Deciphering an American Fatwa

August 8, 2005

T IS QUITE AMUSING to observe the current desperate hide-and-seek game of the Islamists living in infidel territories. After 9/11, they also became quite active denouncing terrorism (they never call it Islamic) and preaching unbound love, mercy, tolerance in Islam via the Holy Qur’an. They quoted (partially, of course) a handful of verses (in fact, there are only three such verses in the entire Qur’an) from the Qur’an to prove that Islam never supports terrorism, suicide bombings, wanton killing of infidels. However, they cleverly hid the truth. They thought the world is stupid enough not to find out the facts about Islam. Thanks to the power of Internet, and the works of many dedicated freethinker/writers, it is now widely believed that Islam is a dangerous doctrine of death, destruction and complete annihilation of non-believers. It did not take that long for the leaders of these infidel territories to comprehend the real truth about Islam and to formulate the ‘correct’ approach to combat this global menace. Of course, those approaches were all politically correct, lest the Islamists get offended when Islam is criticized openly.

Things were going rather well since 9/11. Except for Madrid and a few minor acts of Islamic barbarism, no incidence of catastrophic nature took place. The world thought Islam is back to the pavilion—hoping that the scourge is over or limited only in Iraq .

Suddenly, 7/7 changed everything. Islam became world’s focal point once more. This time around, the situation is different. A large section of non-believers now firmly deem that Islam is not a peaceful religion after all.

Again, the shrewd Islamists are back in the business of damage control.

One such group, calling themselves as the members of Fiqh Council of North America , issued a fatwa, as if they are some authority on Islam and has the clout to influence the global intricate Islamic terror network. To add importance to this dubious fatwa, the news was carried by CBS (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/07/28/national/main712548.shtml) and then broadcast through many public Television and radio networks. It would be quite interesting to observe how many Islamic organizations around the Islamic world will endorse this American Fatwa.

Let us dissect what these Islamists are up to.

As usual, they quoted, partially, from the Holy Qur’an thus:

The Qur’an, Islam’s revealed text, states: "Whoever kills a person [unjustly]…it is as though he has killed all mankind. And whoever saves a life, it is as though he had saved all mankind." (Qur’an, 5:32)

They also quoted two other verses (2:143, 3:104) which have none or very little relevance with the context of their fatwa.

I shall now review the claim of verse 5:32 by these ‘impeccably’ qualified (many of them with Ph.Ds) and prove how hypocrite these American Mullah’s are.

There are countless verses in the Qur’an which undoubtedly state that the gratuitous killing of the infidels is an obligation to every Muslim wherever and whenever they have the opportunity to do so. In fact, a few weeks ago, I wrote an essay listing some of those verses. So far, no Islamist could deny the contents of those murderous verses.

As mentioned above, just to cover such gross inanities in the Qur’an, the Fiqh Council of North America issued the fatwa affirming that there is no place of terrorism in Islam This meant there is no provision in Islam for the killing of infidels without good reasons. In support of such a slick but confusing statement they, out of around 6,666 (or 6,236 as per the Qur’an only Muslims) verses in the Qur’an, cited only a single verse, viz. verse 5:32, and that also incompletely.

Let us now read the verse in full:

5:32 Because of that We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind. And indeed, there came to them Our Messengers with clear proofs, evidences, and signs, even then after that many of them continued to exceed the limits (e.g. by doing oppression unjustly and exceeding beyond the limits set by Allâh by committing the major sins) in the land!.

Islamists often rant about contexts of the Qur’anic verses, but they expediently forget to honor their own words. The same trick is played in this American Fatwa. The fatwa never mentioned why this verse was created in the first place.

The context of this verse is that when Qabil, a son of Adam killed Habil, another son of Adam and, having developed extreme contrition about his misdeed, wanted to hide the dead body of his slain brother, he found a crow scratching the ground to bury a dead crow. This is amply explicated in the verse just before 5:32:

5:31 Then Allâh sent a crow who scratched the ground to show him to hide the dead body of his brother. He (the murderer) said: "Woe to me! Am I not even able to be as this crow and to hide the dead body of my brother?" Then he became one of those who regretted.

So, strictly speaking, verse 5:32 is only applicable to the children of Israel (the verse says it). Any way, to be fair, we shall ignore this limitation and concentrate on the wider meaning:

On the surface if it, the first sentence (Islamists often quote only the first sentence, conveniently hiding the next sentence) of verse 5:32 seems very munificence and non-violent. What does the next sentence say? It says clearly that even when Allah sent His messengers many people disbelieved them. Muhammad was one of such messengers, the best and the last. Therefore, those who disbelieve in Muhammad and Allah (i.e., the non-Muslims) are the transgressors. Evidently, the non-Muslims are the mischief-makers on earth. Logically, these non-Muslims do not fall under the purview of the merciful provision of verse 5:32. In simple language, this means: verse 5:32 is applicable only to the Muslims. To confirm this, let me quote ibn Kathir the foremost Tafsir writer:

Begin of Kathir’s quote

(if anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.) Saving life in this case occurs by not killing a soul that Allah has forbidden. So this is the meaning of saving the life of all mankind, for whoever forbids killing a soul without justification, the lives of all people will be saved from him.'' Similar was said by Mujahid;

[وَمَنْ أَحْيَـهَا]

(And if anyone saved a life...) means, he refrains from killing a soul. Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said that Allah's statement,

[فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعاً]

(it would be as if he killed all mankind. .) means, "Whoever kills one soul that Allah has forbidden killing, is just like he who kills all mankind.'' Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "He who allows himself to shed the blood of a Muslim, is like he who allows shedding the blood of all people. He who forbids shedding the blood of one Muslim, is like he who forbids shedding the blood of all people.'' In addition, Ibn Jurayj said that Al-A`raj said that Mujahid commented on the Ayah,

[فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعاً]

(it would be as if he killed all mankind,) "He who kills a believing soul intentionally, Allah makes the Fire of Hell his abode, He will become angry with him, and curse him, and has prepared a tremendous punishment for him, equal to if he had killed all people, his punishment will still be the same.'' Ibn Jurayj said that Mujahid said that the Ayah,

[وَمَنْ أَحْيَـهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعاً]

(and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.) means, "He who does not kill anyone, then the lives of people are safe from him.''

End of Kathir’s quote.

There you are! This tafsir by Kathir says when a Muslim is killed it is as if the entire humanity is killed. When an infidel is killed it has no relevance. Similarly, when a believer’s (i.e., a Muslim’s) life is saved it is as if the entire humanity is saved. You see, in Qur’an and in Islam what matters most is the lives of Muslims and not the lives of infidels.

Why do the erudite Islamists of the Fiqh Council of North America want to hide this truth?

This answer can also be found in the Qur’an.

Please note: there are at least 18 verses in the Qur’an which ask for the pre-emptive murder of the kafirs (infidels). But, it is not that simple to annihilate all the unbelievers just like that. It needs time, patience, plan, strategies, weapons and pretexts to wage a campaign of total slaughter of the non-Muslims. We observe this clever procedure is followed by the true Islamists and the suicide bombers. Even the former Prime Minister of Malaysia , Dr Mahathir Mohammad had asked the Muslims to acquire modern weapons to wage a war against the Jews. He purposely, did not mention the entire non-Muslim population, simply because his country is precariously dependent upon the investment of these infidels.

When the situation does not permit the Islamists to openly declare the murder of infidels, Allah asks them not to be friendly with them. Here are a few verses that tell the Muslims not to befriend the non-Muslims:

Do not take unbelievers as friends; caution is necessary to befriend the unbelievers...3:28

3:28 Let not the believers take the disbelievers as Auliyâ (supporters, helpers, etc.) instead of the believers, and whoever does that will never be helped by Allâh in any way, except if you indeed fear a danger from them. And Allâh warns you against Himself (His Punishment), and to Allâh is the final return.

In pure Islamic Paradises one will surely note this verse being fully practiced. You will observe very little co-operation between the Muslims and the non-Muslims. The interaction between the aggressive Muslims and the feeble non-Muslim minority is almost non-existent. In some Islamic societies (like Malaysia , Brunei ) Muslims are not even allowed to patronize non-Muslim restaurants and eateries. In an Islamic State like Brunei , there are signboards in Malay language inside all non-Muslim restaurants stating, “Bukan Makanan orang Islam (food here is not for the Muslims)”. Similar warnings are also implied in Malaysia or in other Islamic countries.

This is the limit of tolerance and friendship (with infidels) in Islam!

Now, when the Islamists migrate to infidel lands, they simply hide those truths. They become sheer hypocrites. Outwardly, they pretend to show a friendly face, but inwardly, they remain as hateful, vicious and cantankerous towards the non-Muslim as before. Why should they have this double-face?—one might wonder. Once again, the answer is also contained in the above verse (3:28). This verse tells the Muslims to exercise caution when befriending the infidels. In fact, what it really means is: when weak, the Muslims are allowed to be hypocrites in dealing with the non-Muslims. They are permitted to tell lies and hide the truth about their religion.

Once again, I will prove my assertion by quoting from ibn Kathir

Start of Kathir’s quote:

The Prohibition of Supporting the Disbelievers

…………………………………………………………

Allah said next,

[إِلاَ أَن تَتَّقُواْ مِنْهُمْ تُقَـةً]

(unless you indeed fear a danger from them) meaning, except those believers who in some areas or times fear for their safety from the disbelievers. In this case, such believers are allowed to show friendship to the disbelievers outwardly, but never inwardly. For instance, Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Ad-Darda' said, "We smile in the face of some people although our hearts curse them.'' Al-Bukhari said that Al-Hasan said, "The Tuqyah is allowed until the Day of Resurrection.'' Allah said,

[وَيُحَذِّرُكُمُ اللَّهُ نَفْسَهُ]

End of Kathir’s quote.

Islam even forbids Muslims to be in friendly terms with their non-Muslim parents or kindred. In Islamic parlance, even verbal criticism of Islam means oppression. If a non-Muslim father or a non-Muslim brother of a convert (to Islam) utters any words and/or makes any grimaces that is offensive to the nascent Muslim convert, it is deemed to be oppressive/blasphemy. Therefore, as per Islamic rule a retaliation becomes due. Muslims are now allowed to murder them even though they might be their father, brother or sister.

Do you not believe this? Read the following Qur’anic verse.

The believers should not take even their fathers, brothers, or sons as friends if they resist God and Muhammad; these types of believers are the party of God, that is, the believers cannot be friendly with the unbelievers even though they are their blood... 58:22

58:22 You (O Muhammad ) will not find any people who believe in Allâh and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allâh and His Messenger (Muhammad ), even though they were their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred (people). For such He has written Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with Rûh (proofs, light and true guidance) from Himself. And We will admit them to Gardens ( Paradise ) under which rivers flow, to dwell therein (forever). Allâh is pleased with them, and they with Him. They are the Party of Allâh. Verily, it is the Party of Allâh that will be the successful.

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