At a press conference in Egypt, radical cleric Yusuf al Qaradawi called on Muslims throughout the world to make Friday, October 9, a "Day of Rage." He urged preachers throughout the Muslim world to focus their Friday sermons on the al Aqsa mosque, where disturbances have taken place recently; and on Jerusalem, which al Qaradawi alleges is subject to a 'Judaization' campaign to clear out the Holy City's Arab inhabitants.

Qaradawi has called for such Days of Rage in the past, including during the Gaza crisis which began last December, when the Danish Muhammad cartoons were published, and when Pope Benedict XVI quoted the anti Islamic sentiments of a Byzantine emperor. Some Western apologists have attempted to explain away "rage" as not particularly threatening. However, in the Quran (a Book Qaradawi memorized many years ago) the word appears about a dozen times, and almost invariably refers to the Wrath of God, such as in the Quranic versions of the stories of Noah's flood and the Golden Calf. In Chapter 20 Verse 81, God Himself says, "On whosoever My Wrath alights, he shall perish indeed."

Furthermore, Qaradawi asserted that Palestine is "the cause of all Muslims in all parts of the world" who are religiously obligated to "liberate the usurped land." He criticized Arab regimes for spending millions of dollar on armaments but not doing anything when "the Zionists … make the blood of Palestinians flow in rivers."

The "spirit of Jihad still exists…awaits the opportunity to set forth on the road to liberate the land of the holy places from the Jewish occupier," according to Qaradawi. He approvingly mentioned a group of young men who came to him expressing their desire for Jihad and 'martyrdom' in Palestine. He advised them to be patient since their countries have "prevented their going to the field of martyrdom in the land of Palestine."

Read IPT's translation of the Arabic news report on Qaradawi's press conference here.