Tracking down terrorists is a great Jihad’: Saudi cleric Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan

Islam,Terrorism and Jihad

23 Dec 2008, NewAgeIslam.Com

Tracking down terrorists is a great Jihad': Saudi cleric Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan

Who says terrorism is Jihad? Asks Saudi cleric Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan and goes on: "Are the people who issue such rulings dependable, respectable or are they simply supporters and defenders – ignorant people? They are definitely not scholars. Has a single, dependable and respectable scholar ever said that this is Jihad? Never. It is a lie. This (the actions of the terrorists) is not Jihad. Rather, it is sinning against Allah and His Messenger, a violation and transgression against what Muslims hold sacred, and opposition and rebellion against the obedience to the leader of the Muslims." ----------------------------    Tracking down terrorists is a great Jihad'   By Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan, Member of the Highest Saudi Religious Body, Senior Council of Clerics and Professor, Imam Mohamed Bin Saud Islamic University   Q – We are a group of police officers and we would like to direct a question to you since we have been entrusted in this country with investigating those who are out to disturb the peace or disobey and reject obedience to the leader of the country.   And we have heard of a religious verdict stating that it is impermissible to track these people down and fight them because they are "Mujahideen" (people waging religious Jihad), and because they want to expel the disbelievers from our land who fight Muslims in other countries such as Iraq.   A – May Allah assist you; you are the ones making Jihad. You all, by this work of yours, are in Jihad. This is because by doing this, you intend to stop the people of falsehood from their crimes, secure the peace, and safeguard people's lives, honour, and wealth. So, you are the ones waging Jihad, may Allah assist you. The reward of the Mujahideen will (instead) go to you and for your compliance and obedience to the leader of the Muslims. This job of yours is a respectable, dignified job and is very honourable. So, have no doubts about this.   As for someone who issues a religious verdict that this (what the terrorists do) is Jihad – who says this is Jihad? Are the people who issue such rulings dependable, respectable or are they simply supporters and defenders – ignorant people? They are definitely not scholars. Has a single, dependable and respectable scholar ever said that this is Jihad? Never. It is a lie. This (the actions of the terrorists) is not Jihad. Rather, it is sinning against Allah and His Messenger, a violation and transgression against what Muslims hold sacred, and opposition and rebellion against the obedience to the leader of the Muslims.   All of these things are sins – major sins, may Allah protect us. So, it is not a form of Jihad. This is – yes, this is for the sake of Satan, not for the sake of Allah because it harms Muslims. As for expelling non-Muslims – this is not your business. The issue of expelling non-Muslims is a decision for the leader of Muslim people (ruler, king, president, etc.). He is the one who establishes a trust between them, allowing them to enter (a country) for some service or benefit the people need, and afterwards he may relieve them when their contractual period of stay ends. As for the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying:   "Expel the Jews from the Arabian Peninsula." (With similar wording in Al-Bukhari, no. 3053 and Muslim, no. 1767)   This is a directive addressed to the leaders (and not every individual). For this reason, none of them ever expelled them except Caliph Umar Bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). It is not for the people to decide and expel them. So, this is the responsibility of a leader, just as it is the ruler who may allow them to enter the country in the first instance. They (non-Muslims) have not come here except to benefit us and have come with valid visas. They have come, invited, to fulfill some project whether it be jobs in embassies, companies, etc. They have come to the Muslims to benefit them. They have been given a trust (of safety) – a covenant – and the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:   "Whoever kills someone (a non-Muslim) given a trust or covenant will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise even though its fragrance can be smelled from the distance of 40 years." (Al-Bukhari, no. 3166)   This is a severe warning. So, whoever passes some religious verdict that this (work of the terrorists) is Jihad – he is not a scholar; he is either a misguided scholar who used to have knowledge or he is utterly ignorant who does not know what Jihad for the sake of Allah even means.   This question was answered by the Sheikh verbally and the audio clip can be found at: http://www.fatwa1.com/anti-erhab/Irhabion/Irhabion.html. This particular audio clip is no. 22 in the list. Translated by Abu Az-Zubayr Harrison. Source: http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2008122224797   --- SHEIKH SALEH IBN FAWZAN AL-FAWZAN   He is the noble Sheikh Dr. Saleh Ibn Fawzan Ibn Abdullah from the family of Fawzan from the people/tribe of ash-Shamaasiyyah. He was born in 1354H (1933 AD). His father died when he was young so he was brought up by his family. He learned the Noble Qur'ân, the basics of reading and writing with the Imaam of the masjid of the town, who was a definitive reciter, Sheikh Hamood Ibn Sulayman at-Talal, who was later made a judge in the town of Dariyyah (not Dar'iyyah in Riyadh) in the region of Qaseem. He later studied at the state school when it opened in ash-Shamaasiyyah in the year 1369H (1948). He completed his studies at the Faysaliyyah school in Buraydah in the year 1371H (1950) and was then appointed a school teacher. Then he joined the educational institute in Buraydah when it opened in the year 1373H (1952), and graduated from there in the year 1377H (1956). He then joined the Faculty of Sharee'ah at the University of Imaam Muhammad in Riyadh and graduated from there 1381H (1960). Thereafter he gained his Masters degree in fiqh, and later a Doctorate from the same faculty, also specializing in fiqh.   After his graduation from the Faculty of Sharee'ah, he was appointed a teacher within the educational institute in Riyadh, then transferred to teaching in the Faculty of Sharee'ah. Later, he transferred to teaching at the Department for Higher Studies within the Faculty of the Principles of the Religion (usool ad-deen). Then he transferred to teaching at the Supreme Court of Justice, where he was appointed the head. He then returned to teaching there after his period of headship came to an end. He was then made a member of the Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fataawa, where he continues to this day.   The noble Sheikh is a member of the Council of Senior Scholars, and member of the Fiqh Committee in Makkah (part of ar-Raabitah), and member of the Committee for Supervision of the Callers (du'aat) in Hajj, whilst also presiding over (his main role) membership of the Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fataawa. He is also the Imaam, khateeb and teacher at the Prince Mut'ib Ibn 'Abdul-'Azeez Masjid in al-Malzar.   He also takes part in corresponding to questions on the radio program "Noorun 'alad-Darb" (Light along the Path), as he also takes part in contributing to a number of Islamic research publications at the Council for Islamic Research, Studies, Theses and Fataawa which are then collated and published. The noble Sheikh also takes part in supervising a number of theses at the Masters degree and Doctorate level. He has a number of students of knowledge who frequent his regular gatherings and lessons . He himself studied at the hands of a number of prominent scholars and jurists, the most notable of whom were: Sh, Abdul-Azeez Ibn Baz (d. 1420H), Sh. Abdullah ibn Humayd (rahimahullaah), Sheikh Muhammad al-Ameen ash-Shanqeetee (d. 1393H), Sheikh Abdur-Razzaq 'Afeefee (rahimahullaah), Sheikh Saleh Ibn Abdur-Rahman as-Sukaytee, Sh. Saleh Ibn Ibraaheem al-Bulayhee, Sh. Muhammad Ibn Subayyal, Sheikh Abdullah Ibn Saleh al-Khulayfee, Sh. Ibraaheem Abdul-Muhsin, and Sh. Hamood Ibn Aqlaa, Sh. Saleh Ali an-Naasir.   He also studied at the hands of a number of scholars from al-Azhar University (Egypt) who specialized in hadeeth, tafseer and Arabic language.   In Da'wah Sh. Saleh Fawzan has played a major role in calling to Allah and teaching, giving fatwa, khutbahs and knowledgeable refutations. His books number many, however the following are just a handful which include: - Kitab Tawhid, - Al-irshaad ilas-Saheehil-I'tiqaad, - al-Mulakhkhas al-Fiqhee, - Foods and the Rulings regarding Slaughtering and Hunting, which is part of his Doctorate. - At-Tahqeeqaat al-Mardiyyah in inheritance, which is part of his Masters degree. - Rulings relating to the Believing Women, and - A refutation of Yusuf Qaradawi's book 'al-Halaal wal-Haraam'. MONDAY, MAY 08, 2006 Source: http://www.famousmuslims.com http://islammuslimworld.blogspot.com/2006/05/sheikh-saleh-ibn-fawzan-al-fawzan.html ---   http://newageislam.org/NewAgeIslamArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=1072