Pakistani-born Sheikh Dr. Tahir ul-Qadri, a widely recognized and respected authority on Islamic jurisprudence, issued a comprehensive fatwa prohibiting terrorism and suicide bombing at a press conference in London.
The Pakistani-born Dr. Qadri's unprecedented 600-page fatwa on why suicide bombings and terrorism are un-Islamic and scripturally forbidden is described by some as the most comprehensive theological refutation of Islamist terrorism to date. "Today's tragedy is that terrorists, murderers, mischief-mongers and rioters try to prove their criminal, rebellious, tyrannous, brutal and blasphemous activities as a right and justified reaction to foreign aggression under the garb of defense of Islam and national interests," Qadri said. "The one who does has no relation to Islam," Qadri emphasized further.
According to the Jakarta Post, Dr. Qadri's fatwa bans suicide bombing "without any excuses, any pretexts, or exceptions." The Jerusalem Post reported that "Dr. Qadri has used texts in the Koran and other Islamic writings to argue that suicide and other terrorist attacks are absolutely against the teachings of Islam and that Islam does not permit such acts on any excuse, reason or pretext. The fatwa condemns suicide bombers as destined for hell, refuting the claim used by Islamists that such terrorists will earn paradise after death." Qadri is the founder of Minhaj-ul-Quran, a worldwide movement that promotes a non-political, tolerant Islam. The group has hundreds of thousands of followers around the world, most of them in Pakistan and Pakistanis living in other countries.
A commentary in the Pakistani Daily Mail entitled "Suicide bombing and Dr. Tairul Quadri's Fatwa" noted that Surah Al-Maeda, Ayah No. 32 says: "(1) 'He who kills a human being (whether Muslim or non-Muslim), he has killed the whole humanity. He who saves one life, it is but equal to saving the whole humanity.' (2) 'In Surah Al-Nisaa, Ayah 29, it is clearly said that suicide is Haraam: 'Don’t kill yourself, there is no doubt that Allah is Merciful to you.' Committing suicide is equal to interfering in the working of Allah. It is as equal to rejecting the blessings of Allah the man is bestowed with. (3) Man is not allowed to kill himself even in the heights of unbearable pains of disease, despondency and any other circumstances."
Sources:
Paul, Jonny (February 3, 2010). UK Muslim leader to issue fatwa against Jihad. Jerusalem Post.
Jakarta Post (March 2, 2010). Muslim leader issues anti-terror fatwa.
Alvi, Alya (Retrieved March 10, 2010 from http://dailymailnews.com/0310/09/Editorial_Column/DMEditorialMail.php). Pakistan Daily Mail Online Edition. Suicide bombing and Dr Tahirul Qadri’s Fatwa.
