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By Libya Herald staff.
Tripoli, 11 June 2014:
Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, the much respected leader of the National Transitional Council that led the revolution, . . .[restrict]has called for the Grand Mufti, Sheikh Sadik Al-Ghariani, to be dismissed.
Jalil made the call following the Ghariani’s declaration on TV on Monday that Libyans have an obligation to fight against retired general Khalifa Hafter and that those who die doing so would be considered martyrs and so go to Heaven. Anyone who supported Hafter, the Grand Mufti insisted, “will die an infidel”.
The declaration was made on Wataniya TV’s “Islam and Life” programme.
Gharyiani went on to say that Hafter and his forces were “transgressors” and that they were not waging a war against terrorists but against Islam.
Jalil, who himself appointed Ghariani, fought back in a broadcast on Al-Asima TV last night, denouncing the Ghariani’s statement and calling for his immediate removal.
“The Mufti has lost the confidence of Libyans,” he said, “and according to the law that brought him into office, he is no longer eligible for service”.
The Grand Mufti denounces Khalifa Hafter (Photo: TV grab)
The Grand Mufti’s statement has surprised many, earlier this week, he called on Ansar Al-Sharia to participate in the democratic process and to be a “better example to people in attitude, revealing the true face of the Sunna and correct implementation of the words of Allah”.
However, he has also been viewed as being increasingly sympathetic to Ansar, with his instance that it was wrong to accuse it of terrorism without providing positive proof of it.
Public support for the Grand Mufti has dropped considerably over the past year.
On Sunday, his Dar Al-Ifta offices behind the King’s Palace was subject to an RPG attack. It was initially reported that Hafter’s spokesman, Mohamed Al-Hijazi, had claimed responsibility for it but he has firmly denied making any such statement.
With input from Ashraf Abdul-Wahab [/restrict]
