Islamic scholar bans suicide attacks

Gulf News.com ^ | August 28, 2005

[billorites]

Dubai: A London-based Islamic scholar has issued a fatwa, or religious edict, banning Al Qaida-style suicide operations, a Saudi newspaper reported on Saturday. "These operations are closer to suicide than to martyrdom-seeking, and they are taboo and not permissible," Abdul Menem Mustafa Halimeh reportedly wrote on his website.

Saudi newspaper Asharq Al Awsat described the Syrian-born scholar, also known as Abu Baseer Al Tartussi, as a top ideologue for Islamist militants.

Tartussi reportedly said that one of the reasons for his stance was that suicide operations often entail "wrongfully killing innocent and sacred souls, be they Muslim or otherwise."

Al Awsat said that some Muslims consider the edict a letdown for Al Qaida followers, and has provoked angry comments on several Islamist websites.

The edict was dated August 24, the same day Britain unveiled a plan to bar or deport foreign Islamist radicals who encourage terrorist violence.

Meanwhile, a Saudi Islamic activist in London has shut down his website containing video clips of suicide bombings in Israel and Iraq and pro-Al Qaida propaganda.

Mohammad Al Massari said he had temporarily shut down the website while awaiting clarification on his status in Britain. He denied that authorities had contacted him.

Al Massari posted an Internet "obituary" saying that his site had been a victim of the "murder of freedom of opinion and expression by the oppressive regime lead by Tony Blair."

The British government said it was prepared to act within days against "a number of names" to either deport or bar them from the country under new anti-terrorism measures.

[Old Student]

"While I remember the slogan from then, it is actually a medieval saying from a crusade in France."

My sources say it's a paraphrase of a quotation from Torquemada, during the Spanish Inquisition. The original is more or less "Kill them all. God will know his own." Said about a village (or city) that was inhabited by both Christians and Muslims or Jews(or both) who publicly professed Christianity, while secretly practicing their religion.

[bill1952]

Yep.
Done under Under Pope Innocent II, one of the most active persecuting Popes, and one of the youngest (37)
He ordered a crusade against the Albigenses, whom he considered heretics, in the South of France, and permitted the enlistment of every criminal at hand to murder, rape, and pillage that land.

Under his direction the Inquisition was established by Saint Dominic, and used as an instrument of papal power.

Torquemada, a true product of his time.

Thus, an entire town of Christian men, women, and children were put to the sword to root out a handful of Albigenses.

[Unam Sanctam]

These operations are closer to suicide than to martyrdom-seeking, and they are taboo and not permissible

Actually, they are closer to and in fact are homicide. They definitely are not martyrdoms. As the Christian martyrs show, a martyr is killed for the faith, he doesn't kill himself and other people for his faith.

[oolatec]

But then you have people like Binny, Aboo et al who use the Qu'ran to justify suicide bombings. What will Abdul Menem Mustafa Halimeh do about them? Nothing of course.

[Kevin OMalley]

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