toward the Jews was of utmost generosity. The problem started because of the Jews. They were the ones who were treacherous and violated the pact. They even made an agreement with the raiders of Al-Madina, and attacked the Jews- I mean, attacked Al-Madina - with the Quraysh and Ghaftan tribes, and with the pagans. Unfortunately, the Jews supported them and deserted the Muslims at a time when they were most needed. The Jews wanted to take advantage of this opportunity in order to annihilate the Muslims and totally eradicate them.

Therefore, the problem with the Jews is not one of faith or religious laws. The problem is the covetous aspirations that have characterized their attitude since the days of the Prophet Muhammad, that brought this position toward them since the days of Muhammad, and later on in our times, since they began to covet the land of Muhammad's Nocturnal Journey, the holy and blessed land of Palestine.

As I've said, there is no problem between Judaism, as a religion, and us. We aren't hostile to the Zionists because they are Jews or because they are Semites. They keep raising the issue of [anti-]Semitism, and they brandish this sward at anyone who... We are Semites. We, as Arabs, are Semites. They are the children of Israel and we are the children of Ishmael. We are cousins.

There is no chosen people from among the nations. There is no people that is racially pure. There is no pure people. The Jews have been infiltrated by races, from the Kingdom of Khazar, and many peoples, there is no longer... Who said that all the Jews are one people. There are [Ethiopian] Falash Mura Jews, Jews from Europe, Jews from Yemen, and Jews from... All of these have appeared because Judaism is a religion not a nationality, and all races can enter the religion.