Spanish Anti Fatwa

Dance Your Belly Off!

Here is the full text of the Spanish fatwa against bin Laden issued Cordoba, 11 March 2005 by Mansur Escudero Bedate, Secretary General of The Islamic Commission of Spain.

In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Fatwa against Usama Bin Ladin, Al-Qa'ida, and those who try to justify terrorism with references to the holy Koran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, may God's peace and blessing be upon him.

On the occasion of the first anniversary of the 11 March terror attacks in Madrid, the Islamic Commission of Spain has approved a fatwa (religious decree) in which it, once again, condemns terrorism and underlines that, from an Islamic point of view it is impossible to justify any kind of, or manifestation of terrorism.

The fatwa will serve as a starting point for the coming anti-terrorist conference that is to be held, God willing, in Madrid this coming fall.

Doctrinal Foundation

In the Koran, the Book revealed to mankind as a guide, God orders Muslims to acquire excellence in ethical and moral behavior. Islamic morality rests on values such as peace, tolerance, mercy, or compassion.

The Koran reminds Muslims that they are responsible before God for their behavior and their treatment of other people, whether these are Muslims or not.

In this sense, Muslims have the duty to seek out good for themselves, their families, neighbors, and society in general.

"And do good to others as Allah has done good to you, and do not seek to make mischief in the land, surely Allah does not love the mischief-makers." (28.77)

The word "mischief" here includes all forms of anarchy and terrorism that undermine or destroy peace and security.

Muslims, thus, must not only not commit crimes against innocent people, but they are responsible before God to stop all those who intend to do so, since they "make mischief in the land."

With regard to relations with non-Muslims, verse 60:8 notes the following:

"Respecting those who have not made war against you on account of (your) religion, and have not driven you forth from your homes, God does not forbid you from showing them kindness (birr) and dealing with them justly; surely God loves the doers of justice."

The concept of "birr" in this verse makes reference to the manner in which someone should treat parents and relatives. In the same way, it is contained in the two principle collections of hadiths (Bukhari and Muslim) that the Prophet said:

"By God, those are not true believers who are feared by their neighbors for their malice."

The Prophet encouraged believers to be good even to animals, and forbade them to do them harm or overburden them with work. A hadith indicates that the Prophet said about a man who gave a thirsty dog something to drink that all his sins were forgiven just for that action.

He was then asked:

"Oh Messenger of God, then will we be compensated for our kindness toward all animals?" The Prophet answered: "There is a reward for kindness toward any animal or human being". (Sahih Muslim, 2244, and Sahih Al-Bukhari, 2466).

The Koran does not encourage Muslims to return evil with evil, but, on the contrary, calls on believers to return evil with good deeds.

"But (as) good and evil cannot be compared, repel evil with something better. Henceforth, whosoever existed in enmity with you, shall become a true friend."(41:34).

God also indicates in the Koran that the Garden (paradise) has been prepared for those who work on His Cause, in days of prosperity and in days of deprivation, those who restrain their wrath and forgive others, because God loves those who do good. (3:135)

"For those who persevere in doing good, the supreme good awaits them. Their faces will not be overshadowed by darkness or humiliation (on the Day of the Judgment). They are destined for Paradise, where they will reside (eternally)" (10:26). "Remember that any attempt to make up for evil can become evil. Therefore, those who forgive their enemies and make peace with them, will receive their reward from God, because certainly He does not love malefactors "(42:40).

The hatred of God toward murder becomes manifest in the verses that speak of Abel in the Surah of the Table Spread With Food:

"And Cain said: I will most certainly slay you!" (5:27) Abel responded:

"Even if you will stretch forth your hand toward me to slay me, I am not one to stretch forth my hand toward you to slay you: surely I fear God, the Lord of the worlds:

After the murder of Abel, God says:

"For this reason did We prescribe to the children of Israel that whoever slays a soul, unless it be for manslaughter or for mischief in the land, it is as though he slew all men; and whoever keeps it alive, it is as though he kept alive all men."

Let it be noted that the reference to the children of Israel does not affect the universal validity of the message.

The Prophet also pointed out that murder was the second among the major sins man can commit (Sahih Al-Bukhari: 6871, and Sahih Muslim: 88), and warned that on Judgment Day, the first cases to be judged would be those dealing with bloodshed (Sahih Muslim: 1678, and Sahih Al-Bukhari: 6533)

The concept of war itself as consistently followed in the Koran has an exclusively defensive tone:

"And fight for the cause of God with those who fight you, but do not commit aggressions, surely God does not love aggressors." (2:190)

As Mohammad Asad says in his tafsir (interpretation of the Koran): "Most commentators agree that the expression "la taatadu" means in this context "do not commit aggression." The defensive character of combat "for the cause of God" -- that is to say, for the cause of the ethical principles commanded by God -- is evident through the allusion of "those who fight you" -- and is even further clarified in verse 22:39: "Permission (to fight) is given to those who have been unjustly attacked" which is, as far as we know, the first (and therefore fundamental) reference in the Koran to the question of Jihad."

Within the context of defensive war, the Prophet laid down strict limits intended to saving lives and property. Thus, the Prophet Mohammad prohibited the killing, in the event of an armed conflict, of any women, children, or civilians in general (Sahih Muslim: 1744, and Sahih Al-Bukhari: 015).

He also said that whoever killed a person having a treaty or agreement with the Muslims, shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise (Sahih Al-Bukhari: 3166, and Ibn Majah: 2686)

In the light of these and other Islamic writings, the terrorist acts by Usama Bin Ladin and his Al-Qa'ida organization, which are aimed at filling defenseless people's hearts with fear, entail the destruction of buildings and property, entail the death of civilians such as women, children, and similar beings, are absolutely prohibited and clearly condemned by Islamic teachings.

Getting involved in acts of terrorism under the pretext of "defending the suppressed nations of the world and Muslims' rights" has, therefore, no justification at all in Islam.

There can be no doubt that the Muslims have a legitimate right to react against aggression or a situation of oppression. However, any such reaction must not lead to blind or irrational hatred:

"Let not hatred of those who prevent access to the House of Inviolable Adoration (that is to say, the fulfillment of your religious obligations) incite you to exceed the limits, but, on the contrary, help one another in promoting goodness and piety, and do not help one another in promoting evil and enmity." (5:2)

In the same way, the Koran indicates with reference to those who hypocritically claim to follow the Bible, that whenever they kindle a fire for war, God will put it out (5:64). God also condemns those nations that violate international treaties and start wars (8:56) and demands that everything be done to defeat them (8:60), but if they incline to peace, then the Muslims should do so, too. (8:61).

From all that, it follows that terrorism and extremism contradict the very human nature and the teachings of Islam.

The Muslims must know that terrorism is a threat to Islam and does damage to our religion and to us Muslims. The correct Islamic education in the madrasas and Islamic universities will allow everyone to understand that Islam is a religion of peace that repudiates any act of terrorism and indiscriminate killing.

The presence of signs such as arrogance, fanaticism, extremism, or religious intolerance in a person or group will indicate that these people have broken with Islam and the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad.

The carrying out of acts of terrorism denotes a rupture with Islamic teachings of such magnitude that allows one to affirm that the individuals or groups that carried them out are no longer Muslims and have placed themselves outside the sphere of Islam. Such groups distort and manipulate fundamental Islamic concepts such as the Jihad by subjecting them to their very own interpretation and their own view.

In practice, these groups, which use names and language related to Islam, discredit with their acts the image of Islam and serve the interests of their enemies. Their actions incite Islamophobia in countries where Muslims constitute a minority and they destroy the relations of cooperation and neighborliness between Muslims and non-Muslims. Their behavior produces a distorted image of Islam, which is exactly what the enemies of Islam seek to show the world.

These extremist groups bring indiscriminate death, even to other Muslims. Let it be said in this connection that the Prophet emphasized that any Muslim who kills another Muslim becomes a kafir (infidel).

In this same sense, if a Muslim or a group of Muslims commit an act of terrorism, this individual or group is violating the laws of Islam and is abandoning God's guidance on the path of Din.

"God does not grant his guidance to those that deliberately do wrong" (9:109)

As a result, we have to issue the following statement:

1. That Islam rejects terrorism in all its forms, be it the death of or damage to innocent human beings or their property.

2. That Islam is the main victim of the terror attacks carried out by some groups falsely calling themselves "Islamic," since such attacks not only claim the lives of numerous Muslims, but also damage the image of Islam, augment feelings of Islamophobia and serve the interests of the enemies of Islam.

3. That these groups try to conceal their deviation through distorted and manipulated interpretations of the holy scripts, in an attempt to gain support among Muslims or to recruit new followers.

This fraud must be denounced strongly by Islamic scholars and leaders worldwide.

4. That those who commit acts of terror violate the most fundamental Koranic teachings and thus turn into apostates who have given up Islam.

5. That every Muslim has the duty to actively fight against terrorism, in line with the Koranic mandate that establishes the obligation to impede the spread of corruption on the earth.

Based on what has been stated, it has to be pronounced:

That according to the Sharia, all who declare halal or allow what God has declared haram or prohibited, like the killing of innocent people in terrorist attacks, will become Kafir Murtadd Mustahlil, that is to say an apostate, by trying to make a crime such as the murder of innocent people, halal (istihlal); a crime explicitly forbidden by the Sacred Koran and the Sunna of the Prophet Muhammad, may God's peace and blessing be upon him.

As long as Usama Bin Ladin and his organization defend the legality of terrorism and try to base it on the Sacred Koran and the Sunna, they are committing the crime of istihlal and, ipso facto, become apostates (kafir murtadd), who should not be considered Muslims nor be treated as such.

We also declare that Usama Bin Ladin and his organization Al-Qa'ida, responsible for the horrible crimes against those innocent people who were vilely assassinated in the 11 March terrorist attack in Madrid, are outside the parameters of Islam; and the same goes for all who refer to the Sacred Koran and the Prophet's Sunna in committing acts of terrorism.

Moreover, we declare that the alleged political logic by Usama Bin Ladin and his organization regarding the recovery of Al Andalus that have been made public and become well known by all, completely contradict the divine will that has been clearly expressed throughout history: being that God is the Lord of History and everything that happens, has happened or will happen; that he is Divine Purpose and Favor and must be considered as such in any event by Muslims, for whom God is Giver of Goods; and that not even the best of conspirators are creatures with the capacity to judge or question what the Divine Will has decreed.

The tragedy of Al Andalus, the genocide of Muslims and their expulsion from Spain, the native home of all of them, is to be judged by God alone, while the servants are to accept the Divine Decree and be thankful.

With reference to the breach of the Capitulations of Santa Fe, signed by the Catholic King and Queen [Ferdinand and Isabella] and the King of the Islamic Kingdom of Granada, we declare that with the signing of the Cooperation Agreements of 1992 -- between the Spanish state and the legal representatives of the Spanish Muslims, known as The Islamic Commission of Spain -- all demands, legal or political, have ended, as the Agreement recognizes in its introduction that "Islam forms part of the identity of Spain." From a legal or political point of view, this recognition, along with what is stipulated in the Agreements, has settled the question for good.

The 1992 Agreement of Cooperation is the new framework that we, the Spanish State and Spanish Muslims, have given ourselves to settle our relations. The Agreement represents the explicit will of Spanish Muslims; and nobody outside of this community, whether they are known as Bin Ladin, Al-Qa'ida or by any other name, has the right to meddle with the matters of our Islamic community.

Based on this fatwa, we have requested the national government and Spanish media to stop using the words Islam or Islamic to describe these criminals, when these are not Muslim and have no relations whatsoever with our Umma or Islamic Community; instead, they should be called Al-Qa'ida terrorists or something similar, but without using Islamic as an adjective, since, as has been declared above, this is not in conformity with the law.

Likewise, we ask those in charge of the media to recognize what has been stated here and to proceed from now on under the criteria expounded above; particularly, by neither tying Islam nor Muslims to any kind of terrorist acts, especially if these come in the guise of Islamic ideas or language.

Last Updated 9/1/05

Spanish Anti Fatwa

My Favorite Web Sites