 | The papers on Tuesday widely covered (The Times, Telegraph, Independent and Evening Standard) the fatwa issued in London by the Pakistani cleric Dr Tahir ul-Qadri (pictured) of Minhaj ul-Quran condemning suicide bombers. The BBC reported: |
‘In his religious ruling, Dr Qadri says that Islam forbids the massacre of innocent citizens and suicide bombings.
‘Although many scholars have made similar rulings in the past, Dr Qadri's followers argue that the massive document being launched in London goes much further.
‘They say it sets out point-by-point theological arguments against the rhetoric used by al-Qaeda inspired recruiters.
‘The fatwa also challenges the religious motivations of would-be suicide bombers who are inspired by promises of an afterlife.’
600 pages seems an awfully long-winded way of reiterating messages repeatedly espoused by British Muslim scholars, on a number of occasions, propounding Islam’s denunciation of terrorism and suicide bombing.
Following the horrors of 11 September 2001, the MCB gathered British Muslim scholars from a range of different schools of thought in central London to denounce the justifications given by the hijackers involved in the attacks on the World Trade Center, that their actions were consistent with Islamic teachings.
The statement, available here, made clear: ‘It is a criminal act to take the life of a human being without due process of law. The killing of innocent people whether done by individuals or state institutions is condemned in Islam.
‘On this basis the meeting absolutely condemned the atrocities in America on 11 September which resulted in the loss of almost 7000 lives.’
And in a statement endorsed by UK scholars in the wake of the London bombings of July 2005, they reiterated:
‘We are firmly of the view that these killings had absolutely no sanction in Islam, nor is there any justification whatsoever in our noble religion for such evil actions. It is our understanding that those who carried out the bombings in London should in no sense be regarded as martyrs.’
Qadri accompanied his statement with some viciously sectarian remarks about others Muslims. He was quoted in the Evening Standard as saying:
"Every Salafi and Deobandi is not a terrorist but I have no hesitation in saying that everyone is a well-wisher of terrorists and this has not been appreciated by the Western governments."
Muslims are unlikely to take very seriously comments from a 'scholar' who makes such divisive, ignorant and downright offensive remarks.
Yusuf Smith of Indigo Jo Blogs marvelously dissects the sectarianism employed by ul-Qadri’s movement, tactics that are almost certainly likely to dilute the fatwa’s significance and reach.
And Brian Whitaker on Comment is Free critiques the industry of ready-made fatwas that undermine the authenticity of the process by which fatwas are sometimes devised.
It is perhaps indicative of the short-term memory banks of policymakers and the media, always on the lookout for some new body of Muslims to repeat Islam’s injunctions against indiscriminate murder, that the statements of Muslim scholars in UK that are already in the public domain should be treated as passé and the announcement by Dr ul-Qadri deemed a worthy new initiative, irrespective of the complexities of the derivation of juristic rulings in Islam.
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Comments
read his fatwa that contained with Qur'an,Hadith, and any imam of muslim school of thoughts
CLEARLY MUSIC IS UNISLAMIC,BUT I REMEMBER AN INTERVIEW,IN WHICH THE"LEARNED" SCHOLAR WHEN ASKED WHAT HE WOULD DO IF HE WON THE ELECTIONS,REGARDING PAKISTAN`S FILM AND MUSIC INDUSTRY,REPLIED THAT THOSE WHO SAY MUSIC IS HARAM AND FORBIDDEN IN ISLAM,DO NOT KNOW ISLAM!
WITH SCHOLARS SUCH AS THESE,I WOULD RATHER REMAIN IGNORANT,AND JUST ADHERE TO MY BASIC 5 PILLARS.
http://www.minhaj.org/english/tid/8718/A-Profile-of-Shaykh-ul-Islam-Dr-Muhammad-Tahir-ul-Qadri.html
His work is meant to unite people. Whoever reads his fatwa will have no objection to it.
http://www.minhaj.org/english/tid/3095/
http://www.islamicresearcher.com/bishop-andrew-frances-chairman-christian-coordination-council
http://www.minhaj.org/english/tid/389/
In the 1980’s when there existed wave of accusations and counter accusations whereby different Muslim schools were declaring takfir on one another it was Dr Qadri that promoted the acceptance of differences and counselled the various schools in Pakistan to refrain from calling one another Kafir. Below is an interesting link of a talk delivered in the 80’s in which Dr Qadri presents his position on deobhadhi’s and wahabi’s. As you’ll find contrary to the unfounded accusation on this website Dr Qadri’s views are anything but sectarian.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nugLwCgr020&feature=related
History does not lie, this man has been promoting tolerance and acceptance of difference both within the Muslim community and other religious communities for decades and his position has been consistent. This latest accusation is just a cheap gimmick on the part of those who find themselves unable to refute his exhaustively researched work on terrorism based on the Quran, Hadith and the opinion of classical Islamic scholarship. This inability to refute the fatwa has resulted in people using cheap tactics such as slurring Dr Qadri with allegations of sectarianism to divert attention from the real issues dealt with by his fatwa. It’s very easy for uninformed Muslims residing in the in the safe and secure environment of the UK to make ill informed comments in the knowledge that at the very most people will differ from their opinion. However, Dr Qadri has shown courage and bravery to tackle these immensely sensitive issues in a very hostile environment (Pakistan) where merely airing a different opinion from fellow countrymen can have one killed. Incidentally Dr Qadri has been the target of numerous failed assassination attempts because of his accepting disposition. How hypocritical for people who have never faced such hostility to spout rubbish on websites such as this one knowing full well the truth is something contrary to that which they publicise.
I was present during his news conferences last week and I witnessed myself someone questioning him about sectarianism but he refused to answer it and he said his Fatwa is global regardless of any sects.
Analysts see this Fatwa as a benchmark which will expose those who support terrorism and those who do not. You have to question what are the real motives behind such unfounded and irrelevant statements? Why don't they say what they really mean? Are they trying desperatly finding a way to dicredit Dr Qadri because in reality deep down they disagree with the fatwa? And they have no other way to do this but with mere unfounded statements because they know that they cant challenge his authority, his works, nor his evidences in his 600 page fatwa book. It is a known fact that some Al Azhar scholars are Dr Qadri's students and have even written commentries on his books.
The fact of the matter is that this Fatwa simply couldn't be digested by some individuals and organisations. Since they cannot disagree with it openly they feel the need to go about it indirectly by desperatly trying to discredit Dr Qadri.
Instead of being thankful to Dr Qadri for clarifying many issues relating to the British youth, promoting the right message, they seek to do the opposite.
Who needs enemies when we so perfectly fight amongst ourselves. We all know that there will be a given number of sects till the day of judgement, and only God can judge us. So accept that fact and move on.
The ignorant argue, the scholars argue and those who have no knowledge and no care find themselves joining the party to argue. Follow what you believe, love your fellow muslim and let God decide who was right or wrong. For Allah knows best.
Peace.
http://www.standpointmag.co.uk/node/2789
No prizes for guessing why Qadri does not seem to have the courage to issue fatwa's against the occupation of Afghanistan and Palestine by foreigners.
P.S. Can anyone assist those who cannot read Urdu in the UK & the rest of the world, by giving links to an online Arabic & English versions? Surely the good scholar, or his acolytes who were thorough enough to prepare this "comprehensive" fatwa had prepared the case for peer-review?
Is it wise to apparently libel a large part of the Ummah, those whom we count as fellow Muslims in our daily lives, standing shoulder to shoulder in the masjids? Is it not myopic to appease the Islamophobes, standing shoulder to shoulder for those extremist fringe elements created after 7/7 such as the ludicrously named Quilliam Foundation?
In recent years, we have been told that Takfiris are fanatics, exactly because they behave in this extreme manner.
With regard to the political context, this is very dangerous, as only the naive would neglect to factor that in. The Muslim world is at the centre of a hegemonic storm & this is well-documented prior to 11/9 & 7/7.
No to sectarianism & the rise of Neo-Qadianism.
pressing a button to release a bomb which kills dozens of innocents is no diffrent from somone strapping a bomb and delivering it in person to kill innocent people.
Western state terrorism is a blot on western nations claims of human rights and democracy.
This is more or less a patwa to gain money and fame.