It "reaffirm[s] Islam's absolute condemnation of terrorism and religious extremism."
It states that:
Islam strictly condemns religious extremism and the use of violence against innocent lives. There is no justification in Islam for extremism or terrorism. Targeting civilians’ life and property through suicide bombings or any other method of attack is haram – or forbidden - and those who commit these barbaric acts are criminals, not “martyrs.”
Then it quotes some Qur'anic language.
Finally, the policy:
1. All acts of terrorism targeting civilians are haram (forbidden) in Islam.
2. It is haram for a Muslim to cooperate with any individual or group that is involved in any act of terrorism or violence.
3. It is the civic and religious duty of Muslims to cooperate with law enforcement authorities to protect the lives of all civilians.
And a reassuring prayer:
We pray for the defeat of extremism and terrorism. We pray for the safety and security of our country, the United States, and its people. We pray for the safety and security of all inhabitants of our planet. We pray that interfaith harmony and cooperation prevail both in the United States and all around the globe.
This kind of statement goes a long way toward answering complaints (on this blog, as well as in media people actually read) that the Muslim community really needs to be more outspoken in its unqualified rejection of terrorism.
The next test will come, I suppose, next time there's a suicide bombing in Israel.
1 comment:
This fatwa is a good thing if most or all of the signers employ the same plain meaning for the language used that the rest of us use. CAMERA, however, points out that some of the signers of this fatwa have said that NO Israeli is innocent, that none is a civilian, that ALL are combatants, that Israel and the US have terrorist governments, etc. Time will tell what, if anything this really means.
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