Al-Qaradawi: In spite of Egypt, millions pray for Mohammed Mahdi Akef

Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Head of the Muslims Scholars International Union, mourning the death of former Supreme Guide of the Muslim brotherhood Mohammed Mahdi Akef, has criticized the Egyptian regime.

“While the Egyptian regime prevented the popular funeral of former Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammad Mahdi Akef, millions of Muslims around the world prayed for him”, al-Qaradawi said in a speech following performing a funeral prayer for Akef, at his home in Doha on Saturday evening.  Khalid Mashaal, former Head of the Political Bureau of Hamas, leaders of the Egyptian opposition and a number of scholars were present.

Al-Qaradawi declared that Muslims were performing absentee funeral prayers for Akef in Istanbul, Gaza, and al-Aqsa Mosque. Moreover, members of muslim brotherhood brothers did, as well as millions around the world.

Al-Qaradawi praised Akef’s attitudes and “his jihad for advocacy, his steadfastness for righteousness and for prioritizing advocacy over his own life.”

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Al-Qaradawi thanked Qatari Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, who allowed the absentee funeral prayer to be performed at any mosque they choose. But the people poured in the Sheikh’s house for condolences.

Mashaal stated that “the martyr Akef was distinguished by his strong ties with various Palestinian factions and his door was always open to the leaders of Fatah and Hamas and especially the deceased Yasser Arafat who used to frequently visit him in his in Cairo.”

Mashaal explained that “when Arafat used to visit Cairo, he couldn’t but pay a visit to the martyr Akef, for his sincere positions, and his long jihadist history since the beginning of the occupation.”

He added that “the Palestinian prisoners prayed for the martyr (Akef) in the occupation’s prisons as Palestinians prayed for him in al-Aqsa Mosque and Gaza, too.”

Mashaal also stressed that Akef “was eager to maintain the unanimity of the Palestinian position and he permanently called for unity and reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas.”

On Friday evening, the Muslim Brotherhood announced the death of Akef (1928-2017) at the age of 89 at Qasr al-Eyni hospital in central Cairo, where he was kept for months after his health had deteriorated.

The Egyptian Interior Ministry said on Saturday that Akef “died because of a hypotensive blood shock,” without providing any further details.

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In a statement on Friday, the Muslim Brotherhood called disciples and supporters of Akef around the world to hold absentee funeral prayer after the authorities banned funeral services in Egypt, according to the statement.

On Saturday morning, Akef’s family finished his burial ceremony in eastern Cairo cemetery, in the presence of security guards and only four people, according to Anadolu earlier interview with Abd el-Menem Abd al-Maqsood, head of Akef’s defense committee.

After the burial ceremony, Akef’s daughter, Alia, stated in a post on her Facebook page that: “they banned every single thing” without providing any further details.

On Saturday, the Egyptian Endowment Ministry banned the absentee funeral prayer on Akef without a prior official permit, warning that those who violate the ban will be subject to legal accountability, according to the issued statement.

Akef, 89, passed away while he was imprisoned on remand of the Guidance Office events (the main office of the Muslim Brotherhood) in al-Mokattam area (eastern Cairo).

He was sentenced to life imprisonment (25 years). The sentence was then appealed by the Court on January and he was being re-sentenced when he passed away.