veiled4allah: Bali Attacks a Heinous Crime, Total Barbarism, says prominent Muslim scholar

Prominent Muslim scholar Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaradawi on Tuesday, October 15, branded the Bali blast as a heinous crime "which is no more than a total barbarism that is void of morality and human feeling as well." Interviewed by IslamOnline, Al-Qaradawi stressed that "Islam not only prohibits attacking non-Muslims who do not launch attacks against Muslims, but it also urges Muslims to treat those non-Muslims with due respect and kindness, especially non-Muslims who live along with Muslims within the Islamic territories."

"It goes without saying that the tragedy that occurred in Bali, in which a bomb blast claimed the lives of more than hundred tourists, is actually a heinous crime.

"It is even an act of spreading mischief in the land or Hirabah in juristic term; a crime in Islam for which a severe punishment is specified, without discrimination as to race, color, nationality or religion of the culprit," he asserted.

"In fact, there are two things that made this tragic incident a terrible shock to me: first, it targeted innocent civilians and, secondly, it occurred in a country that has the largest Muslim population," Al-Qaradawi elaborated.

"Such countries should offer the best example of peaceful co-existence, maintaining security with due regard to the preservation of lives, honor and property," he said.

"Islam is based on maintaining the sanctity of five things that are regarded as prime objectives of Shari`ah: religion, life, property, lineage and intellect," Sheikh Al-Qaradawi said, adding that Islam "places a deterring punishment for any person who dares to violate the sanctity of such faculties."

"All Muslims are thus required to stand hand in hand to wage war on oppression and transgression low and high, regardless of who happens to be the target of such oppression; regardless of nationality of victims, be they innocent Australian tourists or wronged Palestinian citizens or any other person in the world," he said.

Making it clear that assessing people's conduct should not be at the expense of their religion, Sheikh Al-Qaradawi said: "Even if it is proved that the Bali attacks were masterminded by Muslims, still logically Islam is not to blame for these attacks."

"A clear separating line is to be drawn here between the teachings of Islam, which prohibit such attacks, and the acts of some Muslims who possess a narrow-minded view of Islam," he stressed.

Recalling that along the history of Islam some Muslims used to act in a way that violate Islamic teachings and put them at stake, Al-Qaradawi asserted "those people hurt Islam and Muslims with the wrong behavior they do; as the threat they pose to Islam is much more than that of the enemies of Islam who fight it tooth and nail, both in darkness and broad daylight."

He cited in this respect the saying "a wise enemy is better than a fool friend" and two lines of poetry by an Arab poet saying: For every disease there is a cure,/ But foolishness has no cure.

"It is also known that the rights stated for those non-Muslims living under the protection of the Islamic State are not just a mere ink on paper," said Sheikh Al-Qardawi, describing them as "inalienable rights".

"Every committed Muslim, who worships Allah faithfully, acts in accordance with Allah's Ordinances, should never violate those rights. The whole Muslim society should respect these rights," he stressed.

"Islam does not permit aggression against innocent people, whether the aggression is against life, property, or honor, and this ruling applies to everyone, regardless of his post, status and prestige," said the prominent Muslim scholar.

"In the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, declared the principle that people's lives, property, and honor are inviolable until the Day of Judgment," he recalled.

"This ruling is not restricted to Muslims; rather, it includes non-Muslims as well, as long as they don't wage aggression against Muslims," he added.

"Even in case of war, Islam does not permit killing those who are not involved in fighting, such as women, children, the aged, and the monks who confine themselves to worship only," stressed Al-Qaradawi.

"In Islam, the notion 'End justifies the means' has no place at all. For us Muslims, it is not allowed to attain good aims through evil means," he said.

"Thus, it can never be deemed permissible for a Muslim to use religiously prohibited means to attain a certain goal he himself deems noble while in fact it may be void of nobility," according to Al-Qaradawi.

"Again, in realizing his self- assumed noble goals a Muslim is not permitted to use prohibited means that is based on humiliating people, terrorizing them and shedding their blood unlawfully," he added.

"Islam considers attacks against non-Muslims, who do not launch war against Muslims, as a form of injustice that is both prohibited and abhorred by the Qur'an, the Prophetic Sunnah and the noble teachings of the Prophet's Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all," Al-Qaradawi said.

"Not only that, but the pure understanding of Muslim jurist, the true spirit of the Muslim civilization, and the main moderate stream of this Muslim Ummah all categorically deny such heinous crimes against humanity, which is no more than a total barbarism that is void of morality and human feeling as well," stressed the prominent Muslim scholar.