Fatwa declares suicide attacks un-Islamic
58 Ulema’s decree does not apply to Palestine, Kashmir, Iraq; minister hails edict
LAHORE: A group of 58 religious scholars representing all schools of thought have issued a Fatwa (edict) stating that Islam strictly forbids suicide attacks on Muslims and those committing such acts at places of worship and public congregations cease to be Muslims.
However, the Ulema led by chairman Tanzimul Madaris Pakistan and chairman Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Mufti Munibur Rehman, clarified that the Fatwa applies only to conditions in Pakistan and those running freedom movements in places like Palestine, Iraq and Kashmir are out of its scope.
The Fatwa was pronounced at a hurriedly-called press conference at Jamia Islamia Lahore on Tuesday afternoon. Head of Jamia Islamia Mufti Muhammad Khan Qadri, MMA MNA Maulana Abdul Maalik and some other clerics were also present on the occasion. Invitations for the press conference were issued by PID just one hour before the press conference.
The Fatwa holds that killing of innocent human beings is Haram (forbidden) in Islam and carries death penalty, Qisas and compensation, etc. Killing a fellow Muslim without Islamic and legal reasons is even a bigger crime, it said.
The Fatwa said killing any non-Muslim citizen or foreigner visiting the country is also forbidden in Islam since those people are under protection of the Pakistan government. The Ulema said they had issued the Fatwa in the perspective of Pakistan’s situation where, during the past few years, suicide attacks were carried out at places of worship and some elements had been propagating that the bombers were brainwashed by religious organisations into carrying out such attacks that would lead them to paradise. Such propaganda, the Ulema said, was bringing a bad name to Islam that different clerics were involved in provoking religious or sectarian killings.
Now that we know that killing innocent Jews and Hindus is OK, I'm sure that Islam will no longer have a bad name!
UPDATE: AbbaGav points out that Zarqawi has added some nuance of his own, all in the name of Islam.