Stop Blood Shedding Fatwas

Sheikh Saif Al Haadi asked Dr Kahlan Al Kharousi: Honourable Sheikh, we come back to discuss this topic again in relation to the EID and we might need this question as a message from you to the Muslim world which is going through a phase of continuous conflict, which also depriving many families and children of happiness.

The area of tensions and conflicts in our Muslim world do not seem close to peace. This worries us especially since we are celebrating Eid – we remember them here – There are children and families who are deprived of the joy of Eid. What would you like to tell them in regards to interacting with the day of the Eid and what message do you want to send out to those countries?

Dr Kahlan Al Kharousi: First and doubtlessly, a rational person would feel sorry for the calamities and disasters that are happening in Muslim world. However, the truth has to be said, I have some advice on this occasion and I believe that the condition might change if this advice reaches sound minds.

1.     Firstly I address the people of religious knowledge (scholars), preachers and advocates of the religion:-

·         “STOP THE FATWAS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR BLOODSHED” as the scent of those fatwas has become rotten and blocked the nostrils. Previously, the leading scholars were very cautious about getting involved in the matters of blood (fatwa related to bloodshed), whereas today we witness those who think they are amongst the knowledgeable - and they are definitely far from them – who are extremely bold when it comes to the blood shedding. They even appear in satellite channels to issue fatwas provoking bloodshed and killing innocent souls without fearing Allah and no consideration of the consequences. Therefore, the first step would be – and in this is a reminder to myself to my brothers- a plea to our sheikhs, scholars and preachers. We say: “May Allah bless you, but please STOP THE BLOODSHEDDING FATWAS”. These fatwas which you use to justify the shed of innocent blood have no validity with Allah and you will be held accountable for every single drop of blood.

·         “STOP THEM” out of fear of the Almighty Allah’s Wrath and ask for His satisfaction.

I.             2.The second advice: to the leaders of states and decision makers:-

·         “STOP THE EXECUTION DECREES”, for they have provoked people and created a very obvious sense of despair and anger in them. It is amongst the reasons that led to the bloody fatwas. The rule says: “Punishments are warded off with suspicions, and “Making an error in forgiveness is far better than making an error in declaring punishment”.

·         RESOLVE THE CONDITION OF YOUR SOCIETIES through wisdom, insight and righr judgement and through helping the misled youths (boys and girls) in this bitter reality they live in.

·         PREPARE THEM TO BE CONSTRUCTIVE and enable them to learn the proper Islamic knowledge, the knowledge of the modest and rightly rooted scholars.

·         GIVE PEOPLE THEIR RIGHT and FREEDOM. However, if the condition remains as it is, there no doubt this will lead to more bloodshed, excessiveness and extremism, and this does not benefit anyone.

1.     And I address my brothers and sisters from the general public:-

·         “DO NOT INVOLVE YOURSELVES IN AFFAIRS YOU DO NOT KNOW ABOUT” as Almighty Allah says: -“Do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge, indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart- about all those [one] will be questioned”-, and He says: -“Oh who you believe, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become over what you have done, regretful”.- We are in great need of verifying.....in great need of being sure. We are in great need to help ourselves putt off the fire of the FITNA (sedition) and not to add more fuel to it.

Nowadays, most people (the ignorant people before the learned and intellectuals) take news as facts –though it might be untrue- without taking the effort to verify its credibility. You find many contributing to the uprising of the FITNA and to the deepening of the wounds. Since maintaining silence is safer for them... it is an obligation. The reason is that whatever they receive is conveyed to them via suspicious or directed media, or they are not getting the full picture or the information in incorrect or not from reliable source. And they end up instigating sectarian division and fanaticism in their comments, contributions and discussions either by their writing or audible comments, posts, etc.

The duty of the general public is to observe their limits and not to inflame the FITNA but to seek reconciliation among the parties.

Also I find myself obliged to share some thoughts due to their importance on this occasion that that this sectarian polarisation or what is called “Sectarian Proselytisation” or “Sectarian Missionary” has led to many animosities, enmities and angry reactions. What is this all for? Will the nature of the different school of thoughts change after all these centuries? How much will one sect gain from having tens or hundreds of people joining it? The days alternate, as Allah says: “and these days (of varying conditions) We alternate among the people”. It is a duty to go beyond these sharp sectarian polarisations which only lead to nothing but more dispersion in the unity of the ummah (Muslim nation) and we shall remember that Allah says: “And who is better in speech that one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, I am of the Muslims”. We look into the common aspects that unite, and hold upon them, strengthen them and nurture our offspring according to them.

Amazingly, you see a non-practicing Muslim who doesn’t care about Islam, yet you find him to be one of the most bigoted people when it comes to his own sect. So they join the vain talkers in inflaming ignorant sectarianism. Ideally, the existence of sectarian diversity should have been a reason to bring mercy, ease and positive plurality, and it shouldn’t have been a reason for misery and enmities which then lead to accusations of un-virtuous behaviour, disbelief and committing bid’ah (innovation in religious matters) in matters are wide enough (for different opinions) ...eventually this will lead to bloodshed and explosions!

Also I wish we ponder about Allah’s saying: “no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another” – whomsoever comes with crime bears its burden, and hence, it is never right -in Allah’s shari’ah nor in sane humane laws- for innocents to be punished for someone else’s crimes. So how do innocents get killed, because they belong to the ethnicity or sect of someone who has killed someone else? So they carry the other’s burden and they get killed for that, only because one person who belongs to their land, ethnicity or sect had committed a particular crime in another country!!

This is a catastrophe that is taking place in the reality of the ummah and you find some people justifying these acts. Although the right approach is that only the criminal should bear the consequences of his own crime and if he is to be persecuted, then there should be just as well. Allah says: “and whoever is killed unjustly, We have given his heir authority but let him not exceed limits in (the matter of ) taking life, indeed, he has been supported ( by the Law)”. And He says: “do not transgress; indeed, Allah does not like transgressors”. And He says: “...and for (all) violations is legal retribution, so whoever has assaulted you, then assault him in the same way that he has assaulted you”. For equality in retribution, as the scholars put it –in the simplest form-if a person slanders against a person, it is not right for the other person to return the slander! He could instead defend himself by refuting the accuser, but he can’t accuse him back because he will be violating his honour –this is not correct according to the shari’ah. Now this is because of some words. How should it be when it comes to the matters of people’s rights or people’s lives?!

So we have to stop at Allah’s limit and reject the sectarianism, polarisation and proselytisation. And stop considering ourselves victorious when a person joins one of the sects.

There are many confused people who don’t know anything about Islam. Why don’t we direct our efforts towards them, there are in need of guidance? When they become aware of the virtues of this religion, they become constructive energy.

So these are some of the issues that we need to remind ourselves of in such occasions and conditions. We ask Allah the Exalted to be compassionate with us and also to have mercy on the deprived and depressed people all over the world.

Reference:

http://www.ahlulistiqamah.co.uk/index.php/en/articles/51-stop-blood-shedding-fatwas