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Robert Spencer in FrontPage Mag: Saudi Arabia’s Phony Anti-Terrorism Fatwa

Sep 19, 2014 11:12 pm By Robert Spencer

SaudiGrandMuftialSheikhIn FrontPage I discuss yet another exercise in deception and hypocrisy:

It is a popular aspect of media mythmaking about the Islamic State that it is so extreme that even other “extremists” such as al-Qaeda shun and repudiate it. But this claim, like the many declarations by both Muslim and non-Muslim leaders that the Islamic State has nothing to do with Islam, is always left unexplained and unsupported.

The recent Saudi statement against terrorism is yet another example of this. The credulous and ignorant will wax enthusiastic over this display of Saudi “moderation,” but in reality — yet again — the closer one looks, the less there is to see.

The Associated Press reported that

Saudi Arabia’s highest body of religious scholars issued a stern ruling on Wednesday calling terrorism a “heinous crime” and saying perpetrators including Islamic State militants deserve punishment in line with Islamic law.

The Council of Senior Religious Scholars said in its fatwa, or religious edict, that it backs the kingdom’s efforts to track down and punish followers of the Islamic State group and al-Qaida.

The House of Saud is in trouble. They’ve spent billions to propagate worldwide the view of Islam held by the Islamic State and al-Qaeda. They perhaps never envisioned the prospect of a caliphate practically on their doorstep, and challenging their own legitimacy: the monster they created is returning to haunt them, and they know that if they join any military action against the Islamic State, they could face an uprising at home from young Muslims who have imbibed the understanding of Islam that they have so energetically taught. Hence this fatwa: they hope to delegitimize now what they have spent billions to legitimize, and convince their own people that the Islamic State has nothing to do with Islam and must be rejected.

AP, as biased as it is, seems aware that this is the point of this fatwa: to preserve the Saudi monarchy. “The clerics,” it reported, “are appointed by the government and are seen as guardians of the kingdom’s ultraconservative Wahhabi school of Islam. The statement by the group of 21 scholars underpins the kingdom’s broader efforts to deter citizens from joining extremist groups that want to bring down the Western-allied monarchy.”

The report noted that Secretary of State John Kerry had gone to Saudi Arabia last week and “planned to ask Mideast countries to encourage government-controlled media and members of the religious establishment to speak out against extremism.”

How ironic: the understanding of Islam that Saudis have worked so hard to spread throughout the world is now “extremism.” But the Saudi statement points at others as the “extremists”: “The council’s condemnations extended to others the Saudi government opposes as well, including the Shiite Hawthi rebel group in Yemen and Saudi Hezbollah, a Shiite militant movement that was engaged in attacks in the kingdom in the 1980s and 1990s. It also criticized what it called ‘crimes of terrorism practiced by the Israeli occupation.’”

It sounds as if this is the Saudi Islamic scholars’ version of the hit on the Five Families. But note the hypocrisy: the Saudis are against the jihad terrorism of the Islamic State, al-Qaeda and Hizballah, but also against the foremost target of the global jihad, Israel — which shows that they’re not really against jihad terror at all. And what they’re really against is anything that would upset the House of Saud: “One of the greatest sins,” says the statement, is “disobeying the ruler.” This essentially makes it explicit: this is all about preserving the House of Saud, not about genuinely rejecting terrorism.

Yet “to help back up its religious ruling, the council referred to words of the Prophet Muhammad, who warned against following those who want to divide the nation.” The Islamic State, however, doesn’t want to “divide” Saudi Arabia. It wants to incorporate all of it into the Islamic State. But the scholars dismiss the new caliphate as a terrorist group: “The scholars added that any Muslim who thinks jihad — or striving in the path of God — means joining a terrorist group ‘is ignorant and has gone astray.’”

These scholars, remember, are in the country that for years has been the chief financier of jihad terrorism worldwide. But in any case, “the head of the council and grand mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheik Abdul-Aziz Al-Sheik, described the Islamic State and al-Qaida as Islam’s top enemies.”

“Islam” in that case means “Saudi Arabia.”

Amid all these condemnations of terrorist groups was one notable omission: “Notably absent from the council’s list is the Muslim Brotherhood, which Saudi authorities have outlawed and also branded as terrorist.” The Brotherhood also has significant support in Saudi Arabia, but it doesn’t pose a threat to the Saudi state at the moment. Thus there is no need to mention it and risk angering even more of the population than this present declaration will rile up.

The Saudi Gazette offered more detail, saying that the Saudi Scholars Commission and Ifta Council “said terrorism, which is rejected by Shariah, is contradictory to the principles and purpose of Islam, which came as a mercy to the world and for the goodness of mankind.”

Saudi Arabia is, of course, a Sharia state. It regularly practices beheadings, amputations, and the like. It subjugates and oppresses women. This is what the Saudi Scholars Commission and Ifta Council means by a “mercy to the world.” When they condemn “terrorism,” they don’t mean by the word what most Americans think of. They mean “anything that threatens the Saudi state.”

They likewise redefine “tolerance”: “Tolerance is the essence of Islam, which came to maintain coexistence and peace on earth, the senior Ulema (Islamic scholars) said at the conclusion of the Council’s 80th session.” Tolerance? Remember: these apostles of Islamic tolerance believe that someone who has a Bible or a crucifix deserves arrest, imprisonment, and deportation or death.

The Orwellian redefinition machine went into overdrive when the scholars said: “Terrorism has nothing to do with jihad, and Islam rejects the deviant thought which causes bloodshed.” Except, that is, for the blood of apostates, heretics, adulterers, and all the others whose blood is called for under Sharia. The statement “described terrorism as any crime aimed at corrupting and undermining security, offenses against lives or property, homes, schools, hospitals, factories, bridges, state facilities or oil and gas pipelines, or blowing up or hijacking aeroplanes.”

And yet they condemn Israel, even though Hamas jihadists target Israeli lives and property, homes, schools, etc. What they really mean here is that terrorism involves offenses against Muslim lives and property.

Finally, “the council urged everyone to utilize all means to strengthen unity and cohesion.”

That is, utilize all means to strengthen the House of Saud. That is what this statement against terrorism is all about. Which will not keep it from being an object of celebration for the naïve and credulous.

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Filed Under: Jihad doctrine, Moderate Muslims, Saudi Arabia, War is deceit Tagged With: featured


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Comments

  1. Salah says

    Sep 19, 2014 at 11:34 pm

    “..they hope to delegitimize now what they have spent billions to legitimize”

    This is a bright and sunny day for humanity, the day Islam confronts its worst enemy: Islam!!!

  2. dlbrand says

    Sep 20, 2014 at 1:02 am

    Fatwa–for all fools–against sunnah.

    Indeed.

    Nothing more than a dog and pony show, by those practiced at producing such as needed, to satisfy the want of those in need of such.

  3. mortimer says

    Sep 20, 2014 at 1:03 am

    Duplicity is normative Islamic speech. Words are used with dual meanings. Deception of the disbelievers is routine and admired…even when they are allies.

    The Saudis have approved and financed jihads, but now they are angered that jihad is directed against the Royal Family of Saud.

    The Wahhabism promoted by the House of Saud has turned on them.

    • Angemon says

      Sep 20, 2014 at 5:48 am

      Western leaders are saying that ISIS has nothing to do with islam. But muslims know that the kuffar lie, therefore muslims are getting confirmation that ISIS is truly islamic. Sucks to be the Saudi Royal family…

  4. Rezali Mehil says

    Sep 20, 2014 at 3:34 am

    See this is the thing.

    Mr Spencer has explained things beautifully….Sunni extremists from Saud have ultimately created IS. Now they are seriously worried….that it has turned up a caliphate more capable than them and may devour them…

    WHY WHY WHY?… then does America want to be their air force and give them a “get out of jail free” card…..I don’t understand it.

    Let the bastards stew….let them sort out IS by themselves…or ask forgiveness from Allah SWT by themselves…if they don’t get his blessings …and they fall

    …well …they fall …fuck them.

    This horrible looking sunni grand mufti is the one they will string up first …this man has much blood on his hands – let him have his fate….

    Let them get on with it …stay out of it America – you are going to get the blame anyway …listen to me …it is good advice.

    More Later …

    rezali

    • Beagle says

      Sep 20, 2014 at 4:22 am

      A Shia Muslim suddenly thinking it’s a good idea to let other (Sunni Wahhabi who hate Shia) Muslims get killed. Wow, what a principled stand. I’m sure we can rely on your same opinion if IS starts rampaging through Sadr City, not.

    • Jay Boo says

      Sep 20, 2014 at 8:14 am

      Unknowable sock-puppet Allah
      Shouldn’t that be a PBUH attribution used for a dead sock-puppet?

  5. logdon says

    Sep 20, 2014 at 7:25 am

    The Saudi’s are panicking because unlike Bush’s coalition of the willing, Obama’s coalition of the lukewarm is not going along for the ride.

    We’re sick and tired of carrying water for a country which spreads jihad, terror and trouble wherever it places its lying presence and there is no more stomach amongst western populaces for the hands tied warfare currently in vogue amongst a politicaly correct military.

    I did note that Sky TV disgustingly crow on behalf of the French airstrikes and dismiss Cameron’s reluctance as dithering on the news last night.

    This however is a News outlet who has just appointed a man by the name of Feisal Islam as political editor so what can we expect?

  6. Daniel Helder says

    Sep 20, 2014 at 7:40 am

    They don not dare to attack Israel because the IDF will turn them all into kebab!

  7. epistemology says

    Sep 20, 2014 at 7:47 am

    Dear Robert, I always admire your insightful comments and your clairvoyance. Thanks a lot. This article is a must read for all our gullible Western politicians.

    There is no difference between IS and the other Islamic terror organisations, there are only personal rivalries. Since 1979 when the great mosque in Mecca was taken by rebels in the kingdom the House of Saud’s members have been afraid of being ousted and they’re anxious to prove to Muslims all over the world that they’re the owners of the true teachings of their prophet pretender. That’s why they started proselytizing all over the world after their mosque was restored to them (by French para troops, as the Saudis are incapable of solving their problems themselves) and all of us are aware of the dire consequences of this proselytizing to this very day.

  8. wildjew says

    Sep 20, 2014 at 8:10 am

    When the left condemns the war in Iraq they have at least a partial case if not for the wrong reasons. It had to be well known by Bush administration officials the Saudis were up to their necks in the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington.

    Saudi charities to the highest levels of government gave zakat to al-Qaeda, Hamas and other terror organizations. Fifteen of the nineteen September hijackers were Saudi nationals. Bin Laden family, all Saudi. You might say al-Qaeda was (perhaps still is) a Saudi proxy.

    Maybe that is why the Bush administration or the president himself redacted 28 pages of the 9/11 Commission Report which implicated the Saudis according to former U.S. Senator Bob Graham. Iraq had little known connection to al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, yet the case for war was made against Iraq rather than Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and perhaps to a lesser extent Iran which were all closely tied to al-Qaeda, bin Laden, the hijackers and the September attacks.

    Lots of deception went on in my party during those years not only about the Saudis but about Islam itself and Israel the “illegitimate occupier” of Muslim lands according to Bush officials, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and President Bush. Is it any wonder we have this dangerous Muslim-born president in the White House given the dishonesty during those seven plus years following the September attacks?

    • dlbrand says

      Sep 21, 2014 at 1:23 am

      Lots of deception went on in my party during those years not only about the Saudis but about Islam itself and Israel the “illegitimate occupier” of Muslim lands according to Bush officials, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and President Bush. Is it any wonder we have this dangerous Muslim-born president in the White House given the dishonesty during those seven plus years following the September attacks?

      Indeed, wildjew.

      All your points stated there, all too many disregard or all too conveniently “forget.”

      In short, we have OBH because GWB and cohorts, by their actions set the stage for him, insured his election.

  9. Jay Boo says

    Sep 20, 2014 at 9:15 am

    Girls in the holiest city of Islam, Mecca learn about head scarfs and Allah
    Just following orders
    The unspeakable filth of Islam
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/1874471.stm

  10. Aton says

    Sep 20, 2014 at 1:28 pm

    This is what I wrote two weeks ago. The first bit is about Obama, the last paragraph about Saudi Arabia. Great minds think alike.

    .

    Obama is a Sunni Muslim. That is why he supported the Sunni rebels against Libya, Sunni Muslim Brotherhood against Egypt, and Sunni rebels against Syria. That is why he is supporting Sunni Saudi Arabia, the despotic Erdogan of Sunni Turkey, Sunni Hamas fighting Israel, and the Sunni rebels fighting Alawite Assad ($500 million in equipment given recently, which will all go to ISIS in Iraq.)

    This is also why Obama is doing all in his power NOT to attack ISIS (no boots on the ground). ISIS is a Sunni mercinary force acting for Saudi and Qatar, but Saudi is distancing themselves from ISIS to curry favour with the West, and keep the oil money flowing.

    Please note that Saudi Arabia has the largest military force in the Mid East, it is absolutely huge, with a bigger airforce than the UK. And yet Saudi has done NOTHING to combat ISIS and NOTHING to assist the fleeing Christians and Yazidi. Why? Because Sunni Saudi supports everything that ISIS is doing in the name of Sunni Islam. (ISIS are copying Muhummad’s objectives and barbaric methodology to the letter.). The only thing Saudi is afraid of, is their ISIS mercenary army getting too big for its boots and overthrowing the Saudi monarchy – the perennial fear of all who use proxy, mercinary armies.

    Aton

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