Palestinian Ulema forbid joining American-led campaign against Afghanistan

Occupied Jerusalem: 19 September 2001, By Khalid Amayreh

Muslim Ulema, or religious scholars, throughout Palestine have issued an edict prohibiting Muslim states from joining the American-led crusade against Afghanistan or any other Muslim countries.

A fatwa or religious ruling issued Wednesday by the League of Palestinian Ulema, which represents over 500 religious scholars and academics in Palestine, stated that "it is amply clear in light of the Holy Quran and the traditions of our Holy Prophet (pbuh) that it is inadmissible for Muslims to enter into alliance with non-Muslims against fellow Muslims."

The edict cited evidence from the Qura'an and Sunna (traditions of the Prophet) to that effect.

It warned Muslims against falling into the trap of fighting and killing fellow Muslims under the rubric of "fighting terrorism."

Several similar Fatwas have been issued throughout the Muslim world, all forbidding Muslims from joining the expected American campaign against Afghanistan.

On Friday, Sheikh Ibahim Zeid al Keelani, a prominent Islamic figure in Jordan, issued a strongly-worded statement admonishing Arab regimes against "joining ranks with the disbelievers against fellow Muslims."

He invoked the Qaranic verse that states that "whoever joins them (the disbelivers) is one of them."

Sheikh Nayef Rajoub, a member of the Palestine League of Ulema, also criticized "the harrowing to join the American drum-beaters against our Afghani brothers."

"When somebody is accused, evidence is presented and he is prosecuted in a court of law, and if he is found innocent, he is acquitted and declared innocent, and if found guilty, he is sentenced and punished. However, American, driven by the hysteria of recent events, wants to shed Muslim blood indiscriminately, and Muslims must not take part in this act of aggression."

Rajoub, brother to Palestinian Authority Preventive Security Chief Jebril Rajoub, also question the motives of the American crusade.

"Why haven't we seen a similar international coalition against Jewish terrorism which killed hundreds and wounded tens of thousands in the past 12 months, do the Americans bleed redder, or are we children of a lesser God?"

Rajoub further asked "if the victims of the recent tragedy in New York had been Arab or Muslim, would the world have paid much attention to their calamity?"

Muslim organizations and Muslims in general have ostensibly sincerely expressed their revulsion at and condemnation of the suicide plane crashes in the US.

However, most Muslims also blamed the American embrace of Israeli apartheid and colonialism as root causes for terrorism against the United States.