John Kerry has hailed this as a sign of the emergence of the “real Islam” he wants to fight against the Islamic State. Over at Atlas Shrugs I discuss what is really behind this fatwa:
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.
This Saudi fatwa 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. Comments interspersed below:
“In anti-terror edict, top Saudi clerics say perpetrators should be punished under Islamic law,” Associated Press, September 17, 2014:
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 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.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry traveled to Saudi Arabia last week and won support from the kingdom and other Arab allies to help fight the Islamic State militants who have seized large parts of Iraq and Syria. A State Department official told reporters ahead of the visit that Kerry 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.”
The edict highlights the historically close relationship between the Wahhabi establishment in Saudi Arabia and the kingdom’s rulers, and gives religious backing to the Saudi king’s efforts to fight the Islamic State as part of an international coalition. The council is the only official authority in Saudi Arabia allowed to issue religious edicts concerning questions about how citizens should live their lives
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.
The scholars said authorities have to track down instigators of conflict and financiers of terrorism because they commit “one of the greatest sins” which is “disobeying the ruler”. They said they support the government’s decision to prohibit citizens from fighting in conflicts abroad.
“One of the greatest sins…disobeying the ruler.” This essentially makes it explicit: this is all about preserving the House of Saud, not about genuinely rejecting terrorism.
Though the council did not recommend specific punishments, it is considered a religious sin and a criminal act in Saudi Arabia to rebel against the king, who oversees Islam’s two holiest sites in Mecca and Medina.
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.
But the Islamic State doesn’t want to “divide” Saudi Arabia. It wants to incorporate all of it into the Islamic State.
“This is a warning to the advocates of division, strife and sedition, and a warning to those who followed them from going too far in order to avoid the punishment of torment in this world and the hereafter,” the statement said.
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.
The Saudi king earlier this year called on scholars to speak out more aggressively against terrorism. Shortly afterward, 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.”
All of the groups mentioned in the clerical statement were branded “terrorist” organizations by the Saudi government this year. Notably absent from the council’s list is the Muslim Brotherhood, which Saudi authorities have outlawed and also branded as terrorist.
Interesting omission. 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.
This story gives more detail: “Wrong to equate terrorism with jihad – Scholars,” Saudi Gazette:
RIYADH – Terrorism is a heinous crime and its perpetrators deserve deterrent punishment, said the Saudi Scholars Commission and Ifta Council in a statement here on Wednesday.
It 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.”
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.
They said that those who equate terrorism with jihad are misled and ignorant.
“Terrorism has nothing to do with jihad, and Islam rejects the deviant thought which causes bloodshed,” the statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency said.
Except, that is, for the blood of apostates, heretics, adulterers, and all the others whose blood is called for under Sharia.
It 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.
The statement said that groups like ‘Daash’ (the self-proclaimed Islamic State), Al-Qaeda, the so-called Ahl Al-Haq groups, Hezbollah and the Houthis are forbidden and criminalized as are the acts of terror perpetrated by the Israeli occupation.
The scholars supported the measures taken by the authorities against those belonging to the above mentioned terrorist groups or those having foreign political allegiance.
Signed by all 21 members of the council and quoting extensively from the Holy Qur’an and sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the statement also prohibits militant financing or encouraging young people to engage in militant acts.
Again: these are the people who have spent decades “encouraging young people to engage in militant acts.”
It said people who issued fatwas or views that “justify terrorism” were not permissable in any way and were “the order of Satan.”
The council urged everyone to utilize all means to strengthen unity and cohesion.
That is, utilize all means to strengthen the House of Saud.
It warned against deviant intellectual trends and prohibited citizens from going abroad to areas of conflict and strife since that would amount to disobedience to the pledge of allegiance to the ruler.
The scholars advised everyone to adhere to the right path based on the Holy Qur’an and Prophet’s Sunnah according to the understanding of the righteous ancestors and whoever follows them. They emphasized the need to support the leadership of the Kingdom and its scholars.
That is what this is all about: supporting the leadership of the Kingdom.
The Kingdom’s Grand Mufti, who heads the Scholars Commission and Ifta Council, has already described militants of the so-called Islamic State and Al-Qaeda as Islam’s foremost enemy in a series of public comments in recent weeks.
That is, the House of Saud’s foremost enemy.
mortimer says
The Saudi DISINFORMATION and PROPAGANDA department is working overtime to DENY the authentic teachings of Mohammed about jihad!
For 200 years, the House of Saud has promoted Salafist Wahhabism, a cult that emphasizes JIHAD against the disbelievers and Islamic HYPOCRITES who don’t agree with Wahhabism!
Now the monster (Salafism) has turned on its creator, THE HOUSE OF SAUD.
They’re going down, and hopefully Islam will go down with them! Good riddance to both!
sujith says
You are missing the point.
saudi govt is not beheading non muslims they catch where ever they can.
They are not gang raping , selling non muslim women and children they manage to catch.
They are borderline civilised…..if ISIS takes over Saudi …it will become biggest and richest Terror state ever.
Choose which is better option you would rather deal with .
mortimer says
This fatwa is a virtual ‘takfir’ (declaration of apostasy) entitling ANY private Muslim to murder ANY member of ISIS.
It will be interesting to see how they will stop this from becoming a civil war in KSA!
mortimer says
Saudi Arabia will need to behead a lot of its citizens to show them that beheading is UN-ISLAMIC!
mach37 says
“Acts of terror perpetrated by the Israeli occupation”? No dictionary defines “occupation” as “acts of terror.” Nor have the Israelis visited terror on Arabs, Palestinians, etc., who are living peacefully in Israel – unlike Saddam’s Iraq and Hamas raining rockets on Israel .
DL says
:When they condemn “terrorism,” they don’t mean by the word what most Americans think of. They mean “anything that threatens the Saudi state.”
It’s broader than that – terrorism also means anything Israel does, including existing. This is the same code phrase as “terrorism in all its forms” – that is, if we like you, we’ll find a way why what you are doing isn’t terrorism at all, while if we don’t like you we’ll find a “form” that is customized just for your situation.
manuel-rafael says
Mohammedan Islamiism, its disciplinary shariah totality is totalitarian rhetorical subjugation; the Takfir Jihad is at best what were the Nuremberg Racial Purity Laws (1935) the Nazified Shariah of the single religion, political party an “Ideological State” ruled by the fear of political/religious retribution; crimes against the “Total State” its basis is the rejection of civilized society, an acceptance of “Total Submission” it is diametrically opposed to Democracy, Freedom of Religion and is evident in the “Death Squads” that mass murder civilians as “infidels” whether political or religious, the sentence IS death, in ISIL; the L is the Levant, this includes Israel. Congressional approval of funding for the imaginary “moderate rebels” is Taqiyya at its best, an Islamic Republic cannot be a Democracy since this ideology supersedes Mohammed and Allah the only rule of law that is accepted as Halal, let the heads roll, McCain will keep track as to whether it was ISIS/L or IS, HAMAS, FATAH or AL’WTF fits the imaginary Fatwa of Taqiyya Deceit.
duh_swami says
I don’t trust anyone who believes Allah is God. Period…
Especially those waving swords…
DaniEl says
According to the standards of these liars, including Obama, the Brits, etc.
the prophet Moohammed was also “not-Islamic” when he beheaded the ancient Jewish community in Medina for refusing to convert to his idolatry.
Max Publius says
Saudi Arabia is the Islamic State at peace,
The Islamic State is Saudi Arabia at war.
Daphne says
The way ISIS is going it could well take over Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and force Egypt into attacking Israel. Psalm 83 anyone? It is already in Gaza and Judea and Samaria (I refuse to call it the ‘West Bank’. It is part of |Israel)
Daniel Triplett says
I agree Daphne. The West Bank belongs to Israel. Only non-Muslims ought be allowed to live there. Israel cannot adequately defend themselves from West Bank borders that contain Jew haters bent on their annihilation. The WB protrudes deep into a Israel, like a soft underbelly.
I’m a pilot whose flown over Israel. The WB is the most beautiful real estate in all of Israel: Green, with trees and rolling hills, much like Northern California. The rest of Israel is basically flat sand. It’s easy to see why it’s so hotly contested and everyone wants it.
Giving statehood to Palestine would be a suicidal mistake for Israel. It would turn into another Gaza, but on a bigger scale.
Israel must go BIG here, and use their nuke arsenal to demand apostasy for all Muslims within and outside of Israel. With ISIS and Iran, Israel has apocalyptic problems at its doorstep.
The time has come to rid the World of Islam. For now, we and Israel still have the technological advantage with WMD. But that advantage is quickly disappearing. We must demand apostasy, with Shock and Awe on a Biblical scale, before Iran assembles the nuke and destroys our civilization.
Denounce Allah and Mohammad or die. This is really our only option for a secure future.
Those who just want to secure our border, isolate, and pretend the Muslims won’t bring the fight to us are fooling themselves.
Whether it’s ISIS, Iran, or some future organization of Muslims with different letterhead, they all want the rest of us to submit or die. They aren’t giving up. It’s either them or us; either Muslims or the rest of us will eventually be forced to abandon our respective Faiths or die.
Let’s use our nuke weapon advantage while we still have it. We can’t win this without using them. That’s my military opinion as USAF Major and six year war vet against Islam.
They play by sharia rules of war, not our Geneva Convention. We must alter our ROE accordingly.
Just like there wasn’t a “moderate” form of Nazism we could tolerate, their is neither a moderate form of Islam.
Our grandfathers had no choice but to totally extinguish the ideology of Nazism from the Earth. Likewise, our duty is to completely extinguish the ideology of Islam from the Earth.
No one took pleasure in bombing the German cities and killing civilians, but it had to be done to force their surrender. The moment they denounced the swastika and divorced themselves from Nazism, we gladly turned off the killing machine immediately. And we were elated when we could stop killing the Japanese population too.
Likewise, none of us wants to target Muslim civilians, but the principles of war strategy require us to do that if we expect to win at this point. Muslim apostasy brings peace and the killing ends, for both sides.
Forced apostasy is the long-term answer, and this can be accomplished rather quickly.
Daniel Triplett says
Agreed Michael.
At home and abroad, wherever Islam exists, it is a crime. At a minimum, Islam is already both Sedition a Conspiracy to Murder.
We already have laws which prohibit that in the US. All we really need is an Executive Order recognizing Islam as the capital offense that it is, and direct authorities to aggressively pursue and prosecute Muslims.
If this legal jurisprudence in the court system becomes too overwhelming a logistical problem, Plan B for domestic Muslims would be to round them all up in detention centers, administer mandatory apostasy training, then put a document of Allegiance to the US Constitution in front of them to sign, denouncing Allah and Mohammad, then ask them to raise their right hands, with their left hand on The Holy Bible and swear to the same.
If they refuse to do this, march them over to the gallows and hang them immediately, publicly. Those that do denounce Islam get to walk out the gate free Americans.
I believe we should also force them to formally commit to Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, or Hinduism. These religions all have ideas harmless to others, and it would give apostates a ready-made religion with good people with whom to associate and learn.
If all we do is force them to become atheist and leave it at that, we’re asking for more problems, as many of those 1.6B apostates will simply invent a new, even more evil religion with which to replace Islam. If we know they’re practicing one of the four sanctioned religions, then we know they are harmless.
Even if they wish to abandon their newly adopted religion, instead choosing atheism five minutes later, we should allow that though. The forced formal conversion in and of itself would serve to help divorce them spiritually and mentally from Islam.
Angemon says
Daniel Triplett posted:
“Plan B for domestic Muslims would be to round them all up in detention centers, administer mandatory apostasy training, then put a document of Allegiance to the US Constitution in front of them to sign, denouncing Allah and Mohammad, then ask them to raise their right hands, with their left hand on The Holy Bible and swear to the same.”
How would you go about making sure that those who did apostatize under those conditions wouldn’t just be practicing taqqiya?
PAthena says
The perpetrators of 9/11, Muhammed Atta, et al., came from Saudi Arabia.
Salah says
Robert wrote: “.. 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.”
Indeed, ISIL justifies every atrocity they commit by citing coranic texts. By condemning ISIL, Muslims are condemning the Qur’an itself.
It’s nothing less than Islam against Islam.
It’s a win-win situation for humanity. We are witnessing the end of Islam.
Here’s another Muslim accusing al Azhar of teaching … cannibalism:
http://crossmuslims.blogspot.ca/2014/08/cannibalism-in-islam-taught-at-al-azhar.html
Anon says
That needs to be stated again ‘How ironic: the understanding of Islam that Saudis have worked so hard to spread throughout the world is now “extremism.”’ I’m glad Robert understands all of this. For other people though fifteen minutes a day isn’t enough to try and follow along. I think many people would say “yes, I agree Islam is bad” and beyond that it would be what “did you say wasabi” no I said “Wahhabi” “Wahhabi Islam” – “Saudi” “Sharia” and you would lose most people at that point. What a deception, takes alot of time (for many) to learn more about it.
salamander says
Moderate Muslims will give you a couple of paracetomols before cutting your head off
Angemon says
Ah, the moderate-anti terrorist Saudi! I smell sitcom…
R Cole says
Why didn’t the Saudi’s just say that before!!
All those years these jihadists and their supporters have been getting the wrong message – but thanks to the Saudis they can be put on the right path!!
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More like – what’s the sudden urgency?
There was an article – written by Pakistani journalist lambasting the Pakistan authorities for their longstanding relationship with their jihadists ~ aka the Taliban and how these militants were used in part to establish the Pakistani state and later to conduct warfare against India.
Telling – here is a fatwa from Pakistan also kinda denouncing holy war – using similar language:
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The House of Saud – [how plain old Arabia became Saudi Arabia] – was established by the use of Islamic jihadi fighters – and like expansionist ISIS they wanted to continue conducting their purification Islamic warfare into neighboring countries and had to be reined in . As the story goes to placate them – the Saudis arranged marriages into each of their families. Why you have so many royals over there.
There is the recent case of the old Bangladeshi jihadists [now Muslim Brotherhood style religious org. that reaches into Europe] convicted of war crimes – for the heinous ISIS style killings of Hindus and intellectuals – back in the 70’s – to prevent Bangladesh from gaining its independence from Pakistan – previous known as East Pakistan – as well as to establish an ultra religious Islamic state. [Because of this Bangladesh has civil laws – as opposed to Islamic. ]
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House of Saud is under threat.
Isis wants to drive their cars and shop in their air conditioned malls.
These ain’t the hillbilly Taliban tapping on Mecca’s door.