US Muslims Issue Fatwa Against Terror
Reuters reports,
Top U.S. Muslim scholars issued a “fatwa,” or religious edict, against terrorism on Thursday and called on Muslims to help authorities fight the scourge of militant violence.
The fatwa was part of efforts by U.S. Muslims to counter perceived links between Islam and terrorism and avert any negative backlash after this month’s bombings by suspected Islamic extremists in London and Egypt.
“Having our religious scholars side by side with our community leaders leaves no room for anybody to suggest that Islam and Muslims condone or support any forms or acts of terrorism,” said Esam Omeish, president of the Muslim American Society, one of the groups which announced the fatwa.
It’s not that I’m not appreciative of this very big step on the part of America’s Muslim community. But holy hell, the first WTC bombing was eight years ago, and 9/11 four, let alone Kenya, Yemen, and oh, I dunno, Israel, again and again and again. Why did it take until Sharm el-Sheikh to speak up?
This is hardly the first time that Muslim clerical condemnations of terrorists have occurred. The thing is a fatwa is as meaningless as a talmudic interpretation: you just go next door and get one you agree with. Combined with deliberate silence in the media and angry christian radio hosts (the same guys who shilled for the Passion) claiming it never happens (because, with their stellar research skills, they’re “not hearing it”) and you get nothing.
Abba’s right — it is hardly the first time…
See: Second Scholar Renounces Fatwas Promoting Violence – Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, Calif.: Nov 23, 2003. pg. A.14
Or: Easing into Islamic democracy ; Convinced by their experience in the US, American Muslims are helping form democratic coalitions in the Muslim world and are building their case on Islamic principles.; Jane Lampman Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor. Christian Science Monitor. Boston, Mass.: May 29, 2003. pg. 12
And as early as Sept 27, A group of international Islamic jurists, issued a religious edict calling on Muslims to unite against terrorism and for the apprehension of the perpetrators and supporters of the 9/11 attacks. In a Sept. 30 interview on “60 Minutes,” Islamic imams declared it a religious duty for Muslims to fight this form of extremism.
The problem is not that there haven’t been enough pronouncements… it’s just that there are those who don’t want to listen.
A couple of weeks ago, there was a story publicized widely in the secular Israeli media about ‘rabbis’ getting together in some cemetary and making a ‘pulsa danura’ on Sharon. Were these ‘rabbis’ representative of anyone but themselves and perhaps the Shabak with its history of fake televised provocations?
Then we had Associated Press report about Harav Eliyahu claiming that sesame seeds and like products are not kosher.
Now we have Reuters reporting about fatwas from ‘top muslim scholars’? Who do they represent besides themselves? The story is pretty non-factual. The description of the adjoining picture is quite degrading, “A Muslim woman plays a public service announcement denouncing terrorism during a news conference held… ” Hello? I can imagine that caption at a press conference with Michael Lerner from Tikkun – ‘Jewish woman holds remote control while PDA about…”
josh you are right “Now we have Reuters reporting about fatwas from ‘top muslim scholars’? Who do they represent besides themselves? The story is pretty non-factual.” ….but at least they made a small step and I appriciate it ^-^
peace to all.