“Fatwa” against terrorists

CATEGORY : ISLAM ON HUMAN RIGHTS , PEACE AND INTEGRATION , FEATURED

Press Release – 5/12/2009

Describing the background of his edict he said a terrible wave of terrorism has been maligning
Pakistan in particular, and Muslim and non-Muslim nations in general, for the last many years.
There is no doubt that, while Muslims as a collective entity condemn, resist and fight terrorism,
and do not accept even its remotest possible link with Islam, unfortunately there are some
people who remain quiet on the issue, silence taken as a tacit approval of such atrocities.
Indeed there are others, who, instead of opposing and condemning terrorism openly, confuse
the issue, merely concentrating upon the politics that cause
these atrocities. Dr. Qadri appealed to all Muslim scholars,
intellectuals, and opinion-makers not to concentrate on who
these people are, who is behind them and why they are
committing these acts. Whatever justifications they may
give for their actions, they act against the teachings of
Islam. They are in clear contravention of what Islam stands
for. Their each action is premised on bringing harm to Islam
and to the whole of humankind. Their existence is an open
danger against the integrity of Pakistan and world peace.
The entire nation should dissociate itself from these
elements, and condemn them in the strongest possible
terms, unequivocally and with one voice. The Pakistani
nation is in a state of war. It is the need of the time for Pakistan to form unity among its ranks
at every level. The entire nation should stand behind their armed forces busy fighting a war for
the protection of the lives of the innocent citizens, and securing national defense by
eradicating terrorism.

Those who commit these atrocities claim they are doing so for the preservation of Islam and
Muslims. They claim their heinous acts constitute ‘jihad’, and thus, those who join in their
misguided cause will enter paradise. They justify the killing of innocent civilians by
misinterpreting Islam and brainwashing susceptible and often vulnerable individuals. Dr. Qadri
argued it is thus imperative to make Islam’s stance on terrorism precisely evident in the light
of the Quran and Sunnah so that the Muslims as well as non-Muslims of the world do not suffer
from any misunderstanding and ambiguity.

He explained at length, in the light of the Quranic verses, Prophetic traditions, and expositions
by eminent Islamic authorities of faith and jurisprudence that perpetrating terrorism against
innocent citizens, massacres of humankind, suicide bombings, the destruction of national
assets and property is absolutely against Islam; it amounts to an ‘act of kufr’. Islam does not
permit such acts under any excuse, reason or pretext.
Moreover, Islamic teachings do not allow any group of people to take up arms, and wage war
against the state and challenge its written authority. This is sheer mischief-mongering and civil
war. Islamic law regards it rebellion and insurgency. He clarified that even if Muslims, living
within a state, are being persecuted at the hands of foreign non-Muslim powers, and the
Muslim government remains silent over such persecution, even then no individual or group of
individuals is allowed to take the law into their own hands. Instead, one should use democratic
means of protest and peaceful ways of resolution should be adopted.

Citing various Quranic verses, Prophetic traditions, sayings of the Companions, and renowned
jurists and scholars of Hadith, Dr. Qadri made it clear that even in a state of war, and during
warfare, Islam strictly prohibits the killing of peaceful citizens, women, children, the sick and
the old. Moreover, during a battle, it is unlawful in Islam to destroy trees, crops, buildings and
places of worship of any faith.

Dr. Qadri said the first ever ‘war against terror’ in Islamic history occurred during the Caliphate
of Sayyidina Ali (r.a). The Khawarij and Harooria were a rebellious group of people and the first
militant terrorists. They rejected Sayyidina Ali’s (r.a) policy of dialogue, arbitration and
peaceful means of dispute resolution. They were in favor of resolution through armed conflict.
They used Islamic slogans of Jihad and rebelled against the state, and justified human killings
according to their extremist theology. The Khawarij committed acts of terrorism whilst citing
Divine law in their defense, arguing they were acting for the dominance of Islam. However,
the Holy Prophet (saw) had already identified the Khawarij in more than fifty Prophetic
traditions. He (saw) stated they were outside the ambit of Islam, had no legitimate authority to
declare jihad, and instead, were the worst of humankind. Sayyidina Ali (r.a), with his army,
himself fought against them in order to stop their atrocities, and eradicated
the Kharijite terrorism.

Dr Qadri’s detailed religious edict consists of 200 pages, and clarifies his point of view in the
light of dozens of verses from the Holy Quran, Prophetic traditions, countless commentaries of
Muslim jurists, etc. This religious edict is in the process of publication, and will be available in
the form of a book in Arabic, Urdu and English, later this week