The President of the World Union of Muslim Scholars, Ali Mohiuddin Al-Qaradaghi, has provided further clarification regarding the controversy that accompanied the report published by the Union's media office on recent events in the city of Ceuta. This comes after he announced the reasons for withdrawing the media material that had provoked widespread reactions, especially in Morocco, due to its content related to the city and the crisis associated with the wave of mass migration, and its references to the government of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and political assumptions that sparked much debate.
Al-Qaradaghi explained, in a clarifying statement, that the material that was deleted was not an official statement issued by the World Union of Muslim Scholars, nor does it reflect his personal position. Rather, it was a media report prepared by the Union's media office based on the data available at the time. He added that he took the initiative to delete the report as soon as he noticed the amount of interpretations that accompanied its publication, to avoid its exploitation or misrepresentation.
The President of the Union pointed out that the main purpose of the report was not to delve into the issue of sovereignty over Ceuta or Melilla, but to highlight what he considered positive positions of the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez towards the Palestinian issue and a number of issues he described as just. He also pointed out attempts to target individuals or governments that adopt positions supporting Palestinian rights, denying that the report targeted Morocco or undermined its historical and sovereign rights.
Al-Qaradaghi confirmed that the media coverage did not address the status of Ceuta from the perspective of dependency or sovereignty, and it was not intended to question Morocco's rights or diminish its status, emphasizing that the Kingdom enjoys a high standing in the Union, and that Moroccan scholars have been throughout history a model in considering the purposes of Sharia, looking at the outcomes of events, prioritizing the interests of the Islamic nation and the unity of its ranks.
He also reiterated his firm stance towards Morocco and its people, praising the historical roles that Moroccans have played in defending the causes of the Islamic nation, recalling their contribution to the liberation of Jerusalem alongside Sultan Salahuddin Al-Ayyubi, a legacy that he said is still present in the landmarks of the holy city, through the "Moroccan Gate" and "Moroccan Quarter", in addition to the "Moroccan Aisle" in Al-Azhar Al-Sharif.
In one of the most sensitive points, the President of the World Union of Muslim Scholars was keen to declare a clear position on the issue of Ceuta and Melilla, confirming that he considers the two cities to be occupied Moroccan territories, and that he stands by Morocco in its rightful claim to recover them, along with all occupied Islamic lands, considering this to be in line with the principles of preserving the unity and strength of the nation.
This clarification came days after a wave of widespread criticism sparked by a post published by Al-Qaradaghi on his "X" platform account, which the Union's website republished under the title: "What is happening in Ceuta? And who wants to overthrow Pedro Sanchez?", where he described the city as part of the "borders of Europe", and talked about the influx of tens of thousands of immigrants as one of the most dangerous crises facing Spain and the European continent.
The post sparked further controversy as it included unsupported political hypotheses, including the possibility of "Zionist fingers" exploiting the crisis to weaken the government of Pedro Sanchez due to its critical stance towards Israel, as well as questions about the possibility of the United States exerting pressure on Spain and Europe "through Morocco". These proposals were considered by Moroccan critics to lack documented support and carry implications that could harm the kingdom.
Moroccan academic, advocacy, and media figures interacted with the post, considering that ignoring the reference to the Moroccan identity of Ceuta and Melilla, in favor of adopting a description consistent with the European discourse that considers the city an external border of the European Union, represents a deviation from the historical and legal background of the conflict, especially for the head of an institution named after Muslim scholars.
Among the most prominent critics, Sheikh Sadiq Ahmed Al-Othmani, the Secretary-General of the Association of Muslim Scholars in Latin America, who saw that the post dealt with Ceuta as if it were a purely Spanish city, calling for the necessity to recall the historical background of the two cities and to verify before making accusations or building political conclusions that are not based on clear evidence, especially when it comes to issues affecting an Islamic country.
The criticisms also recalled the historical context of the occupation of the two cities, as Ceuta was subjected to Portuguese occupation in 1415 before it was transferred to the Spanish crown under the Treaty of Lisbon in 1668, while Melilla was occupied in 1497, a phase associated with Iberian expansion in North Africa following the fall of Granada. This led a number of followers to consider that ignoring this historical background is inconsistent with the symbolic and religious status represented by the World Union of Muslim Scholars and its president.
