An international panel of Muslim scholars has ruled that Muslims serving in the U.S. military have the obligation to fight for their country, even if it means killing fellow Muslims in a war against terrorism.
The edict, or fatwah, was issued by Taha Jabir Alwani, an Islamic scholar at the School of Islamic and Social Sciences in Leesburg, Va. The academy certifies the religious credentials of those applying to be Muslim chaplains in the armed forces, according to The Washington Post.
Alwani said, “All Muslims ought to be united against all those who terrorize the innocents, and those who permit the killing of non-combatants, without a justifiable reason,” according to the Sept. 27 ruling.
In addition, Alwani ruled that “Islam has declared the spilling of blood and the destruction of property as absolute prohibitions until the Day of Judgement.”
The ruling came at the request of Army Capt. Abdul-Rasheed Muhammad, the first Muslim chaplain appointed in the military. Muhammad said he requested the ruling before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to provide guidance on requests from Muslim soldiers on declaring themselves conscientious objectors.
The ruling is significant because its supporters include a prominent sheik in Qatar and three Egyptians who have been critical of U.S. foreign policy.
Share with others: