Jihad must be in accord with Sharia rules, says Sayyid Imam Abdulaziz al-Sharif.
By Mohammed Al Shafey for Asharq Al-Awsat (thanks to Davsmi):
London, Asharq Al-Awsat- Speaking from his prison in Egypt, founder of Al-Jihad Organization and Al-Qaeda ideologue, issued a call urging all jihadist and Islamist movements in the world to ensure that their jihadist operations are carried out in accordance with the rules of Shariaa.
It’s funny how Sayyid Imam Abdulaziz al-Sharif seems to know what those Sharia rules are, and to assume that his Muslim audience knows them too, while Islamic apologists in the West routinely insist that Sharia is so multifarious and complex that it is impossible to say definitively what it says about any particular issue. Of course, they say this when non-Muslims bring up uncomfortable matters such as stonings and amputations. In any case, the schools of Islamic jurisprudence (madhahib) agree about 75% of the time, so it is not at all illegitimate to speak of Sharia rules — as Sayyid Imam Abdulaziz al-Sharif well knows.
Dr Fadl, also known as Sayyid Imam Abdulaziz al-Sharif stressed that his call is now necessary because of the rise in new forms of un-Islamic fighting and killing in the name of jihad that violate Shariaa law, like the of killing people based on their nationality, skin or hair color, or being affiliated with a certain sect, and also the killing innocent Muslims or non-Muslims.
So only non-innocent Muslims and non-Muslims can lawfully be killed.
Dr Fadl, who is serving a life sentence in connection with the 1999 “returnees from Albania” case, sent a letter by fax to Asharq Al-Awsat from Turrah prison. Muntasir al-Zayyat, legal representative of the fundamentalist movements in Egypt, confirmed that this letter was sent by Dr Fadl.
In the letter Dr Fadl urged jihadists not to use the excuse of human shields to expand the circle of killing, and to refrain from stealing and destroying property, as all these actions constitute aggression. God, he explained, prohibits aggression during jihad as illustrated by the Koranic injunction: “Fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do not transgress the limits; for God loveth not transgressors.”…
This is Qur’an 2:190. He is speaking about defensive jihad, which is according to Islamic law the only kind of jihad that can be waged today — offensive jihad can only be called by the caliph, which is a main reason why jihadists want to restore the caliphate. In the meantime, of course, virtually anything can be and has been justified as defensive, but Dr. Fadl is reminding jihadists that jihad is not undifferentiated mayhem, but warfare with specific goals and purposes.
He added in his letter: We are prohibited from committing aggression, even if the enemies of Islam do that. God described them as: “In a Believer they respect not the ties either of kinship or of covenant! It is they who have transgressed all bounds.”…
Fadl authored the most important book on jihadist jurisprudence in the past quarter century, “The Basic Principles in Making Preparations for Jihad” This book is considered the jihadist movements’ constitution and all researchers use it as a reference. It lays down the rules of jurisprudence for combat operations for all jihadist groups. Al-Qaeda regards the book as its guide for combat.
Dr Fadl added: Jihad in the cause of God has been the continuous duty of the nation of Islam since God instituted it as a law and it will persist until the last of the Muslims fight alongside Christ, may God’s peace be upon him, against the False Messiah at the end of times. Jihad, as our prophet Muhammad informed us, is the pinnacle of the Islamic faith….
Fadl, who was extradited to Egypt by Yemen in 2004, added: “This new document is not addressed to one particular group and does not criticize any particular party. It is a collection of rules to help jihadists avoid violating Shariaa during their conduct of jihad.”
He added: “It is not permissible to reject this document on the grounds that it was written in jail or by claiming that a captive has no authority over others. I do not pretend to have authority over anyone. I am not requiring anyone to accept my view in the name of obedience to the leader. This leadership does not exist. I am not pretending to be qualified to issue religious edicts or that I am deducing new rules of jurisprudence. I am merely a transmitter of religious knowledge. There is a form of obedience that is greater than the obedience accorded to any leader, namely, obedience to God and His messenger. God says: ‘If ye have a dispute over a certain matter, consult what God and the prophet say.’ What Shariaa requires us to do takes precedence over any human covenant.”…