Praise is due to Allāh, Lord of the worlds, may the blessings and peace be upon our master Muḥammad, the last of prophets, on his family, and all his companions.

The International Islamic Fiqh Academy has been following the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the fight against a misguided terrorist ideology with particular attention. The most recent action was the dismantling by the Kingdom’s law enforcement agencies of a network that propagated and supported terrorist thoughts and activities, with the number of arrested persons reaching 44.

These satisfactory results are important because they provide an insight into the measures taken to combat these criminal practices, which are widespread in many countries, particularly in Arab and Muslim countries. The most recent attack was carried out against a person, who has contributed to these favorable results, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Assistant to the Minister of the Interior for Security Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Condemning this cowardly attempt, the Academy confirms that this is irrefutable proof of the success of the Kingdom’s efforts to overcome this ideology, which resulted in the targeting of one of the main actors in this struggle. This is only a desperate attempt, confirming the hatred, misguidance and disorganization of the perpetrators of these dogmas and activities.

The International Islamic Fiqh Academy, which is the first fiqh reference in which the scholars of the Ummah meet, has pointed out this misguided thought at an early stage. It has refuted these misguided thoughts in extensive research and studies and in detailed and comprehensive resolutions, affirming the misguidance of this thought and its distance from the noble Sharia that came as a mercy to the universe and the realization of good and happiness for mankind in this world and in the hereafter.

In the resolutions of the session/symposium held in Amman, the capital of the Kingdom of Jordan, from 28 Jumada Al-Oula to 2 Jumada Al-Akhira 1427, corresponding to 24-28 June 2006, on “the position of Islam towards extremism and terrorism”, the Academy affirmed the following points

• The prohibition of all terrorist acts and practices, considering them as criminal acts falling under the judgment of war crimes, wherever and by whomever they are perpetrated. Likewise, anyone who participates directly, indirectly, financially or in support of terrorist activities, whether this participation comes from an individual, a group or a state, will be considered a terrorist;
• The obligation to deal with any means leading to terrorism, starting with fanaticism, extremism, blind following and ignorance of religious rules;
• Respecting the position of scholars, preachers, private and public organizations specialized in raising awareness and preventing terrorism, as well as in dealing with its causes;
• The exhortation of all the media to be careful in what they relay, especially with regard to terrorism, so as not to associate terrorism with Islam, because, indeed, terrorism came and still comes from other religions and cultures;
• The call to educational and scientific associations to show the truth about Islam which exhorts to the principles of forgiveness, love, communication and cooperation;
• A message from The Secretariat General of the Academy to continue to make efforts in this field, including the organization of specialized seminars, in-depth conferences and detailed scientific meetings, in order to show the breadth of Muslim laws regarding the prohibition of terrorism, its suppression and eradication, as well as the urgency of the existence of a comprehensive religious framework covering all aspects of this issue.

The Academy continues its involvement in this subject by disseminating these resolutions, researches and studies on a large scale and translating them into many languages. The Academy has also set up a program to refute the ambiguities of this thought, which was unveiled at a meeting with the Muslim countries’ foreign ministers, during the 36^esymposium held in Damascus from 28 Rabi al-Akhir to 1 ^eJumada Al-Oula 1430, corresponding to 23 to 25 May 2009

In view of what has been said above, it is of utmost importance that efforts be made by the thinkers and scholars of the Ummah to expose this thought and expose its lies, as well as to strengthen our children against these ambiguities and unfounded claims. It goes without saying that efforts should be made by preachers, chaplains, counseling programs in mosques, religious education centers, and universities and colleges, specifically religious learning organizations, in preparing preachers to refute these thoughts and expose their falsehoods, while enlightening the community about their dangers and misguided practices.

The Almighty says: « Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment, » Al-Ma’ida -33

Prof. Abdulsalam Al-Abbadi

IIFA SG