The Interesting Role of The Muslim Brotherhood in the Lebanese Conflict
By Douglas Farah
The Muslim Brotherhood, through its chief spokesperson Sheikh Yousef al-Qaradawi, is working overtime to try to reconcile Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims, particularly in the efforts to support Hezbollah in Lebanon. This puts the international Muslim Brotherhood in direct opposition to the stance taken by Zarqawi in Iraq and other Sunni armed groups that condemn the Shi'ite as heretics and infidels.
This role of mediation for the greater good of Islam-in this case, to support Hezbollah in Lebanon-is a hallmark of the Iqwan's role in the Islamist world. As my colleague Zeyno Baran pointed out, the Lebanese Brothers are making known that they, as Sunnis, are fighting beside Hezbollah with "military combatant units." As she correctly points out, it is the first time on record that the Iqwan have publicly acknowledged having an armed branch that is operational.
How the Sunni and Shi'ite Islamists, with similar agendas and sharply different theologies, react to the Lebanese crisis will be crucial in setting the course for future Islamist armed action.
There is no shortage of people on both sides wanting to attack the other. What makes Qaradawi's statements stand out is that he not only speaks for the Brotherhood, but like Yousef Nada and others, is welcome in Saudi Arabia and Tehran. If there is a way for the Sunnis to become larger players in the Lebanese conflict and any that bleed out of that war, it will be thanks to the Brotherhood's efforts. My full blog is here.
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