Fatwa on combating Americans in Iraq

This Fatwa is interesting reading. The Sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi has a long list of quotes from the Koran that pretty much state that the actions of terrorism is wrong.

"When Allah permitted [the Muslims] to respond to aggression [by saying] ' Permission (to fight) is given to those upon whom war is made because they are oppressed [Koran 22:39],' he laid down principles that would guarantee noble human behavior [on the part of the Muslims]. The Muslim responds only to someone who has attacked him, without deviation [as stated in the Koran 2:194]: ' And one who attack s you, attack him in like manner as he attacked you, ' [and also:] ' Fight for the sake of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities [Koran 2:190].'

"It is forbidden to attack noncombatants, even if they belong to the attacking countries. The soul of man is sacred and an attack on it is an attack on all humanity. [This is because it says in Koran 5:32:] 'W however slays a soul, unless it be for manslaughter or for mischief in the land, it is as though he slew all men.'

"The Prophet [Muhammad] forbade the killing of women and children, saying 'Do not kill a small child' and 'Do not kill descendants and simple laborers,' [i.e.] anyone who hires him to carry out services that are not connected to fighting. Similarly, Islam has forbidden the murder of hostages and [priests] who dedicate themselves to God.

"Islam does not permit the capture or abduction of noncombatants. In the event that [noncombatants] are captured, Allah commanded [Muhammad] his Messenger to treat them well [as it says in Koran 76:8]: 'And they feed, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive' [and Muhammad said] 'Treat prisoners well.'

"It is forbidden to hold hostages and threaten the lives of noncombatants because of an action carried out or not carried out by others. [The hostages] are not to blame for this action, and they cannot prevent it. Allah said: ' N o bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another [Koran 6:164],' and the Prophet [Muhammad] said, 'A criminal will be punished only for his own deeds.'

I thought that I would find this all outrageous, but in the end, I found most of it reasonable and behavior that Americans would follow if they were invaded.

Of course, this quote is obviously warping of facts.

The acts [carried out by] by the foreign armies invading Iraq, i.e. the unprecedented atrocities; the extensive use of weapons of mass destruction, while their invasion of Iraq is ostensibly aimed at preventing the use of such weapons, but reality has proven that [the claim regarding] these [weapons'] existence was a lie; the blatant violation of the Geneva Convention and other conventions relating to [treatment] of civilians during war and [treatment] of providers of medical services and prisoners of war; the use of weapons forbidden by international law; the destruction of homes, buildings, mosques, churches, and other houses of worship and of infrastructure; the deaths of wounded in the mosques and the prevention of [access for] emergency help and rescue [services] for those wounded in the disasters; the blowing up of hospitals and the prevention of the medical staff from carrying out their humanitarian duty towards the wounded – all these are a mark of shame on the foreheads of the countries that carry out [these deeds].

I'm uncertain what the "weapons forbidden by international law" is referring too. I also think that he is saying that hospitals, mosques, churches and other houses of worship and infrastructure are protected by the Geneva Conventions, even when used as staging or attack points agains the military invader. It doesn't.

Acts of hostility towards places of worship in international conflicts are prohibited. Places of worship may not be used in support of the military effort, and they cannot be the objects of reprisals. (Protocol I, Art. 53)

These prohibitions also apply in non-international conflicts. (Protocol II, Art. 16)

If there is any doubt as to whether a place of worship is being used to help the military action, then it will be presumed not to be so used. (Protocol I, Art. 52, Sec. 3)

Attacks against places of worship are grave breaches against the Geneva Convention. (Protocol I, Art. 85, Sec. 4)

Apparently, the sheik doesn't actually check on the news. I'm sure that the film footage by the BBC showing snipers in Fallujah shooting from a mosque's minaret was faked.