U.S. Muslim Religious Council Issues Fatwa Against Terrorism
Reacting to the bombings in London, the Fiqh Council of North America on July 28 became the first known Muslim group to issue a fatwa against terrorism and religious extremism.
The Fiqh Council of North America wishes to reaffirm Islam’s absolute condemnation of terrorism and religious extremism.
Islam strictly condemns religious extremism and the use of violence against innocent lives. There is no justification in Islam for extremism or terrorism. Targeting civiliansí 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.”
The Qur’an, Islam’s revealed text, states: “Whoever kills a person [unjustly] it is as though he has killed all mankind. And whoever saves a life, it is as though he had saved all mankind.” (Qur’an, 5:32)
Prophet Muhammad said there is no excuse for committing unjust acts: “Do not be people without minds of your own, saying that if others treat you well you will treat them well, and that if they do wrong you will do wrong to them. Instead, accustom your selves to do good if people do good and not to do wrong (even) if they do evil.” (Al-Tirmidhi)
God mandates moderation in faith and in all aspects of life when He states in the Qur’an: “We made you to be a community of the middle way, so that (with the example of your lives) you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind.” (Qur’an, 2:143 )
In another verse, God explains our duties as human beings when he says: “Let there arise from among you a band of people who invite to righteousness, and enjoin good and forbid evil.” (Qur’an, 3:104)
Islam teaches us to act in a caring manner to all of God’s creation. The Prophet Muhammad, who is described in the Qur’an as “a mercy to the worlds” said: “All creation is the family of God, and the person most beloved by God (is the one) who is kind a nd caring toward His family.”
In the light of the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah we clearly and strongly state:
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.
We issue this fatwa following the guidance of our scripture, the Qur’an, and the teachings of our Prophet Muhammad — peace be upon him. We urge all people to resolve all conflicts in just and peaceful manners.
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 cooperat ion prevail both in the United States and all around the globe.
FIQH COUNCIL OF NORTH AMERICA
Members
- Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi
- Dr. Abdul Hakim Jackson
- Dr. Ahmad Shleibak
- Dr. Akbar Muhammad
- Dr. Deina Abdulkadir
- Shaikh Hassan Qazwini
- Dr. Ihsan Bagby
- Dr. Jamal Badawi
- Dr. Muhammad Adam Sheikh
- Shaikh Muhammad Al-Hanooti
- Shaikh Muhammad Nur Abdallah
- Dr. Salah Soltan
- Dr. Taha Jabir Alalwani
- Shaikh Yahya Hindi
- Shaikhah Zainab Alwani
- Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Shah
- Dr. Mukhtar Maghraoui
- Dr. Nazih Hammad
ENDORSED BY:
145 Muslim organizations, mosques and imams have endorsed the preceding fatwa as of July 28, 2005 (see below). More signatory organizations are to be added in the following days. To add your American Muslim organization to the list, please email your name, title, and affiliation to cair@cair-net.org.
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), Muslim American Society (MAS), Muslim Student Association of the US & Canada (MSA), Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations, American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin, American Muslim Alliance, Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations, Council of Shia Muslim Scholars of North America, Islamic Networks Group & Affiliates, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Muslim Student Association of the US & Canada, USA Halal Chamber of Commerce, Inc & The Islamic Center for Halal, Certification, Islamic Center of America, Islamic Sharia Advisory Institute of North America, Islamic Resource Group, Islamic Schools League of America, Kashmiri American Council, Minaret of Freedom Institute, Project Islamic HOPE, United Muslims of America, Muslim Ummah of North America, Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, Islamic Center of Northeast Florida, Islamic Center of South Florida, Islamic Foundation of South Florida, Islamic Movement of Florida, Islamic Society of Central Florida, Islamic Society of Tampa Bay Area, The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, Islamic Center of New England, Islamic Center of Maryland, Islamic Society of Washington Area, Muslim Federation of New Jersey, Islamic Council of Ohio, Islamic Foundation of Central Ohio, Virginia Muslim Political Action Committee, Islamic Association of West Virginia, Islamic Center of Little Rock, Greenway Islamic Center, Afghan Cultural Center, Al Nur Islamic Center, American Muslim Voice, Blossom Valley Muslim Community Center, Dar As-Salaam, Islamic Society of San Francisco, Elmhurst Islamic Center, Hidaya Foundation, Indian Muslim Relief & Charities, Islamic Center Of Fremont, Islamic Center of Pleasanton/Dublin, Islamic Center Of Reseda, Islamic Education Center, Islamic Learning and Practicing, Islamic Society of Orange County, Long Beach Islamic Center, Masjid Al-Rasul, Masjid Al-Taqwa, Muslim Community Association of the Peninsula, Muslim Community Association of the San Francisco Bay Area, Muslim Community Center of San Francisco, Muslim Community Services, Inc., South Bay Islamic Association, South Valley Islamic Center, Yaseen Foundation and the Muslim Community Center, Masjid Al-Kauthar, Assadiq Islamic Educational Foundation, Bay County Islamic Society Inc, Islamic Center of Boca Raton, Islamic Center of Tampa, Islamic Jaffaria Association, Islamic Society of Pinellas County, Masjid Al-Ansar, Masjid Al-Faizal, Masjid Al-Hijrah, Masjid Al-Ihsan, Masjid Al-Nahl, Masjid An-Noor, Masjid Jama Al Mumineen, Masjid Miami, Masjid Muttaqeen, Masjid Sahmsuddin, Miami Gardens Masjid, Muslim Community of Palm Beach County, Nur Ul Islam, Palm Beach Mosque, Dalton Islamic Center, Islamic Center of Marietta, Masjid Al Muminun, Islamic Center of Des Moines, Masjid Dar-ul-Argum, Belleville Mosque and Islamic Education Center, Masjid Centralia, The Mosque Foundation, The Muslim Community Center, Islamic Society of Michiana, Islamic Center of Somerset, Islamic Association of Greater Shreveport, Masjid Abu Bakr Al Siddique, Islamic Society of Boston, Howard County Muslim Council, Islamic Society of Annapolis, Islamic Society of Baltimore, Mecca Learning Center, Muslim Community Center, Islamic House of Wisdom, Kalamazoo Islamic Center, Al-Mu’minun Islamic Center, Daar-ul-Islam Masjid, Islamic Center of Cape Girardeau, Islamic Society of Greater Kansas City, Masjid Al Heyder, Masjid Mohammed, Islamic Association of Cary, Islamic Association of Raleigh, Islamic Center of Raleigh, American Islamic Academy, Islamic Center Passaic County, Islamic Center Old Bridge, Islamic Educational Center North Hudson, Islamic Society Essex County, Muslim Center of Middlesex County, Siddiquia Jamia Masjid, Umar Mosque, Islamic Center of New Mexico, First Cleveland Mosque, Islamic Center of Cleveland, Islamic Society of Greater Columbus, Masjid Saad Foundation, Uqbah Mosque Foundation, Islamic Center of Portland, Masjid As-Saber, Foundation for Islamic Education, Muslim Community of Knoxville, Muslim Community of North East Tennessee, Masjid Al-Noor, Islamic Society of Greater Houston, Muslim Children Education & Civic Center, Islamic Society of Salt Lake City, All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS), Darassalam, Islamic Center of Virginia, Masjid Darul Huda, Muslim Association of Virginia, Mustafa Center, Islamic Center of Blacksburg VA, Rashid Lamptey, Rizwan Jaka, Islam Mossaad, Didmar Faja, Rashid Ahmed, Souleiman Ghani, Riaz Ahmad, Mubashir Ahmed, Ali Shakoor, Ahmad Sakr, Misbah Eldereiny, Muzammil Siddiqi, Shakeel Syed, Ismail Majoo, Tarek Mohamed, Mujahid Abdul-Karim, Abdul Karim Salih, M. Rezar Rahman, Tahir Anwar, Ilyas Anwar, Ziyad Dahbour, Rudolph Ali, Sayed Mohammad Jawad Qazwini, Hashem Mubrak, Jalal Khan, Zaid Malik, Hassan Sabri, Ziad Taha, Rashid Ahmad, Mohamed Banglori, Moneer Khan, Ziah Sheikh, Mohammed al Masri, Haitham Barazangi, Muhammad Sultan, Nasir Ahmed, Roshan Ali, Kamruz Hosein, Tarik Chebbi, Rashad Mujahid, Mohamed Zakaria Badat, Khalil Hussain, Hamid Samra, Usman Rahaman, Foad Farahi, Abdul Hamid Samra, Murtaza Kakli, Roshan Ali, Osman Chowdhury, Hammad El-Ameen, Amjad Taufique, Furqan Muhammad, Ibrahim Dremali, Abdul W. Kazi, Zahir Ansari, Abdul Malik Mujahid, Kifah Mustapha, Elkheir Elkheir, Mohammed Sirajuddin, Husein Turki, Sayed Jumaa Salam, Abdur Rahman Bashir, Talal Eid, Shaykh Besyouni, Anwer Hasan, Amin Ezzeddine, Mohammad Arrafa, Abid Husain, Faizul Khan, Azad Ejaz, Habib Diab Ghanim, Hasan Al-Qazwini, Mohammad Ali Elahi, Tariq Jameel, Samuel Ansari, Muhammad Nur Abdallah, Shafiq Malik, Shahir Safi, Hafiz Inayadullah, Said Mohammed, Maha El-Genaidi, Salam Al-Marayti, Mohamed Sheibani, Shakil Ahmed, Mohammed Bainonie, Shaykh Al-Tayyab, Mohammad Qatanani, Alvi Fakhruddin, Mohamed Alhayek, Ismail Elshikh, Abubakr Nadwi, Saif Ul-Nabi, Tariq Khawaja, Nimer Judeh, Isam Rajab, Abu Nuruzzaman, Abbas Ahmad, Zahid Siddiqi, Fawaz Damra, Sohail Khan, Siraj Haji, M. N. Tarazi, Ziad Abu Hummos, Ramez Islambouli, Samir Horani, Sheikh Mustafa Ahmad, Mohammad Islam, Taneem Aziz, Danish Siddiqui, Abdul Wahid, Ali Mohammed, Mohamed Magid, Mohammed M. Safa, Shaheed Coovadia, Abdul Hameed, Rafi Uddin Ahmed, Mohammad Zia, Mohamad Jamal Daoudi, Syed Samee, Agha Saeed, Sayed Moustafa Al-Qazwini, Anwar N Haddam, Zafar Siddiqui, Karen Keyworth, Ghulam Nabi Fai, Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad, Najee Ali
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