Dar Al-Ifta denies backing Al-Qaeda

[bamalli]

Dar Al-Ifta denies backing Al-Qaeda

The Permanent Committee for Research and Religious Edicts (Dar Al-Ifta) on
Wednesday denied a press report that it had supported Osama Bin Laden and
Al-Qaeda.

"This is a totally false report," said Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, grand
mufti and chairman of Dar Al-Ifta.

Al-Asheikh said Dar Al-Ifta did not author a religious edict (fatwa)
supporting Bin Laden and his activities.

He said those who circulated on the Internet the false fatwa misusing the
names and signatures of Dar Al-Ifta's members would face the wrath and
punishment of God. "Making false statement and attributing it to a person is
a big crime and deserves punishment on the basis of Shariah regulations,"
the mufti said.

He quoted a Qur'anic verse saying those who make such falsifications would
also face punishment in the Hereafter. He highlighted the important role and
position of Islamic scholars in society. He described the act of attributing
false statement to Islamic scholars as a heinous crime.

"What has been mentioned in the fatwa is a total lie as it goes against the
previous statements and fatwas made by Dar Al-Ifta," Al-Asheikh said in a
statement that was carried by the Saudi Press Agency.

Dar Al-Ifta members and other prominent Islamic scholars in the Kingdom have
declared several times that Osama Bin Ladin and Al-Qaeda are on the wrong
path because of their horrendous crimes. Al-Qaeda's terrorist operations
have resulted in the killing of thousands of innocent people all over the
world.

"Their words and actions have caused destruction for Islam and Muslims.
Every sane person can easily understand that they are following a deviant
path and that no Muslim should join Al-Qaeda or approve its activities,"
Al-Asheikh said. The grand mufti considered making falsified comments about
Islamic scholars as a serious issue having dangerous consequences.

"It should not be taken lightly because such statements will have a great
impact on Muslim individuals and groups," he added.

He said Dar Al-Ifta issued this clarification in order to protect the
faithful from falling into the trap of Al-Qaeda's lies. All Dar Al-Ifta
Committee members have signed the statement.

Last April, Dar Al-Ifta issued a statement defining what is terrorism and
incriminating all Al-Qaeda terrorist operations including those carried out
inside Saudi Arabia and the 9/11 attacks inside the United States. It
condemned terror funding and considered those who finance terrorist
operations to be as guilty as those who commit terrorist acts.