The issuing of a religious ruling (fatwa) against terrorism and suicide bombings from a well known Islamic scholar is a groundbreaking and historical move from within Islamic jurisprudential scholarship. This morning, Dr. Muhammed Tahir-ul-Qadri, founder of Minhaj-ul-Quran International released the 600-page ruling at a press conference in Central London. The ruling is highly significant and relevant for Muslims and non-Muslims here and around the world. In his report, Mr. Qadri provides detailed reasoning with evidence from the Quran, Sunnah and scholarly debate to defeat the premise of Al-Qaida's ideology. The fatwa has been the subject of considerable media interest and further information can be found
here.
So, what is all the fuss about? Well, my first sentence should give it away.
The issue of a fatwa (religious ruling) against terrorism and suicide bombings from a well-known Islamic scholar is a groundbreaking and historical move from within Islamic jurisprudential scholarship. Three points to can be made. Firstly,
the event is unprecedented. For far too long, there have been long silences from within the Muslim community about speaking out against terrorism and extremism. All of a sudden, you have a prominent Muslim scholar providing us with a detailed 60o-page ruling and it's sure to make you sit up and take notice.
Secondly,
the authority behind the fatwa is a well-respected and honorable individual who commands respect. We're not talking about any local mosque mullah issuing a verdict (... hopefully this fatwa will make them follow suit) but a globally renowned scholar who has extensively studied the topic, provided detailed references from the Quran and Sunnah and issued a declaration through the authority he rightfully possesses within the Muslim world. It's all good having groups like MCB and BMSD providing a 'happy-faces' vision of Islam but when you have a major Muslim scholar writing a detailed 600-page report on the issue with reference to the religious texts, it's an entirely different kettle of fish. All of a sudden, the burden of proof shifts on to those who carry out or support such atrocities to disprove any of the evidence.
Thirdly and most crucially,
the aim of the fatwa is to tackle the extremist mindset and thinking by declaring such acts as unislamic. The British Government has already highlighted eliminating extremist thinking from University campuses as a major counter-terrorism goal. Today's fatwa benefits this goal enormously. We cannot deny that Islamic extremism on and outside of University campuses is a major problem. Watching the BBC's 'Generation Jihad' only brought to light one of the major threats we face in 21st Century Britain - home grown terrorists. In most cases, these individuals tend to be surfing online and get drawn into extremism through propaganda websites, message-boards and blogs. This fatwa, however, provides young Muslims with a perfect opportunity to distinguish the distorted and radical from the well-researched and logical. It sows the seed of doubt in the mind of anyone who believes that the killing of innocent civilians is justified in Islam. That doubt will be, it is hoped, the trigger of a rethink and ultimate eradication of one's dangerous views.
There have, of course been many general criticisms of this ruling. Firstly,
why has it taken so long for a Muslim voice to speak out? There have been many Muslims who have spoken out against terrorism in the past but a potentially influential and powerful religious edict like this has not been issued before. There can be many reasons for the slumber but this awakening should hopefully be the trigger of a Muslim revival. I'm aware of groups like the Quilliam Foundation and MCB as having welcomed the fatwa and this can only be a good thing.
Secondly,
why a Pakistani scholar and not someone British? Once again, I'd like to return to my earlier point about the potential for change that today's news brings. Quite clearly, there is a need for local mosques in Britain to speak out against such extremism and their failure to do so has been acknowledged in the past. However, this fatwa gives them something to refer to and provides some textual guidance on terrorism which many other documents have not provided.
Finally,
will the fatwa have a practical impact? I believe it will. If anything, it is a document of guidance to the Muslim world with a detailed explanation of why terrorism is prohibited in Islam. It is a fatwa issued with the aim of a practical impact upon Muslims in the wider world. Leading from the front, Dr. Qadri has shown Muslims the way forward and in the current climate, a religious ruling which categorically denounces terrorism, from a prominent Muslim authority has the potential to be the trigger for change.
