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“Islam’s highest religious authority” in U.S. to serve up Thanksgiving leftovers

Nov 29, 2007 6:55 am By Robert Spencer

Tomorrow at the National Press Club there will be a historic event: the highest religious authority for Muslims in America, “in the spirit of this Season of Thanksgiving,” will present a fatwa denouncing terrorism to a leading Roman Catholic prelate and other religious leaders, who will reciprocate with their own statement praising diversity!

“Historic Display of Unity: Fiqh Council of North America to present Fatwa denouncing terrorists to Cardinal McCarrick and other religious leaders,” from the Bridges to Common Ground website (thanks to Christine at CVF):

WHEN
Date: November 30, 2007
Doors Open: 12:00 pm
Lunch Served: 12:30 pm
Event Begins: 1:00 pm

WHERE
The National Press Club, Ballroom
529 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20045

A remarkable demonstration of the unity of the American people will occur when a Fatwa denouncing terrorists and their violence, issued by the Fiqh Council of North America, Islam’s highest religious authority, will be presented to Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Very Rev. Samuel Lloyd III and other leaders of our nation’s religious groups.

The Fatwa states that a believing Muslim cannot condone violence against innocent people, cannot associate with people who commit or promote acts of violence, and, most importantly, must report to the proper civil authorities those that might harm Americans.

It further states that targeting civilians’ life and property through suicide bombings or any other method of attack is prohibited in Islam -haram- and those who commit these barbaric acts are criminals, not “martyrs” and that there is no justification in Islam for extremism or terrorism.

Read the Fatwa

In response to the Fatwa, the Christian and Jewish leaders will present a Thanksgiving Season Proclamation welcoming the action and pledging to work together to make America inhospitable to terrorists.

Here’s the fatwa, from the link above:

The following Fatwa was issued by the Fiqh Council of North America, Islam’s highest religious authority in North America.

In the spirit of this Season of Thanksgiving, a uniquely American holiday, the Fiqh Council of North America states its unequivocal and unqualified condemnation of the destruction and violence committed against innocent men and women.

This condemnation of violence is deeply rooted in true Islamic values based on the Qur’anic instructions which consider the unjust killing of a single person equivalent to the killing of al humanity (Qur’an 5:32). 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 prohibited in Islam ― haram ― and those who commit these barbaric acts are criminals, not “martyrs.”

In giving thanks for America and for American people and in the light of the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah, we, the Fiqh Council of North America, clearly, without hesitation, strongly issue this Fatwa:

1. All acts of terrorism are forbidden in Islam.

1. It is forbidden for a Muslim to cooperate or associate with any individual or group that is involved in any act of terrorism or violence.

1. It is the duty of Muslims to report to enforcement authorities any threat which is designed to place a human being in harm’s way, bringing them before a competent court of law and in accordance with due process.

We pray for the defeat of extremism, terrorism and injustice. We pray for the safety and security of our country United States and its people. We pray for the safety and security of all inhabitants of this globe. We pray that interfaith harmony and cooperation prevail both in United States and every where in the world.

On behalf of the Fiqh Council of North America.

“In the spirit of this Season of Thanksgiving” the Fiqh Council at least could have served up something fresh. Instead, all they’re going to give McCarrick and Lloyd tomorrow will be leftovers. This fatwa is almost identical to the one they issued in July 2005. That one had three points:

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.

This one also has three points, although in the two intervening years the children of the inventors of Arabic numerals seem to have forgotten how to use them:

1. All acts of terrorism are forbidden in Islam.

1. It is forbidden for a Muslim to cooperate or associate with any individual or group that is involved in any act of terrorism or violence.

1. It is the duty of Muslims to report to enforcement authorities any threat which is designed to place a human being in harm’s way, bringing them before a competent court of law and in accordance with due process.

Two years have passed, and many people, including I myself, have pointed out the weaknesses of this fatwa. Yet now it is being reissued with slight revisions, but without any attempt to address the concerns that have been raised. The Fiqh Council “states its unequivocal and unqualified condemnation of the destruction and violence committed against innocent men and women.” Is this fatwa designed to deter Muslims from imbibing the jihad ideology and joining jihad groups? If so, it needs to be much more specific and pointed. It condemns violence against “innocent men and women,” but jihadists contend that no non-Muslim is innocent. So a jihadist who reads this fatwa could agree with it entirely and continue to carry out violent attacks against those he considers to be kuffar harbi — infidels at war with Islam, and not innocents at all. If the Fiqh Council really wants to do something to stop this, it should define what it means by “innocent men and women.” But this has been pointed out for two years, and they haven’t done it. Why not?

The same problem runs through the document. Qur’an 5:32 is dragged out again, although the statement does specify that it only forbids “unjust” killing, and it is of course silent about 5:33, which mandates crucifixion or amputation for those who make war against Allah and his messenger Muhammad. Targeting “civilians” is condemned, again without defining what constitutes a civilian, or refuting the jihadist contention that there is no concept of “civilian” in Islamic law. Again, why not?

Note also the modification of the third point, from Muslims must “cooperate with law enforcement authorities to protect the lives of all civilians” to Muslims must “report to enforcement authorities any threat which is designed to place a human being in harm’s way, bringing them before a competent court of law and in accordance with due process.” Court of law and due process — in other words, we reserve the right to protest the treatment of people like Jose Padilla and others held at Guantanamo, etc.

Finally, “we pray for the defeat of extremism, terrorism and injustice” — all again undefined. So is this fatwa really intended to defeat Islamic jihad? If so, why all the vagueness and refusal to confront jihadism on its own terms?

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