Qaradawi to Mubarak: Get up and leave Egypt

CAIRO, Jan 30: The spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and one of the world's most prominent Sunni clerics is urging Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak
to leave Egypt.

In an extraordinarily belligerent speech on al-Jazeera Saturday, Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi (pic) said history was currently being made in Egypt, calling
on the president to leave the country at once.

"He doesn't live in our world. He doesn't feel the anger and hunger of this people," al- Qaradawi charged. "He's detached from reality. Mubarak must give
up his position and leave Egypt. There is no other solution, except for Mubarak's departure."

Qaradawi hinted that Egypt is on the verge of revolution, saying that "nobody can stop history from being made."

Addressing the president directly, al-Qaradawi made his demands clear: "Go away, Mubarak, leave this people alone! Enough, you've ruled for 30 years already!
Dozens have been killed in one day. You cannot stay, Mubarak!" 

"On behalf of hundreds of thousands of religious clerics in Egypt and in the Muslim world I'm calling on you to leave your country," he said.
 
The leading cleric, who fled Egypt in the past and currently lives in Qatar, not far from al-Jazeera's offices, called on Mubarak to follow in the Tunisian
president's footsteps and leave honorably.

"Let's hope that you will be tried before a court for the oppression," he said. "Get up, leave Egypt, and let the people decide."