The Muslim News

From: Aeisha Muhammad
To: TheArabLeague
Cc: Organization of the Islamic Conference-
Sent: Monday, February 24, 2003 9:57 PM
Subject: Fw: Ruling of Al-Azhar Grand Imam

Bismillah Hir-Rahman Nir-Rahim

As-Salaamu' Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatu

In reaction to the declarations made by our distinguished scholars, Sheikh Mohamed Sayyed Tantawi and Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, I affirm that they are 100% correct on the following points:

attempts to stop a U.S. aggression on Iraq is “Jihad” (holy war), and resisting such an attack is a “binding Islamic duty”

it is “a religious duty to side with Iraq against any aggression to befall it”….resisting an unjustifiable attack on any Muslim country is “Jihad and an Islamic duty”.

Arab Leaders must take a decisive stand during their coming summit in Cairo to avoid the Iraqi people any harm, pointing out that all world countries should side with “justice and right” in the Iraqi crisis, so as to solve it in a peaceful way.

fighting U.S. troops (deployed to attack Iraq) is “legal Jihad”. He added that “death while defending Iraq is a kind of martyrdom”, as it comes in the defense of a Muslim land against aggressor enemies.

Arab and Muslim peoples should currently support Iraq “in any way they can”

“it was a shame to see millions of westerners take to the streets to denounce the war plans, whereas the Arabs are as silent as the dead in their tombs”.

However, I respectfully, but vehemently, dissent on the following point:

Regarding US bases on Arab soil: "already-signed accords must be respected”, adding that such bases must be used in accordance with the treaties"
Muslim nations have the right to make treaties with non-Muslim nations so long as said treaties do not aide, abett, support, promote or assist the kaffir in the waging of war against the Muslim Ummah, or pose any danger, in any way, to Muslims. Accordingly, the test of any treaty is whether or not it harms the Ummah. It follows therefore that if the treaty does not pose any threat or danger to Muslims and/or their interests it is a halal treaty which must be respected, and, conversely, that any treaty which endangers Muslims and/or their interests is haraam and therefore not acceptable and definitely not binding.

A treaty does not make what is haraam halal. It is haraam for Muslims to house non-Muslim armies on Muslim soil. The only armies that can stand on our Muslim lands are Muslim armies exclusively. Since this is the rule any leader who has made a treaty with the kaffir allowing it to base its military forces on our soil has clearly entered into a haraam treaty which falls into the category of apostasy against Islam and treason against the Ummah. Leaders who are guilty of this violation of Sharia must repent and revoke all such treaties immediately and eject the kaffir forces from their lands or they should be prepared to face execution as mandated by Sharia.

It is haraam for Muslim leaders to shield themselves with kaffir armies from other Muslims, and to depend on the kaffir forces to protect them from Muslims. Treaties of this sort are haraam and fall into the realm of apostasy against Islam and treason against the Muslim Ummah. Leaders who are guilty of this violation of Sharia must repent and revoke all such treaties immediately and eject the kaffir forces from their lands or they should be prepared to face execution as mandated by Sharia.

Scholars cannot re-invent, twist, mis-interpret and mis-apply the rules for the benefit of a few leaders in the Muslim world who have clearly acted against the Quran and Sunnah by inviting, allowing, hosting, aiding, abetting and supporting non-Muslim armies on Muslim lands. The behaviour of the heads of state in the Kuwait, Bahrain, Yemen, Qatar, et al., is shameful and treasonous and we cannot say otherwise without insulting ALLAH. Any attempt by our scholars to veil the truth by supporting the actions and interests of these apostated rulers is haraam Islamicly at and an abuse of their scholarship.

The solution to this crisis is in the hands of those who are hosting the kaffir forces. They still have a chance to defuse this entire situation by refusing to allow the kaffir to utilize Muslim air, land and waterways to aggress another Muslim nation and by ejecting kaffir forces from the region. That is the bottom line for them. The time has come for our leaders to either tell America to go to hell or be removed from power by those who will rule better than they have. Our leaders do not have the option of joining the kaffir's crusade against Muslims and remaining in power over Muslims.

ALLAH is witness that I have voiced this dissent regarding the issue of treaties with non-Muslims and the presence of non-Muslim forces on Muslim lands with the best of intentions and with utmost respect to the distinguished scholars who have been brave enough to speak the truth concerning the obligation of Muslims to fight the enemies of ALLAH, but I cannot remain silent regarding the treatment that they have given to the subject of non-Muslim forces on Muslim lands. I realize that these men are under the yoke of their rulers but the truth must be spoken and the Quran and Sunnah must not be positioned as a support to what is clearly haraam in the eyes of ALLAH.

I make dua that our leaders will come to their senses and stop the nonsense before they harm themselves and millions of Arabs and Muslims. May ALLAH guide our leaders to repent, return to the Sirataal Mustaqeem and make the best of decisions.

May ALLAH shower oceans of blessings on our beloved Prophet Muhammad(sws) and his progeny. May ALLAH grant us unity and victory over HIS enemies and keep us from harming ourselves.

Fi AmmanALLAH
from the servant of ALLAH
Shayhka Maulani Aeisha Muhammad
==================================================================================================================================================================================================================================

NEWS
Resisting U.S. Aggression Islamic Duty:
Al-Azhar Grand Imam
By Sobhi Mujahid, IOL Cairo Correspondent

CAIRO, February 22 (IslamOnline.net) - The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Mohamed Sayyed Tantawi Saturday, February 22, ruled that attempts to stop a U.S. aggression on Iraq is “Jihad” (holy war), and resisting such an attack is a “binding Islamic duty”.
In special statements to IslamOnline.net, following his inauguration of the Conference on 'Women Liberation in Islam' at al-Azhar University in Cairo, Sheikh Tantawi said; “We reject any harm to befall the Iraqi people who are an integral part of the Arab and Muslim worlds. We could never give up that part”.

Al-Azhar Imam also hoped that “Allah may bestow His victory (against all aggressors) on the Iraqi people”, pointing out that it is “a religious duty to side with Iraq against any aggression to befall it”. He said that resisting an unjustifiable attack on any Muslim country is “Jihad and an Islamic duty”.
Sheikh Tantawi asked the Arab leaders to exert their utmost efforts to block any aggression against Iraq. Moreover, he called on them to take a decisive stand during their coming summit in Cairo to avoid the Iraqi people any harm, pointing out that all world countries should side with “justice and right” in the Iraqi crisis, so as to solve it in a peaceful way.

Meanwhile, famous Muslim scholar Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, in press statements following the Conference’s first session, asserted that fighting U.S. troops (deployed to attack Iraq) is “legal Jihad”. He added that “death while defending Iraq is a kind of martyrdom”, as it comes in the defense of a Muslim land against aggressor enemies.

Qaradawi elaborated that Arab and Muslim peoples should currently support Iraq “in any way they can”. He also added that “it was a shame to see millions of westerners take to the streets to denounce the war plans, whereas the Arabs are as silent as the dead in their tombs”.
Concerning the ruling of resistance operations against U.S. military bases on Arab soil, Qaradawi stressed that “already-signed accords must be respected”, adding that such bases must be used in accordance with the treaties.
However, the renowned scholar drew a line between the bases and other U.S. (air, land and sea) troops, currently deployed in the region to attack and invade Iraq.

“We have to resist these forces that are sent, as stated by (U.S. President George W.) Bush before the Congress, to invade and control the region and change its map”.

Email this story to a friend | Printable Version