The fake fatwa that doesn’t even pretend to be real

The “fatwa” by a consortium of U.S. Muslim groups including the terror-supporting organization CAIR has been widely reported, but not directly quoted. So I looked it up yesterday at the CAIR site, where it is available in pdf version. The document is quite short and is reproduced below. It’s staggering. I had thought that under the post-London bombings circumstances these little terror apologists would come up with something that at least seemed more convincing than than their past transparently false statements that they “condemn all terrorism” (while refusing to name any actual terrorist persons or acts that they actually condemn). But they didn’t. It’s the same old boilerplate. The document attacks unspecified “terrorism,” when, as we know, what Muslims mean by terrorism is acts by the U.S. and Israel, never acts by Muslims. It even includes the famous Koranic verse that to kill a person unjustly is like killing all mankind, and there is even an ellipsis replacing the famous weasel phrase, that this prohibition against unjust killing does not apply to the killing of opponents of Islam and people who have corrupted the land. This particular verse has already been discussed so widely, and its misleading meaning and usage is so well known, that I am astonished that these “moderate” followers of the Prophet used it in their “fatwa.” The whole statement is so transparently false and empty that it can’t even be called a scam. And yet the U.S. news agencies have fallen for it.

These people are fourth rate hacks, intellectual inferiors. They only have gotten as far as they have because of our weakness and our surrender to them. We could dispense with them in five minutes, if it weren’t for our liberal belief system (shared by most conservatives) which tells us that accommodating unassimilable and hostile aliens is the defining virtue of our society.

Here is the “fatwa”:

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

U.S. MUSLIM RELIGIOUS COUNCIL ISSUES FATWA AGAINST TERRORISM

The Fiqh Council of North America wishes to reaffirm Islam’s absolute condemnation of terrorism and religious extremism.

Islam strictly condemns religious extremism and the use of violence against innocent lives.

There is no justification in Islam for extremism or terrorism. Targeting civilians’ life and property through suicide bombings or any other method of attack is haram—or forbidden—and those who commit these barbaric acts are criminals, not “martyrs.” 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)

Prophet Muhammad said there is no excuse for committing unjust acts: “Do not be people without minds of your own, saying that if others treat you well you will treat them well, and that if they do wrong you will do wrong to them. Instead, accustom yourselves to do good if people do good and not to do wrong (even) if they do evil.” (Al-Tirmidhi)

God mandates moderation in faith and in all aspects of life when He states in the Qur’an: “We made you to be a community of the middle way, so that (with the example of your lives) you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind.” (Qur’an, 2:143)

In another verse, God explains our duties as human beings when he says: “Let there arise from among you a band of people who invite to righteousness, and enjoin good and forbid evil.” (Qur’an, 3:104) Islam teaches us to act in a caring manner to all of God’s creation. The Prophet Muhammad, who is described in the Qur’an as “a mercy to the worlds” said: “All creation is the family of God, and the person most beloved by God (is the one) who is kind and caring toward His family.”

In the light of the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah we clearly and strongly state:

1. All acts of terrorism targeting civilians are haram (forbidden) in Islam.
2. It is haram for a Muslim to cooperate with any individual or group that is involved in any act of terrorism or violence.
3. It is the civic and religious duty of Muslims to cooperate with law enforcement authorities to protect the lives of all civilians.

We issue this fatwa following the guidance of our scripture, the Qur’an, and the teachings of our Prophet Muhammad—peace be upon him. We urge all people to resolve all conflicts in just and peaceful manners.

We pray for the defeat of extremism and terrorism. We pray for the safety and security of our country, the United States, and its people. We pray for the safety and security of all inhabitants of our planet. We pray that interfaith harmony and cooperation prevail both in the United States and all around the globe.

FIQH COUNCIL OF NORTH AMERICA July 28, 2005

Posted by Lawrence Auster at July 31, 2005 01:58 PM | Send