European Council for Fatwa and Research

Memri reports:

SHEIKH FAYSAL MAWLAWI, THE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL FOR FATWA AND RESEARCH, RESPONDED TO A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER SUICIDE BOMBINGS WERE ILLEGAL: ‘MARTYR OPERATIONS ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE FORBIDDEN SUICIDE… SO WHOEVER IS KILLED IN SUCH MISSIONS AS A MARTYR, MAY ALLAH BLESS HIM… I CALL ON EVERY PALESTINIAN NOT TO HESITATE IN CARRYING OUT SUCH OPERATIONS…’ (ISLAMONLINE.NET, 1/27/04)

Another quote by a Muslim justifying terriorism. But what is this European Council for Fatwa and Research?

The European Council for Fatwa and Research was established in March 1997 in the UK, where it was chosen to be as its headquarters. Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi (Qatar) was then chosen to be its Chairman, together with Sheikh Faisal Mawlawi (Lebanon) as its Deputy Chairman and Sheikh Abdullah Al Judai (UK) as its General Secretary. Council’s Objectives 1- Striving towards bridging the gap amongst the scholars in the European arena and working towards unifying the different views concerning the fundamental issues of Fiqh. 2- Issuing collective answers of Fiqh that will fulfill the needs of Muslims in Europe and attempt to solve their problems for an effective interaction within their European societies. 3- Publishing the juristic research papers and studies that will tackle the emerging new issues on the European arena. 4-Directing and guiding the Muslims in Europe generally and the youth particularly, through spreading the authentic concepts of Islam and its noble principles.

In other words, this council influences the attitudes of Muslims in Europe, issuing Fatwas for them to abide by. Hence, when Sheik Faysal Mawlawi calls on all PLO Arabs to commit terrorist acts, many Muslims in Europe are listening. They were probably also listening to the report of Sheikh Al-Qaradhawi, presented at the Council’s conference on Jihad and Denying its Connection to Terror, held in Stockholm (ironically where the 2004 Stockholm International Forum on Preventing Genocide is being held). Here is an extract:

Martyrdom Operations “The martyrdom operations carried out by the Palestinian factions to resist the Zionist occupation are not in any way included in the framework of prohibited terrorism, even if the victims include some civilians.” “This is for several reasons:” “First of all, due to the colonialist, occupational, racist, and [plundering] nature of Israeli society, it is, in fact, a military society. Anyone past childhood, man or woman, is drafted into the Israeli army. Every Israeli is a solider in the army, either in practical terms or because he is a reservist soldier who can be summoned at any time for war. This fact needs no proof. Those they call ‘civilians’ are in effect ‘soldiers’ in the army of the sons of Zion.” “Second, Israeli society has a unique trait that makes it different from the other human societies, and that is that as far as the people of Palestine are concerned, it is a ‘society of invaders’ who came from outside the region – from Russia or America, from Europe or from the lands of the Orient – to occupy Palestine and settle in it…” “Those who are invaded have the right to fight the invaders with all means at their disposal in order to remove [the invaders] from their homes and send them back to the homes from whence they came… This is a Jihad of necessity, as the clerics call it, and not Jihad of choice… Even if an innocent child is killed as a result of this Jihad – it was not intended, but rather due to the necessities of the war… Even with the passage of time, these [Israeli] so-called ‘civilians’ do not stop being invaders, evil, tyrants, and oppressors…” “Third… It has been determined by Islamic law that the blood and property of people of Dar Al-Harb [the Domain of Disbelief where the battle for the domination of Islam should be waged] is not protected. Because they fight against and are hostile towards the Muslims, they annulled the protection of his blood and his property.” “Fourth, the Muslim clerics, or most of them, have agreed that it is permissible to kill Muslims if the army that attacks the Muslims hides behind them, that is, uses them as barricades or human shields, and sets them at the front so that the fire, arrows, or spears of the Muslims will harm them first. The clerics have permitted the defenders to kill these innocent Muslims, who were forced to stand at the head of the army of their enemies… Otherwise the invading army will enter and annihilate their offspring and their harvests. There was no choice but to sacrifice some [of the Muslims] in order to defend the entire [Muslim] community… Therefore, if it is permitted to kill innocent Muslims who are under coercion in order to protect the greater Muslim community, it is all the more so permissible to kill non-Muslims in order to liberate the land of the Muslims from its occupiers and oppressors.” “Fifth, in modern war, all of society, with all its classes and ethnic groups, is mobilized to participate in the war, to aid its continuation, and to provide it with the material and human fuel required for it to assure the victory of the state fighting its enemies. Every citizen in society must take upon himself a role in the effort to provide for the battle. The entire domestic front, including professionals, laborers, and industrialists, stands behind the fighting army, even if it does not bear arms. Therefore the experts say that the Zionist entity, in truth, is one army.” “Sixth, there are two types of Fatwas: Fatwas concerning a situation of calm and choice, and Fatwas concerning a situation of distress and necessity. It is permissible for a Muslim, when in a situation of extreme necessity, to do what is prohibited to him [in circumstances allowing] choice… Thus, one of the clerics has espoused the rule: ‘Necessities permit prohibitions.’ Our brothers in Palestine are, without a doubt, in a situation of extreme necessity to carry out martyrdom operations in order to unsettle their enemies and the plunderers of their land and to sow horror in their hearts so that they will leave, and return to the places from whence they came…” “What weapon can harm their enemy, can prevent him from sleeping, and can strip him of a sense of security and stability, except for these human bombs – a young man or woman who blows himself or herself up amongst their enemy. This is a weapon the likes of which the enemy cannot obtain, even if the U.S. provides it with billions [of dollars] and the most powerful weapons, because it is a unique weapon that Allah has placed only in the hands of the men of belief. It is a type of divine justice on the face of the earth… it is the weapon of the wretched weak in the face of the powerful tyrant…” ‘Those Who Oppose Martyrdom Operations and Claim that they are Suicide are Making a Great Mistake’ “Those who oppose martyrdom operations and claim that they are suicide are making a great mistake. The goals of the one who carries out a martyrdom operation and of the one who commits suicide are completely different. Anyone who analyzes the soul of [these two] will discover the huge difference between them. The [person who commits] suicide kills himself for himself, because he failed in business, love, an examination, or the like. He was too weak to cope with the situation and chose to flee life for death.” “In contrast, the one who carries out a martyrdom operation does not think of himself. He sacrifices himself for the sake of a higher goal, for which all sacrifices become meaningless. He sells himself to Allah in order to buy Paradise in exchange. Allah said: ‘Allah has bought from the believers their souls and their properties for they shall inherit Paradise.'” “While the [person who commits] suicide dies in escape and retreat, the one who carries out a martyrdom operation dies in advance and attack. Unlike the [person who commits] suicide, who has no goal except escape from confrontation, the one who carries out a martyrdom operation has a clear goal, and that is to please Allah…”

Let me remind you. These are the words emanating from a group freely operating out of Europe. As far as I am concerned, this is a terrorist group that not only promotes terrorism, but is also encouraging anti-Semitic acts in Europe. Let’s get them shut down. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

Update: By the way, this is their website. When you click to change the language to English, the font remains in Arabic. How ironic, considering they would all have us speaking Arabic if they had their way.

 

Update 2: Aaron of Internet Haganah is now on the case.

1 thought on “European Council for Fatwa and Research”

  1. This is from Irish Central: http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Wikileaks-shows-

    One of the latest cables published by Wikileaks shows that the US Government asked the Dublin embassy to evaluate whether a Dublin-based Muslim think tank was trying to have Sharia law recognized in Europe. The cable detailed how the US Government asked a series of questions on where the Dublin-based groups such as European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR), which uses the Clonskeagh mosque, in Dublin, as their headquarters, and the Islamic Cultural Center in Ireland (ICCI), chaired by Imam Hussein Halawa, were connected with trying to introduce Sharia law.

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