Solomonia Archive: Out-Fatwaing the Radicals

Monday, July 18, 2005

Judea Pearl writes that Islam is finding it difficult to find a legal consensus to repudiate the radicals.

Boston Globe: Islam's new terrorism stance

...Unfortunately, the realization of these expectations will need to wait for a brave new leadership to emerge. The final communique of the Amman conference, issued July 6, states explicitly: ''It is not possible to declare as apostates any group of Muslims who believes in Allah the Mighty and Sublime and His Messenger (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) and the pillars of faith, and respects the pillars of Islam and does not deny any necessary article of religion."

In other words, belief in basic tenets of faith provides an immutable protection from charges of apostasy; anti-Islamic behavior, including the advocacy of mass murder in the name of religion, cannot remove that protection. Bin Laden, Al Zarqawi, and the murderers of Daniel Pearl and Nick Berg will remain bona fide members of the Muslim faith, as long as they do not explicitly renounce it.

Moreover, issuing a fatwa will become more regimented. ''No one may issue a fatwa without the requisite personal qualifications which each school of jurisprudence defines. No one may issue a fatwa without adhering to the methodology of the schools of jurisprudence," says the final communique.

True, this edict will prevent bin Laden from issuing fatwas against the West, but it may also discourage fatwas like the one issued by the Spanish Muslim Council which aim at discrediting bin Laden and bringing him to justice.

It should also be noted that Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi makes an appearance here, playing the radical hate-monger to King Abdullah's "secular" moderation.

This is all one of the reasons I'm finding it difficult to add my name to this new petition at United Against Terror. When I was first contacted about it I thought, "Oh great. Another one of those 'we're all against terror' things, even though you know damn well that there are plenty of names on that list who's definition of the 'T' word doesn't in any way describe your." I'm happy to say I was rendered wrong right there in the first paragraph, as bombings in both Israel and Iraq are included under the definition:

Terrorist attacks against Londoners on July 7th killed at least 54 people. The suicide bombers who struck in Netanya, Israel, on July 12 ended five lives, including two 16 year old girls. And on July 13, in Iraq, suicide bombers slaughtered 24 children. We stand in solidarity with all these strangers, hand holding hand, from London to Netanya to Baghdad: communities united against terror...

I hate to be a nitpicker, but there's still a problem with this petition, and I hesitate to sign for this reason, which appears in the very next graph:

...These attacks were the latest atrocities committed by terrorist groups inspired by a poisonous and perverted politics that disguises itself as a form of the religion of Islam. The terrorists seek a closed society of fear and conformity. They are opposed by Muslims the world over. Muslim community leaders have condemned the London attacks unequivocally. We reject the terrorists' claim that they represent authentic Islam. They do not...

They don't? Are we sure? I'm sorry to say I'm not, given Judea Pearl's description above of the conference recently held in Amman, and many others with similar flaws held across the region. And is that for me, as a non-Muslim, to say? I'm not sure it is. While I'm heartened by Muslims who can sign this statement in full conscience, I'm not sure it's my place to do so. I welcome a counter-argument.

Posted by Solomon at 2:19 PM on Monday, Jul 18, 2005 | Comments (1)
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1 Comment

#1 Kathy K | July 21, 2005 8:24 PM

Hmmm. Well, having read the post that where you linked to this one (and to other's reasons for signing), I just went and signed. I don't have the problem you do with Islam. It's a matter of interpretation, just as the Christian and Jewish religions are. Right now it seems the extremist interpretations are all we hear.

But there are others.

And besides, HakMao is in on this. And though she may be a pinko-commie type, she's good people (misguided on some things, but good). And when I can no longer say something like that, I'll be an extremist myself.