Abu Gaith

By IOL staff writer in Cairo

DOHA, June 23 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – Prominent Muslim scholar Dr.  Youssef Al-Qaradawi rejected Al-Qaeda’s claiming responsibility of the synagogue explosion on the Tunisian island of Djerba in April 2002 and said that it is not permissible in Islam to do so.

On Sunday evening, June 23, Sulaiman Abu Gaith, a spokesman for the Al-Qaeda network claimed responsibility for the explosion that killed 14 German tourists in a statement broadcast on the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera television channel.

A total of nineteen people were killed, including the 14 holidaymakers, when a fuel tanker exploded outside a synagogue on the resort island on April 11, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Investigators said the explosion was an attack carried out by the truck driver.

Dr. Al Qaradawi told IslamOnline said that in Islam it is not permissible to attack places of worship such as churches and synagogues or attack men of religion, even in the state of war.

“Civilians, such as the German tourists, should not be killed, or kept as hostages. Jews, not in conflict with Muslims, must not be killed as well. Anyone who commits these crimes is punishable by Islamic Sharia and have committed the sin of killing a soul which Allah has prohibited to kill and of spreading corruption on earth,” said Dr. Al Qaradawi.

Sulaiman Abu Gaith said that the “young man who carried out the operation could not stand seeing his brothers in Palestine being killed and yet he sees the Jews in his city roaming around, having fun and carrying out their rituals. He was angered and the spirit of Jihad rose in him and he carried out this successful operation.”

When asked whether the killing of Jewish women, children and men is permissible, Islamic scholar Muhammad Al-Hanuti said that no one can be persecuted or tortured because of their religion.

“The only one who could be killed is the murderer or the one who commits a crime punishable by the law. In war, when people are fighting for a certain cause, Muslims are not allowed to kill the elderly, women or children. The only legitimate target is the one who is involved in combat against Muslims,” he said.

Another scholar Sheikh Faysal Mawlawi was asked about the targeting of “civilians” in Israel whether it could be considered a legitimate form of Jihad.

“In fact, there is no war between Muslims and every Jew in this world; rather, our war is against those who have usurped our Holy Land and try to establish a homeland for themselves in a place that does not belong to them. In this sense, we do not kill any Jew who resides in any part of the world other than Palestine.

“As for those Jews living inside our occupied lands and carry the Israeli nationality, they participate in the aggression against our fellow Palestinians. Our target should be military personnel and not civilians when Israel does not attack our civilians. But as we can see nowadays, they violate the lives of all Palestinians, civilians or non-civilians.

“In their aggression, they make no distinction between a baby or an elderly person. They have also committed many massacres. Qaana, Hebron and Dir Yaseen are a few examples and evidences of Israeli atrocities. According to the Qur’an, we are to stick by a principle that reads: “If ye punish, then punish with the like of that wherewith ye were afflicted.” (An-Nahl: 126) We are to retaliate in the same way we are attacked.

“Hence, we have no other choice but to treat them like with like to deter them. Hence, we are allowed to kill every Israeli until they stop this mass killing and paganism. It is only then that we can stop our attacks on the Israeli civilians but our Jihad against the military will never stop till they leave our land and give us back our holy site, Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa.”

Dr. Al-Qaradawi said that the conflict with the Jews is over land and not about their Judaism, because they are people of the Book (i.e. they believe in a revealed religion).

“We are allowed to eat their food and marry their women. Accordingly, social intercourse, including inter-marriage, is permitted with the People of the Book. Virtually, the Jews lived under Muslims’ protection for many centuries.

“When a Muslim defends his land, he is not just defending mere soil, he is actually defending the land of Islam.”

In his statement, Abu Gaith also denied that Osama bin Laden, the man the U.S. government claims was behind the September 11 attacks on the U.S., or any prominent Al-Qaeda leader has been hurt in the U.S. strikes on Afghanistan.

“I want all Muslims to rest assured that Osama bin Laden, Ayman Al-Zawahry and Mulla Omar are all in good health. And all what’s been broadcast about them being hurt in Tora Bora is false news,” Abu Gaith said.

He said that 98 per cent of the Al-Qaeda leaders are safe and that they are handling their matters effectively.

“The entire world and Muslims in particular, those who love Jihad, will be pleased to see an interview for Osama bin Laden, which will be broadcast soon on television,” said Abu Gaith.

Abu Gaith, who has been stripped off his Kuwaiti nationality, said that there will be future operations against American interests and hinted at the recent heated debate in the U.S. on whether or not the U.S. president knew about the September 11 attacks, in a clear indication that the recording is recent.

The five-year old Al-Jazeera satellite news channel, which has at least 35 million viewers in the Arab world and elsewhere, captured world attention for its exclusive reports during the U.S.-led strikes on Afghanistan and for showing taped statements by Osama bin Laden.  

Please Click here for fatwa on Islam and the protection of non-muslim places of worship.

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