Weapons of Mass Destruction in Muslim Fatwas

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Notes

¹ A fatwa is a response, oral or written, by a Mufti (Islamic law scholar) to a Muslim's question on a religious, social, or religious subject. In other words, a fatwa is a religious-legal conclusion on a specific question issued by a Muslim theologian.

² “Fatwa by the Fatwas Committee of Al-Azhar University, December 23, 2002, Onislam,” April 10, 2007, <http://www.onislam.net/arabic/ask-the-scholar/8363/8332/52543-2004-08-01%2017-37-04.html>, last accessed August 14, 2014.

³ Political fiqh, F. Yakin: “Islam Obligates Muslims to Possess Nuclear Weapons”, <http://www.daawa.net/display/arabic/efuqh/efuqhdetail.aspx?eid=28&etype=3>, last accessed August 14, 2014.

⁴ “Egypt Seeks to Develop Nukes with Chinese Help,” Daily Times, June 23, 2002, <http://archives.dailytimes.com.pk/main/23-Jun-2002/egypt-seeks-to-develop-nukes-with-chinese-help>, last accessed August 14, 2014.

⁵ “Embassy Spokesman on the So-called China's Assistance to Egypt in Developing Nuclear Weapons as Reported by German Newspaper Die Welt,” Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Arab Republic of Egypt, June 27, 2002, <http://eg.china-embassy.org/eng/xinwen/2002/t78430.htm>, last accessed August 14, 2014.

⁶ “Egypt to Pose a Future Threat?,” Washington Times, July 23, 2002, <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2002/jul/23/20020723–034656–1751r/?feat=article_related_stories>, last accessed August 14, 2014.

⁷ See, for example: Ariel E. Levite, “Never Say Never Again: Nuclear Reversal Revisited,” International Security 27, No. 3, (Winter 2002/3), p. 59–88; “Preventing Nuclear Proliferation Chain Reactions: Japan, South Korea, and Egypt,” Project of Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, 2008, <https://wws.princeton.edu/sites/default/files/content/docs/news/wws591f.pdf>, last accessed August 14, 2014.

⁸ Yusuf Al-Qaradawi (born 1923) is often referred to as the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood. His books and ideas command much respect not only among the Muslim Brotherhood but also among the followers of many other Islamic social-political movements. He is called a Global Mufti because he has millions of followers all over the Islamic world and because he issues fatwas on many pressing problems that are relevant for Muslims living in different countries. This is why his fatwas, including those on the subject of WMD, deserve special attention. For more details, see: Yakob Skovgaard-Petersen and Bettina Graf, eds., Global Mufti: The Phenomenon of Yusuf al-Qaradawi (London: Ed. Hurst and Co., 2009), pp. 55–74.

⁹ This fatwa by al-Qaradawi has been posted on his website: <http://www.qaradawi.net/new/component/content/article/220-2014-01-26-18-21-41/2014-01-26-18-26-08/684>, last accessed August 14, 2014.

¹⁰ This fatwa by al-Qaradawi has been posted on his website: <http://www.qaradawi.net/new/component/content/article/220-2014-01-26-18-21-41/2014-01-26-18-26-08/684>, last accessed August 14, 2014.

¹¹ Nasir Al-Fahd (born 1968) is a theologian who is quite famous in Saudi Arabia. He has authored numerous works, including fatwas on Jihad against the Americans. His works are published mainly on the Jihadists’ leading website (http://www.tawhed.ws). He is one of the theologians whose work is often praised and studied by the leader of Al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri. He was arrested by Saudi secret services after explosions in Riyadh on May 12, 2003.

¹² Nasir Al-Fahd, “Legal Status of Using WMD against Infidels,” <http://www.tawhed.ws/r1?i=2912&x=2gi7siuw>, last accessed August 14, 2014.

¹³ Nasir Al-Fahd, “Legal Status of Using WMD against Infidels,” <http://www.tawhed.ws/r1?i=2912&x=2gi7siuw>, last accessed August 14, 2014.

¹⁴ Literally, “to commit abuse on the earth.” See also the following ayats: “And of the people is he whose speech pleases you in worldly life, and he calls Allah to witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the fiercest of opponents. And when he goes away, he strives throughout the land to cause corruption therein and destroy crops and animals. And Allah does not like corruption” (2:204–205); “and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption” (2:60).

¹⁵ Nasir Al-Fahd cites the Hadith (narrations about deeds and sayings of the Prophet) in support of his ideas. For example, he writes: “Sa'ab Jasima asked the Prophet (pbuh) about the women and children and polytheists who were killed during the night raids. And the Prophet answered, ‘They are of their number.’” Like many similar theologians, Al-Fahd takes these Hadith out of their historical context and tries to find in them some justification of his ideas.

¹⁶ He refers to the following Hadith: “The Prophet (pbuh) used catapults to attack the residents of Taif.”

¹⁷ This prohibition is contained in the following ayats: “And cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation” (7:56); “And when he goes away, he strives throughout the land to cause corruption therein and destroy crops and animals. And Allah does not like corruption” (2:205).

¹⁸ This was during a war between the first Muslim community with the Jewish tribe Banu Nadir.

¹⁹ Al-Fahd, “Legal Status of Using WMD against Infidels.”

²⁰ Ayman al-Zawahiri cites a fatwa by Nasir Al-Fahd in his work Justification. He uses the Saudi theologian's arguments and arrives at the same conclusions. For more details, see: Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, “Islam and the Bomb: Religious Justification For and Against Nuclear Weapons,” Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, 2011, pp. 35–37.

²¹ Ali Gomaa, “The Use of WMD against Non-Muslim States,” <http://www.dar-alifta.org.eg/ViewFatwa.aspx?ID=646>, last accessed August 13, 2014.

²² Ali Gomaa cites the Koran: “O you who have believed, fulfill [all] contracts” (5:1).

²³ He refers to a Hadith from a reputable collection of the Prophet's deeds and sayings compiled by the theologian al-Buhari: “The Prophet forbade the killing of women and children.”

²⁴ Gomaa, “The Use of WMD against Non-Muslim States.”

²⁵ P. Goodenough, “Iranian Nuclear Fatwa Cited by Obama May Not Exist,” CNS News, October 1, 2013, <http://cnsnews.com/news/article/patrick-goodenough/iranian-nuclear-fatwa-cited-obamamay->, last accessed August 12, 2014.

²⁶ P. Goodenough, “Obama Advised Acknowledge Iran's Nuclear Fatwa,” CNS News, April 19, 2013, <http://cnsnews.com/news/article/obama-advised-acknowledge-iran-s-nuclear-fatwa>, last accessed August 12, 2014.

²⁷ Goodenough, “Iranian Nuclear Fatwa Cited by Obama May Not Exist.”

²⁸ P. Goodenough, “Iranian Leader Convinces Turkey's PM that Islam Forbids Nukes,” CNS News, April 3, 2012, <http://cnsnews.com/news/article/iranian-leader-convinces-turkeys-pm-islamforbids-nukes>, last accessed August 12, 2014.

²⁹ The Iran Project, “Leader Nuclear Fatwa Addresses Entire World,” Analyst, <http://theiranproject.com/blog/2014/06/12/leader-nuclear-fatwa-addresses-entire-world-analyst/>, last accessed August 13, 2014.

³⁰ “Fatwa Against Nuclear Weapons,” http://nuclearenergy.ir/legal-aspects/#Fatwa_against_Nuclear_Weapons.

³¹ S.H. Mousavian is a well-known Iranian diplomat who took part in negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program. At present he is a researcher with Princeton University, <http://www.princeton.edu/sgs/faculty-staff/seyed-hossein-mousavian/>, last accessed August 14, 2014.

³² Seyed Hossein Mousavian, “Globalising Iran's Fatwa against Nuclear Weapons,” Survival: Global Politics and Strategy, Vol. 55, N. 2, P. 147–162, P. 154.

³³ Seyed Hossein Mousavian, “Globalising Iran's Fatwa against Nuclear Weapons,” Survival: Global Politics and Strategy, Vol. 55, N. 2, P. 154–155.

³⁴ Hussain Al-Khashen, “Nuclear Weapons on the Scales of Islamic Law,” <http://www.al-khechin.com/article/41>, last accessed August 12, 2014.

³⁵ Ali Naser, “WMD Development from the Islam Law's Point of View,” <http://wahdaislamyia.org/issues/145/anaser.htm>, last accessed August 12, 2014.

³⁶ M. Eisenstadt and M. Khalaji, “Nuclear Fatwa: Religion and Politics in Iran's Proliferation Policy,” Policy Focus No. 115, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, 2011, p. 14.

³⁷ Ali Khamenei, speech, 2005, <http://farsi.khamenei.ir/speech-content?id=3274&q>, last accessed August 12, 2014.

³⁸ Ali Khamenei, speech, 2005, <http://farsi.khamenei.ir/speech-content?id=3274&q>, last accessed August 12, 2014.

³⁹ Seyed Hossein Mousavian, “Globalising Iran's Fatwa against Nuclear Weapons,” p. 148.

⁴⁰ Ali Khamenei, speech, 2010, <http://farsi.khamenei.ir/message-content?id=9171>, last accessed August 13, 2014.

⁴¹ See, for example: A. Tabatabai, “Don't Misunderstand Khamenei's Nuclear Fatwa,” Arms Control and Regional Security for the Middle East, February 28, 2013,<http://www.middleeast-armscontrol.com/2013/02/28/dont-misunderstand-khameneis-nuclear-fatwa/>, last accessed August 12, 2014.

⁴² Eisenstadt and Khalaji “ Nuclear Fatwa: Religion and Politics in Iran's Proliferation Policy,” p. 14.

⁴³ “Legal Proof of Illegality of Nuclear Weapons,” <http://farsi.khamenei.ir/others-note?id=9222>, last accessed August 13, 2014.

⁴⁴ Eisenstadt and Khalaji, “Nuclear Fatwa: Religion and Politics in Iran's Proliferation Policy,” p. 19.

⁴⁵ For more details, see: “Islam,” in Encyclopedic Dictionary (Moscow: Nauka, GRVL, 1991).

⁴⁶ Eisenstadt and Khalaji, “Nuclear Fatwa: Religion and Politics,” p. 15.

⁴⁷ See, for example: “The Nuclear Threat Initiative,” Iran Nuclear Chronology, <http://www.nti.org/media/pdfs/iran_nuclear.pdf?_=1316542527>, last accessed August 14, 2014.