UPDATE:
The following was printed on the BBC and newspapers across the world:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22086230
“A video currently circulating on the internet, purporting to show the explosion on 21 March that killed Sheikh Muhammad al-Bouti in a Damascus mosque, raises many questions about the death”
Though unconfirmed, this is likely evidence to suggest the government were behind the killing of Sheikh Al-Bouti
[youtube:=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6-lxW1-eMw]
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I provide a collection of statements and a rough translation of Sheikh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi regarding the recent martyrdom of Sheikh Muhammad Saeed Ramadan Al-Bouti. I sought a pre-translated version of the statement but could not find it, and because of the value of the words, I felt it important to get this message out there to the people.
May Allah have mercy on them both, and upon the Muslims as a whole. Ameen.
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Initial statement on Sheikh Al-Bouti’s death
We strongly condemn the bombing of mosques and the killing of people inside them. We have no doubt that the regime is responsible for the killing of Dr. Bouti, as we have reliable information on this. In fact, we were working towards to convince him defect from the regime and move outside Syria. The last article we wrote refuting his stance entitled “To Dr Bouti: Wake up from Your State of intoxication” had reached him, and he had begun thinking seriously about breaking away. One of his inner circle was assisting in this effort, Dr. Bouti was preparing to declare something against the regime on Friday as a suprise. We have no doubt that the regime was listening in on all his discussions, and therefore decided to get rid of him.”
Source: Sheikh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi’s Facebook Page
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A clear dua’ by the sheikh in his last khutbah clearly condemning the regime
[youtube:=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnT9jx_HMqo]
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Statement of Sheikh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi
بيان من الشيخ محمد أبو الهدى اليعقوبي
Words from Sheikh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi
“نعزي أنفسنا ونعزي العالم الإسلامي باستشهاد العلامة الجليل الشيخ محمد سعيد رمضان البوطي وقد ختم الله تعالى له بالخير وأكرمه بالشهادة.
We give condolences for the martyrdom of the Alaamah Sheikh Muhammad Saeed Ramadan Albouti. Allah has end his life in good an blessed him with Martyrdom.
إنها خسارة كبيرة للمسلمين بفقد هذا العلامة الجليل الذي كان مجددا في الفكر والعقيدة عالما ربانيا دافع عن الإسلام ونصر مذهب أهل السنة عقودا طوالا على منابر دمشق وفي كلية الشريعة.
The death of Sheikh Albouti is a great loss for the Muslims. He was a reviver of Islamic thought and creed in our age and a true scholar of Allah. He defended Islam and brought victory to the beliefs of Ahl As-Sunnah on the minbaars of Damascus and the colleges of shari’ah.
وفي الأخبار التي وردت من التلفزة السورية أنه توفي في تفجير انتحاري. ونحن نوجه أصابع الاتهام إلى النظام لأن لدينا معلومات حساسة ودقيقة من المقربين إليه تفيد بأن الدكتور البوطي كان يبحث عن طريق للخروج من سورية وكان النظام قد فرض عليه طوقا أمنيا شديدا. وكان في مجالسه الخاصة يسب النصيريين ويدعو عليهم بالهلاك.
It was reported on Syrian TV that he [Sheikh Al-Bouti] was martyred in a suicide blast. We point the fingers of blame to the Syrian regime as we received news from close sources to the sheikh that he was looking was a way out of Syria but the regime had forced him to stay. In his private gatherings, he would curse the Nusayris and pray against them.
إننا ندين هذا العمل سواء قام به النظام أم الجماعات التكفيرية كما يدعي النظام – وهم أصلا أعداء لأهل السنة، ونترحم على الفقيد ومن استشهد معه ونسأل الله تعالى له ولهم منازل الشهداء. ونذكر العلامة الفقيد بكل الخير والثناء والإجلال، وسيبقى علما من أعلام الإسلام. ونحن رغم خلافنا معه في قضية الخروج وتأييد النظام ورغم ردنا عليه مرارا لم نكن نحمل له إلا الحب والإجلال.
We condemn this action regardless of whether it was done by the government or by terrorist groups (as the regime claims) – for they are enemies to Ahl As-Sunnah. We give our condolences to the sheikhs family and to the families of those who were martyred with him. We pray that Allah grants all those who died the ranks of martyrdom.
We remember this great scholar only in what is good. He will remain one of the greatest scholars in the history of Islam. Despite our differences with him on the issue of opposing/supporting the regime, and despite our public criticism of his stance, we do not hold for him anything except love and respect.
رحمه الله تعالى رحمة واسعة وعوض المسلمين خيرا ورزق أهله وأولاده وأحفاده الصبر والسلوان.
May Allah have mercy on him and all the Muslim Martyrs, and may He grant their families, children and grandchildren patience and solace in this time difficulty
Source: Al-Azhar Facebook Page
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Video Interview with Sheikh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi
[youtube:=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8_ri3e8Hkw]
(Paraphrasing the video:)
“It was the Syrian regime that perpetrated this. It is impossible to enter the Al-Imaan Mosque without being excessively searched by the regime. I received news from our closed circles that Sheikh Al-Bouti realised the error of his judgement and sought to escape from Damascus. the government then killed him as they have been killing scholars all over Syria. We can never accept the killing of anyone because of their views. We only fight to those who point a gun towards us”
— Sheikh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi
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The Fleeing of Sheikh Al-Bouti’s family to Turkey as testification of Sh. Yaqoubi’s statements
وصول مجموعة من اقارب البوطي إلى تركيا يقلب الطاولة على بشار
The arrival of the relatives of Sheikh Al-Bouti in Turkey turns the table against Bashaar
نشرت وكالة “الأناضول” التركية خبرا يفيد بوصول مجموعة من أقارب الداعية محمد سعيد رمضان البوطي، إلى تركيا، وذلك بعد سلسلة اتصالات وتنسيق مع الجيش الحر.
وأورد الخبر أن اقارب البوطي، كان يعتزمون مغادرة سوريا منذ فترة، لكن خوفهم على البوطي دفعهم للتريث، خصوصا مع تلقيهم تهديدات من قبل النظام بتصفية الداعية إن اقدم أحد منهم على الفرار.
The relatives of Sheikh Al-Bouti were planning to leave Syria for some time, but the fear [of government reprisal] made them to wait, particularly after receiving threats from the government if any of them tried to flee
وقتل البوطي مساء أمس الخميس، في تفجير بمسجد الإيمان وسط دمشق، أثار مجموعة من التساؤلات والاستفهامات حول تورط النظام، لاسيما انه وقع ضمن منطقة أمنية بامتياز.
وقضى مع البوطي قرابة 50 شخصا، فضلا عن عشرات الجرحى.
وسارع إعلام النظام السوري كعادته لإلصاق التهمة بالثوار، مستفيدا من الموقف الذي كان يتخذه البوطي، عبر تأييده المعلن وشبه المطلق للنظام، مقابل مهاجمته للثوار ونعتهم بأقبح الصفات.
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Source: http://zaman-alwsl.net/readNews.php?id=37035
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Clarity behind the stance of Sheikh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi
As to Dr. Bouti’s ijtihad, we made very clear in several articles that his ijtihad is not valid and is not accepted and he would not be rewarded for it. If his ijtihad were in keeping silent it would be considered as one of two opinions right or wrong though we always proved that supporting the regime is a crime.
Our statement on his death does not mean that we changed our opinion; it is rather based on his long struggle for Islam, and based on the fact that he is Muslim and we refuse any attempts to accuse him of disbelief and on the fact that he died in a masjid while praying and giving a lecture and on the fact that he was planning to leave Syria after he read our last article “To Dr. Bouti: wake up from your state of intoxication” and after our efforts to convince him.
Few days ago, he wanted to travel to Malaysia and the minister of Religious Endowments visited him and told him not to leave Syria. For all these reasons we issued our statement making dua for him and praising him. People who do not like our statement should read our six articles refuting Dr. Bouti before they criticise us. They should remember that we were the first to issue a fatwa making it obligatory to remove the regime; and we were also the first to make Jihad on the Syrians against the Assad regime an obligation.”
His eminence, the leader of the Ahlul Bayt in our time, the teacher of the Ulama, the light of this Ummah, the crown of the Scholars, the standard bearer of the Shadhili Tariqa – Sayyiduna Shaykh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi
On the Path of Knowledge 