Moaz al-Khatib
Al-Khatib originally studied applied geophysics and worked as an engineer for six years. He is a member of the Syrian Geological Society and the Syrian Society for Psychological Science. He was previously President and remains Honorary President of the Islamic Society of Urbanization.
Early life and career
Born in 1960, Khatib comes from a well-known Sunni Muslim Damascene family. His father, Sheikh Mohammed Abu al-Faraj al-Khatib, was a prominent Islamic scholar and preacher.Khatib originally studied geophysics. He spent six years working as an engineer. He is also a member of the Syrian Geological Society and the Syrian Society for Psychological Science, and was president of the Islamic Society of Urbanization. His status as the former imam makes him a key figure in Syria's religious establishment.
Khatib also established the Islamic Civilization Society, and taught Sharia (Islamic Law) at the Dutch Sheikh Badr al-Din al-Husni Institute in Damascus, and Daawa (Call to Islam) at the Tahzib Institute for Sharia Sciences. He traveled internationally to teach including Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Turkey, the UK and USA.[3]
The Syrian journalist and writer Rana Kabbani, a long time friend of Khatib, said "Over the years, we have had a very intense political conversation about what needed to be done in Syria, long discussions about what was wrong with the society and what could be done about it. He was my window into Syria at a time when I couldn't physically go there." Kabbani continued to say"He comes from an area in the old city of Damascus, a part of the city that was noted for its advocacy against French colonialists, producing freedom fighters. It was a traditional Damascene Muslim scene, a devout Sunni area with a long history of resistance. "He cared very deeply about the victims of the 1982 massacre [in the Syrian city of Hama]. He was always seeking for ways to house or educate those [survivors] that the state wanted killed or banished."[4]
Political and religious views
Al-Khatib has been described by The Guardian as a moderate,[2] though Al-Khatib has a reputation for anti-Western and anti-Semitic writings. He accused the West for propping up Hosni Mubarak's regime in Egypt, explaining that "the collapse of the Egyptian regime is the beginning of the international regional system's descent..." and that "the collapse of Egypt itself is an enormous Israeli desire [emanating] from its frightening project to split the region into repugnant sectarian entities." He claimed that European countries are committing ethnic cleansing of Muslim minorities.[5]Al-Khatib is supporter of Qatar-based Egyptian televangelist cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi. He placed al-Qaradawi on equal footing with Tunisian Mohamed Bouazizi, whose self-immolation marked beginning of the Arab Spring. He referred to al-Qaradawi as "our great Imam". Qaradawi himself is forbidden entry to France and the United Kingdom for his support of suicide bombings, even calling such acts against Israeli civilians as "evidence of God's justice." Khatib's website called Jews "gold worshippers" and "the enemies of god," whilst himself praising Saddam Hussein for "terrifying the Jews." Khatib has also referred to Shia Muslims as "rejectionists" and stated that they "establish lies and follow them."[5]
He was imprisoned several times for his criticism of the government during the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad before he fled the country and settled in Cairo. Khatib is not allied to any political party and is known as a moderate who has called for political pluralism and strongly opposes sectarian divisions among Syrians.[3]
In October 2012, he was critical of the role Islamist militants had played as the civil war violence escalated, saying their prominence had allowed Western countries to portray the uprising as "extremist".[3]
Khatib is an active proponent of political plurality, including equality for women.[6]
In his statement to a crowd near Damascus soon after the Syrian uprising in 2011, he said “My brothers, we lived all our lives, Sunnis, Shiites, Alawites, and Druze, as a one-hearted community. And with us lived our dear brothers [Christians] who follow Jesus, peace be upon him. We should adhere to this bond between us and protect it at all times.” Adding that “Any garden is so nice if full of flowers of all kinds."
After being elected president of the National Coalition for Revolutionary Forces and the Syrian Opposition he said “I say to you that Alawites are closer to me than many other people I know,” and “When we talk about freedom, we mean freedom for every single person in this country.”[7]
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