Muslim Voices - Part I - Fatwas & Statements by Muslim Scholars & Organizations -  updated 5/13/2015

compiled by Sheila Musaji

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Muslim Voices Against Extremism and Terrorism - Part I Fatwas & Formal Statements by Muslim Scholars & Organizations

compiled by Sheila Musaji

Note:  In addition to fatwas, numerous Muslim leaders, scholars, and organizations in the United States and other countries have spoken out against terrorism and extremism.  You can find further information in the following article collections.  We only list a few actual quotes here, but many more can be found in the collections. 
- Qur’an & Hadith against extremism  (see also power point presentations)
- Part II Statements by Organizations has now been included in Part I
- Part III Statements and Articles by Individuals (see also power point presentations)
- Muslim Voices Promoting Islamic Non Violent Solutions 
- Part IV A Few Quotes against extremism and terrorism A-K, and A Few Quotes against extremism and terrorism L-Z
- Part V The Muslim Majority Who Don’t Get Publicity (see also power point presentation)
- Muslims and Arabs in the U.S. Military
- Selective Hearing of Muslim Voices Against Extremism
- Sunni Shia Unity Resource

Islamic Networks Group ING has prepared a list of Global Condemnations of ISIS/ISIL

FATWAS & FORMAL STATEMENTS BY MUSLIM SCHOLARS AND BY MUSLIM ORGANIZATIONS

20 North American Imams Issue Fatwa Against Terrorists  2010

Fifty Muslim scholars issue fatwa against Taliban **

120 Muslim scholars from around the world release Open Letter To Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) Meticulously Blasting Its Ideology ** 2014

165 Somali religious leaders issued a fatwa condemning al-Shabaab **

6,000 Indian Ulama Islamic scholars endorsed a fatwa, called the Hyderabad Declaration, that declares that all forms of terrorism are against the spirit of Islam.  2008

A Common Word Between Us and You, Muslim Scholars Appeal to Christian Scholars for Dialogue and Peace on Eve of Eid 2007

A Joint Buddhist-Muslim Statement on Inter–Communal Violence in Burma 10/12

King Abdullah (Jordan) urges Muslims to unite against extremism 12/05

Abdullah, Sh. M. Nur, FCNA (U.S.)  minority rights & apostasy 3/06

Abdulkadir, Dr. Deina  FCNA (U.S.)  Fatwa against terrorism 7/05

Abdullah, Shaikh Muhammad Nur (U.S.)  FCNA Fatwa against terrorism 7/05

Abu Dhabi conference - 500 Muslim scholars challenge extremist “fatwas”

ADAMS Center All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) condemns terrorism. condemns plot to attack the Armed Forces Recruitment Station in Catonsville, MD 12/10 -  The All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) condemns alleged threat on Facebook against Washington DC Metro System -  ADAMS condemns attacks on Christians in Egypt and Nigeria.  - ADAMS encourages community members to report any suspicious behavior.  -  ADAMS condemns the attempted terror attack on a Delta-Northwest Airlines flight.  - ADAMS condemns the attack at Ft. Hood.  - ADAMS condemns the terror attacks in London 2005

Adi, Imam Tammam  - Fanatics and Terrorists are Misguided 9/02 - Adi, Imam Tammam - on War 5/2003

AESM Interfaith Dialogue Larnaca Action Plan 7/06

Afghan clerics issue fatwa against bin Laden 1999

Afghan Clerics Denounce Violence Against Women **

AAI-USA Condemns Iranian President’s Holocaust Denial Gathering 12/06

al Abidin, Ali Zain al Jifri Renowned Islamic Scholar (Yemen) 2/06   Danish cartoons

Prof. Dr. Ahmet Akgunduz, Rector, Islamic University of Rotterdam Netherlands - A Muslim cannot be a Terrorist and a Terrorist cannot be a Muslim

Allahu Akbar.net Murder, Manslaughter & Terrorism All in the Name of Allah

Al-Akiti, Shaykh Muhammad Afifi – against killing civilians 6/05 and [2]

All India Muslim Personal Law Board issues fatwa against forced marriages

Amjad, Moiz – Refutation of bin Laden’s defense of terrorism (Pakistan) 

al Alwani, Shaykh Taha Jabir  (U.S.)  against 9/11 attack 9/01 - Al Alwani, Dr. Taha Jabir (U.S.)  FCNA Fatwa against terrorism 7/05

Al Alwani, Shaikhah Zainab (U.S.)  FCNA Fatwa against terrorism 7/05

al Alwini, Muhammad Head of European Academy of Islamic Culture & Sciences, Brussels (Belgium) 2/06   Danish cartoons

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab al-‘Aqeel (Saudi Arabia) 2005 “Terrorism is the terror that is caused by those groups or individuals who resort to killing and wreaking havoc and destruction. Terrorism is therefore, according to the contemporary compilers of modern Arabic dictionaries, killing akin to the riotous killing that is mentioned within the texts of Shar’eeah. As the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wassallam) mentioned with regards to the signs of the end of time, the spread of ‘al-Harj’ (riotous killing). The meaning of ‘al-Harj’ is killing and the increase of the spilling blood, which is all from the signs of the end of time. To the extent that the one killing will not know why he is killing and the one that was killed will not know why he/she was killed. Islam is free from this riotous killing, free from this terrorism and free from this kind of corruption. Terrorism is established upon destruction of properties such as factories, farms, places of worship, train stations, airports and the likes; Islam is clearly free from such actions that are based upon corruption and not upon rectification. Terrorists usually say that they are going against the state in which they are based within. This is like the mafia or other criminal organisations that are based on killing people, causing fear and taking their monies. Such criminal organisations have leaders, deputies and individuals that are responsible for establishing regulations for the organisation and individuals responsible for carrying out attacks, and all of them are terrorists causing corruption on the earth. However the ugliest face of terrorism is that which is established in the name of religion, all of the religions from the Prophets (peace be upon them) are free from such terrorism, even if some of the followers of the Prophets participated in such terrorist activities, but the Prophets are free from such corruptions.”

al Awda, Salman ibn Fahad General Supervisor of “Islam Today” Institution (Saudi Arabia) 2/06   Danish cartoons and he denounces al Qaeda and bin Laden 10/07

Al-Awdah, Shaykh Salman (Saudi Arabia) condemns terrorism 5/03  

Al Azhari, Muhammad Akhtar Rida Head of Barelwi Ulama (India) 2/06   Danish cartoons

Al Bouti, Muhammad Saeed Ramadan Department Chair of Theology, University of Damascus (Syria) 2/06   Danish cartoons

Dr Saleh Bin Fouzan Al Fouzan, a member of the Senior Clerics Commission of Saudi Arabia condemned terrorist activities carried out in Pakistan in the name of Islam by Al Qaeda and the Taliban.  7/09

Al Hanooti, Shaikh Muhammad (U.S.)  FCNA Fatwa against terrorism 7/05

al-Hanooti, Sheikh Muhammad Ali - against 9/11 (U.S.) 9/01 “The people who attacked the WTC and Pentagon and hijacked the forth plane that crashed in Pennsylvania are criminal who deserve the severest punishment as the Quran elaborates. They are murderers and terrorists. If there were any person who felt happy for that incident we would not be able to equate them with those criminals, but we can say no one with faith and ethics would accept anything of that murder and targeting of innocent people.”

al-Hitar, Judge Hamoud (Yemen) he and four other Islamic scholars used Qur’an to challenge Al Qaeda’s views on terror 2/05

Al Husary, Yasmin Mahmud Khalil Head of Husary Islamic Foundation (Egypt) 2/06   Danish cartoons

al Jundi, Khalid Renowned Islamic Scholar (Egypt) 2/06   Danish cartoons

Al Kahlawi, Abla Muhammad Dean of Islamic & Arabic Studies College at Azhar University, Port Said (Egypt) 2/06   Danish cartoons

Al Khalili, Ahmad bin Hamad General Mufti of the Sultanate of Oman (Oman) 2/06   Danish cartoons

al Kubaysi, Ahmad Renowned Islamic spokesperson (Iraq) 2/06   Danish cartoons

al Luheidan, Shaikh Saleh Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council (Saudi Arabia) against 9/11 9/01  
Al Mansur, Muhammad bin Muhammad Islamic Scholar of the Zaydi branch(Yemen) 2/06   Danish cartoons

al Mazrui, Hamdan Muslim Assistant Undersecretary for Islamic Affairs in Ministry of Endowments (UAE) 2/06   Danish cartoons

Al Milibari, Abu Bakr Ahmad Secretary General of Ahl al Sunna Association (India) 2/06   Danish cartoons

Al Mashur, Abu Bakr al Adani bin Ali General Director of Islamic Tarbiya League (Yemen) 2/06   Danish cartoons

Al-Munajid, Shaykh Muhammad, against violence  

Al Mutawwaa, Jasim Head of Iqra Satellite Channel (Kuwait) 2/06   Danish cartoons

Al-Oudah, Sheikh Salman ibn Fahad, Saudi Arabia - statement rejecting bin Laden and al Qaeda 2007 - on obligation of Muslims to obey the laws of the country they live in 2011

al Qaradawi, Shaykh Yusuf (Qatar) against 9/11 attack 9/01 “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. Islam has declared the spilling of blood and the destruction of property as absolute prohibitions until the Day of Judgment. ... [It is] necessary to apprehend the true perpetrators of these crimes, as well as those who aid and abet them through incitement, financing or other support. They must be brought to justice in an impartial court of law and [punished] appropriately. ... [It is] a duty of Muslims to participate in this effort with all possible means.”  -  Al-Qaradawi, Shaykh Yusuf – condemns Bali attacks 10/02 “Islam not only prohibits attacking non-Muslims who do not launch attacks against Muslims, but it also urges Muslims to treat those non-Muslims with due respect and kindness, especially non-Muslims who live along with Muslims within the Islamic territories.  -  al Qaradawi, Shaykh Yusuf issues fatwa permitting building of places of worship for non-Muslims in Muslim countries 5/08 -  al-Qaradawi, Shaykh Yusuf - against harming places of worship (specifically a Jewish synagogue) 4/02 - -  against London bombings 2005 “We were dumbfounded by the grave news of the London bombings which killed tens and wounded hundreds of innocent people who committed no crime.  Even at the time of war when state armies battle face to face, it is not permissible to kill women, children, elders, priests, farmers and merchants; people we nowadays call civilians.  -  Al-Qaradawi, Shaykh Yusuf Jihad Renegotiated.  3/08 he urges the release of the Austrians being held by al Qaeda.

al Qarni, A’id Renowned Islamic Scholar (Saudi Arabia) 2/06   Danish cartoons

Al Qazwini, Imam Sayed Moustafa rejects Al-Qaeda call to greet Pres. Bush with bombs in Palestine

Al Qudat, Nuh Ali Salman Renowned scholar of Jordan, former Mufti of the Jordanian Army (Jordan) 2/06   Danish cartoons

al Sabil, Shaykh Muhammad bin ‘Abdallah member of the Council of Senior Religious Scholars (Saudi Arabia) against terrorism, obligation to protect non Muslims 12/01 “Any attack on innocent people is unlawful and contrary to shari’a (Islamic law). ... Muslims must safeguard the lives, honor and property of Christians and Jews. Attacking them contradicts shari’a.”

al Saffar, Hasan Shiite Islamic Spokesperson (Saudi Arabia) 2/06   Danish cartoons

Ayatollah al-Udhma Yousof al-Sanei decreed a fatwa against suicide bombing, declaring it as a “terrorist act”. 2/2007

Dr. Salah al-Sawy Fatwa: Muslims in non-Muslim countries must obey laws of the land

al-Shaykh, Shaykh Abd al-Aziz bin Abdallah Al Shaykh of Saudi Arabia issues fatwa against suicide terrorist attacks 4/2001 “Firstly: the recent developments in the United States including hijacking planes, terrorizing innocent people and shedding blood, constitute a form of injustice that cannot be tolerated by Islam, which views them as gross crimes and sinful acts. Secondly: any Muslim who is aware of the teachings of his religion and who adheres to the directives of the Holy Qur’an and the sunnah (the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad) will never involve himself in such acts, because they will invoke the anger of God Almighty and lead to harm and corruption on earth.”  -  fatwa against terrorism 2004 “You must know Islam’s firm position against all these terrible crimes. The world must know that Islam is a religion of peace and mercy and goodness; it is a religion of justice and guidance…Islam has forbidden violence in all its forms. It forbids the hijacking airplanes, ships and other means of transport, and it forbids all acts that undermine the security of the innocent.”   - fatwa against London attack  2005 The London attacks, “targeting peaceful people, are not condoned by Islam, and are indeed prohibited by our religion. ... Attributing to Islam acts of individual or collective killings, bombings, destruction of properties and the terrorizing of peaceful people is unfair, because they are alien to the divine religion.” -  issues fatwa that denounced terror attacks as un-Islamic and condemned the killing of civilians, saying such attacks have nothing to do with the Muslim religion.  2/2010

Al-Sudeis, Sheikh Abdulrahman – (Saudi Arabia) tells 2 million pilgrims at Hajj that violence is not justified by Islam 1/05  

al-Sistani, Grand Ayatollah Ali issues fatwa to Muslims in Western nations, urging them to obey the laws of the countries in which they live. 6/06 He said in part: “Muslims have undertaken to obey the laws of the country of their residence and thus they must be faithful to that undertaking”.  It condemned all acts of violence and encouraged imams to keep a watchful eye on what’s going on inside their mosques.  “Any Muslim man or woman must act in the best interests of his or her country of residence by protecting it from all acts that might put this country in jeopardy.”

Shaykh Salih al-Suhaymi (Saudi Arabia) 2001 “Based upon what has preceded, then we say that that which we believe and hold as our religion concerning what happened to the World Trade Centre in America – and in Allaah lies success – that the terrorist attacks that took place and what occurred of general (mass) killing, then it is not permissible and Islaam does not allow it in any form whatsoever.”

al Suweidan, Tariq Renowned Islamic Spokesperson (Kuwait) 2/06   Danish cartoons

Al Tantawi, Shaykh Muhammed Sayyid Imam of al Azhar Mosque (Egypt) against 9/11 attack 9/01 “Attacking innocent people is not courageous, it is stupid and will be punished on the day of judgement. ... It’s not courageous to attack innocent children, women and civilians. It is courageous to protect freedom, it is courageous to defend oneself and not to attack.”   -  Al-Tantawi, Sheikh Muhammad Syed  Condemned suicide bombings against Israeli civilians, and all terrorism 12/01 -  condemned Russian school kidnapping 2004 -  against London bombings 2005 “Those responsible for London attacks are criminals who do not represent Islam or even truly understand (its message) ...  These crimes are not accepted by any religion. It is a barbarism wholly rejected by Islam  -  Al-Tantawi, Shaykh M. Sayyid condemns bin Laden 11/01

Alush Shaykh, Shaykh ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Grand Mufti (Saudi Arabia) against 9/11 attack 9/01

Alush Shaykh, Shaykh ‘Abdul ‘AzizGrand Mufti (Saudi Arabia)  against suicide terrorism 5/01

al Zuhayli, Wahba Department Chair of Islamic Jurisprudence, College of Islamic Law, Damascus University (Syria) 2/06   Danish cartoons

AMANA issues a statement against any violence against “Burn a Qur’an” demonstration

American Muslim leaders release intrafaith code of honor Sunni Shia cooperation 4/07

American Muslim Joint Statement On Crisis In Iraq and ISIS http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/american-muslim-joint-statement-on-crisis-in-iraq

American and Canadian Muslims issue statement in defense of free speech 10/10

American Islamic Congress Launches New Anti-Suicide Bombing Campaign for Eid Al-Adha Holiday 2007

American Muslim Alliance, Agha Saeed  statement against 9/11 attacks

American Muslim Organizations  statement against 9/11 attacks by 15 organizations 9/01

American Muslim Organizations – condemn Berg beheading 5/04

American Muslim organizations condemn Fort Hood shooting 11/09

American Muslim Organizations Repudiate Anwar al-Awlaki’s Praise for Fort Hood Shooter 11/09

American Muslim Organizations Welcome Gadahn’s Arrest & Condemn His Call for Terrorism 3/10

American Muslim Organizations condemn the Times Square attempted bombing 4/10

American Muslim Organizations (MPAC, ISNA, CAIR) condemn attacks on churches in Alexandria, Egypt and Nigeria 1/11

American Muslim Organizations Condemn Brutal Killing of Pakistan’s Minister for Minorities 3/11

American Muslim Organizations’ (ISNA, MPAC, CAIR) Issue Statements on Pakistani Blasphemy Arrest 8/12

American Muslim CEO’s Fight Terrorism

American Muslim Petition to Saudi Arabia objecting to forced divorces and demanding reform

American Muslim Political Coordination Cuncil  statement against 9/11 attacks 9/01

American Muslim Alliance  (AMA) - against 9/11 (U.S.)

American Muslim Foundation  (AMF) - - against 9/11 (U.S.)

American Muslim Imams and Community Leaders Statement on Holocaust Denial and anti-Semitism and ** 8/10

American Muslim Organizations condemn beheadings

American Muslim statement affirming Freedom of Faith “On Apostasy and Islam”,  signed by over 100 notable Muslim voices

American Muslims for Global Peace and Justice  (AMGPJ) - against 9/11 (U.S.)

American Muslims for Jerusalem  (AMJ) - against 9/11 (U.S.)

American Muslim Leaders call for release of journalist in Iraq 1/06

American Muslims Issue Statement Against Taliban Destruction of Buddhist Statues of Bamiyan by the Taliban

American Muslim Leaders Sign ‘Code of Honor’ to Promote Intrafaith Harmony between Sunni & Shia

American Muslims & Scholars denounce terrorism (signed by 57 leaders of National Islamic Organizations and 199 International scholars) 9/2002

AMMAN STATEMENT against Takfir, declaring that there are 8 schools of law - signed by 170 international scholars 2005

Amman Conference bans killings in name of Islam (signed by 180 scholars) 7/05

Ankara Declaration  Glocalization Conference (.pdf file)

Arab American Media Syndicate speaks out against extremism 3/04

Arab League condemns ISIS and calls on formation of national unity government in Iraq **

Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America Fatwa on Fort Hood

Assoc. of Muslim Health Professionals Statement regarding events in the UK

Australian Muslims  condemn 9/11 attack

[url=http://www.unc.edu/~kurzman/terror.

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