Al-Sistani had issued a Fatwa declaring the resistance of invaders “individual duty” imposed on all Muslims, Shia or Sunni

By Abdul Raheem Ali, IOL Staff

CAIRO, April 4 (IslamOnline.net) - Iraq's most senior religious leader denied a Fatwa Thursday, allegedly issued in his name, urging the country's Shia community not to hinder the U.S. and British invading armies.

According to a London-based charity organization – whose board chairman accompanied the British troops in Iraq - Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani – the foremost Shia authority in Iraq – called on Muslims to keep calm, stay at home, not put themselves in danger and not to fight.

However, n a statement signed by the grand Shia cleric, al-Sistani’s office in Najef categorically denied the “alleged Fatwa”.

The Ayatollah, who is 73, has been under house imprisonment at his home in the holy city of Najaf by Saddam Hussein's secret police for almost a decade. He was freed two days ago when his guards fled as U.S. forces advanced on the city.

Al-Khoiy Organization in London, headed by Mohamed al-Khoiy – son of one of the founders of Religious Center in Najef – has claimed that al-Sistani issued a Fatwa urging Iraqi Shia not to resist the U.S.-British forces.

Mohamed Bahr el-Uloum, a Shia cleric explained that the alleged Fatwa could have been issued “to protect the Shia shrines in Najef from being shelled and destroyed by the invasion forces”.

Claims And Lies

For his part, one of London-based Shia clerics, Shaikh Hadi el-Khalis said that the alleged Fatwa – attributed to al-Sistani – is but “fabrications and lies”.

In a statement to IslamOnline.net Thursday, April3, el-Khalis said that “Al-Khoiy Organization in London – source of the alleged Fatwa - was established as a launchpad for anti-Iraq activities,” reminding that al-Sistani had previously issued a Fatwa declaring the resistance of invaders “individual duty” imposed on all Muslims, be them Shia or Sunni.

Meanwhile, Iad el-Samarraiy, head of the Political Bureau of the opposition Iraqi Islamic Party, stressed the necessity of “verifying and authenticating anything the invaders try to propagate, for their own ends”.

El-Samarraiy told IOL Thursday that “Al-Khoiy Organization has strong relations with the London government,” noting that Mohamed al-Khoiy has gone to Iraq, accompanying the British forces to convince the Iraqis of the invaders’ “liberation plans”.

Propaganda Weapon

“The alleged Fatwa” could prove as significant a development for the invading forces as any of the reported military victories of the past few days, according to British daily The Independent.

Certainly it provoked great optimism among the invaders’ political and military leaders. Brigadier General Vincent Brooks, of Allied Central Command in Qatar, said: "We believe this is a very significant turning point and another indicator that the Iraqi regime is approaching its end."