Yusuf al-Qaradawi (1926–2022) was a prominent Egyptian-born Sunni Islamic scholar, theologian, and influential figure in global Sunni Islamist thought, widely regarded as a spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and often considered controversial in Western discourse. Born on September 9, 1926, in the small village of Sift Turab in Egypt's Nile Delta, he was orphaned at a young age and raised by relatives. He joined the Muslim Brotherhood as a teenager and studied at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, where he developed his scholarly expertise. Facing political persecution under Egypt's Nasser regime for his Brotherhood affiliations, al-Qaradawi left Egypt in the early 1960s and settled in Qatar, where he became a leading religious authority. He served as chairman of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, an organization he helped establish to promote moderate Islamist perspectives, blending traditional madhabist approaches with influences from thinkers like Ibn Taymiyyah, Hassan al-Banna, and Abul A'la Maududi. Al-Qaradawi gained widespread influence through his media presence, particularly his long-running Al Jazeera television program 'al-Shari'a wa al-Hayah' (Sharia and Life), which reached an estimated 40–60 million viewers worldwide and addressed contemporary Islamic issues. He also co-founded IslamOnline in 1997, serving as its chief religious scholar, and authored numerous books on fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), poetry, and social reform. His work emphasized a 'middle way' in Islam, advocating for political engagement while navigating controversies, including criticisms from both hardline Salafis and Western governments for his views on jihad, Israel, and women's rights. Despite bans and travel restrictions in several countries, he remained a key voice in global Muslim discourse until his death on September 26, 2022, in Doha, Qatar.