A globally renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi has been described as one of the most influential theologians in the world, contrary to those who criticize him due to his dynamic views on issues.
This was the submission of a Nigeria-based Islamic scholar, Dr Sirajudeen Bilal Al-Asra who said the extremists who criticise Sheikh Qaradawi’s informed and dynamic views should not be taken seriously.
In an exclusive interview with Muslim News, Dr Asrau clarified Al-Qaradawi’s verdict on suicide bombing which is one of the issues often latched by his critics to attempt to ridicule the 94 year-old-Islamic scholar.
Muslim News recalls that in September 11, 2001 when some terrorists allegedly from Saudi Arabia launched a ravaging bomb attack on the United States of America, Sheikh Al-Qaradawi was one of the global Islamic scholars that publicly condemned the cowardly act.
The Qatar-based Islamic scholar in his verdict pronounced suicide bombing as unlawful in Islam, but gave an exception to the defenceless Palestinians who were being terrorized by the Israel government and were left with no weapons or military base.
But in November 2017, sixteen years later, Sheikh Qaradawi reversed his stance on suicide attacks against the Israelis, saying they were no longer allowed. He added that the Palestinians had obtained “other capabilities” to defend themselves against the Israeli offensive — a reference to Hamas’s rocket arsenals.
However, despite the reality of the circumstance that necessitated the fatwa in the first instance, and the eventual reversal of the same fatwa, the avowed critics of Sheikh Qaradawi, especially from among the Salafiyyah sect and the pro-Israeli western media have since launched a cyber attack, describing him as a terrorist scholar who legitimatised suicide bombing, ignoring the fact that his verdict was solely for the Palestinians and had since been recanted.
Speaking with Muslim News, Dr Asrau said the verdict of Qaradawi on the permissibility of suicide bombing, which was issued after the 9/11 concerned only the Palestine situation, adding that;
“It was the only alternative for the Palestinians to fight the Zionist soldiers who were not only killing them but confiscating their lands. Qaradawi’s fatwah on this issue (suicide bombing) was about liberation of Quds (Palestine). It is for the Palestinians alone.”
Explaining further, the highly revered Nigerian-based scholar said;
“Take for instance, some Isreaeli occupation forces will go to someone’s house, demolish the house and kill everyone (father and mother, siblings, etc). You come, only to discover that your entire family has been murdered and both your home and the ancestral land are gone forever. They could even have killed you if they had met you at home. So, what would you do and what other available option do you have?
“The Zionists disregard the international laws. They have violated all UN resolutions on Palestine. But the only surviving boy decided to defend himself, after all, he too would have been killed if he had been around. So, since guns were not available and instead of being killed like his helpless family, he decided to carry the only available locally made explosives and retaliate, killing some occupation soldiers in the process. What he achieved is to reduce their numbers of the occupation army and deplete the power of the usurpers.
“What’s your fatwah on that? So, what’s the difference between someone who had shot you and your family one by one and you also had a gun and shot him in return during battle? What’s the difference between that and trying to find an explosive, since they already wished to kill you too?
“Back then, Sheikh Qaradawi approved suicide bombing for the people of Palestine with two conditions, firstly, that the carrier has seen for sure that he couldn’t escape death and he should also be sure that the bombing will kill his assailants or the enemy without harming the innocent. I hope you got that?
“This is Fiqh – ul – Miizaan. If the people criticising Qaradawi’s fatwa witnessed the same situation the Palestinians were faced and are still being faced with, they will definitely change their stand and accept Qaradawi’s opinion. But their sinister motive blind them to the truth. Nevertheless, Dr Qaradawi has since retracted the fatwa because the Palestinians now have some military might to defend themselves from the Israeli aggression. Qaradawi insisted that the suicide bombing that was for Palestinians is not allowed anymore. So, why is he a terrorist and what else do they want, except to try and tarnish his towering and intimidating image for selfish gains?
“Did Qaradawi endorse suicide bombers to tie bombs and explode them in Nigeria, Saudi Arabia or Egypt? Even in the US, whose government has been supporting Israel’s heinous crimes, have you heard anyone commit suicide bombing? Why? Because it is not Islamic,” he said.
The scholar further explaned;
“Do you really know what the Palestinians are going through? Because you drive big cars and live in air conditioned houses, you’re less concerned about the plight of others? That was the reason Qaradawi okayed suicide bombings for Palestinians back then, but he has since retracted that fatwah because Palestinians can now defend themselves without resorting to suicide bombing.
“They say, why did he (Qaradawi) not oppose Boko Haram’s unholy activities in Nigeria? Are his critics not aware he denounces Boko Haram and their nefarious activities such as suicide bombing? Across the world, not many scholars are brave enough to issue fatwa against the Boko Haram and their heinous crimes. Qaradawi even passed fatwah that negated the former leader of Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden. He described Bin Laden as a transgressor. Didn’t they hear that?
Dr Asrau, who features regularly on a radio programme tagged Nurul Huda, explained the concept of ‘Fiqh – ul -Miizan’ in Islamic jurisprudence which means evaluating issues appropriately to suit the contemporary or prevaiing situation.
In his words;
“The status is that there is something called Fiqh-ul-Miizaan, meaning “measuring every aspect appropriately” or “understanding of the scale”. Allahu Akbar! In Surah Al-Hadid (Qur’an 57), Allah says: “We have sent iron… (Iron means swords and weapons used in wars).”
“The Qur’an continues “Wherein is great military might and benefits for the people.” Allah spoke about iron, very hard weapons used in wars to injure or kill. The scholar also talked about its benefits (in making worldly ornaments good for mankind). That is Miizaan, so that man can measure the balance.”
“To be balanced is to measure each situation, such that it may be good in this situation, and may be bad in the other. Isn’t it bad to kill oneself? It is bad to use iron in that situation, but there are other times when it is good to use iron. Fataawah do change with conditions and time. It belongs to the Mutaghayiraat (aspects that change), not the Thawaabit” (unchanging aspects), he said.
Dr Asrau enjoined Muslims, particularly the youths of today to channel their energies to search for real and true knowledge, and not just for the purpose of engaging in baseless arguments. He urged them to step up in the quest for true knowledge and worship, rather than bringing up issues that are capable of dividing the Muslim Ummah and creating problems for the society at large.
“Our people need to learn what are Mutaghayiraat and Thawaabit. Sometimes, I just sit and laugh at our situation. We have been engrossed in problems that we should not be busy with. There was a time they came with “No second Jam’ah (for missed solaawat)”. It got to a point that they went violent on innocent Muslims who missed the first Jam’ah and wanted to assemble for the second. Later, they came with another argument that I’tikaaf can only be observed in three mosques.
“They just create unnecessary problems for the Muslim community. Sometimes ago, they also claimed there is no Jama’ah (Muslim organisations). They called themselves “La Jama’ah”. All these have vanished into thin air, AlhamduliLlah. But my worry is, when do we really want to start worshiping Allah in the true sense of it?”, he questioned.
Read full interview HERE
Great presentation but the enemy within would never rest they like dog either you send it away or not it will keep panting.
Sheik
I will always says a million jazakumullahu khaeran for not letting me fall prey of those serious salafy
Nice presentation by our Amiable Dr. Asrau.
Thanks alot for your everytime concern and advise on Islaamic issues and youth, more health and wealth to lead more.