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 Secretariat of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, emanating from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, has followed with great sadness and pain the genocide, horrific massacres, horrific burnings and grave crimes committed against Muslims in the Arakan Province of Burma by extremist Buddhist gangs who are entrenched with the complicity of the local authorities and an unjust international and media silence, which afflicts humanity, at a time when states and organizations pride themselves on their defense and protection of human rights, ignoring that Burmese Muslims are also human beings whose lives, rights and property constitute their lives must be preserved and ignoring that repelling aggression on their part is also a priority that they must work to do and preserve.

And in fulfillment of the duty to explain the truth and its legal judgment, and in the face of the escalating criminal incidents against the Burmese Muslims who have committed no crime except that they have believed and said, Our Lord is Allah, and who have no place to take refuge, nor help to support them other than their great faith in Allah and patience in the face of this misfortune The Secretariat of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy issues the following statement:

Muslims, wherever they are, are one nation united by the belief in one Almighty Allah, and the Shariah of Islam which was brought by their Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace of Allah be upon him, and they are (as one body if one part complained, the whole body would complain) as stated by the Prophet, praise and peace of Allah be upon him, Almighty Allah says: « The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. » At-Tawba -71

. And the Messenger, may Allah’s praise and peace be upon him, said, “A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim, he does not oppress him, nor does he betray him, and whoever helps his brother in need, Allah will help him in his need, and whoever relieves a Muslim in distress, Allah will relieve him of any of the distresses of the Day of Resurrection.” [Muslim: 1830], and these proofs clarify the obligation to support all Burmese Muslims according to the ability of each Muslim and in all forms of support, and the support is by soul, money, moral and political support, etc., in proportion to the abilities, conditions, and circumstances, no matter how negligent and unjustifiably abandoned the resigned ones are; The argument remains with the righteous, and against injustice and its hordes. Supporting the oppressed and abused is a triumph to the cause of Allah and His religion, the Almighty said: « O you who have believed, if you support Allah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet. » Muhammad -7

The Secretariat of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy calls upon the Arab and Islamic countries – in particular – and their charitable and humanitarian organizations, their media and all people of human conscience to exploit all possibilities to fight against the aggressions and persecutions against the Burmese Muslims while supporting them and their causes in all possible ways and by all available means, and to provide them with urgent moral and material assistance. It reminds all of the need to assume the religious responsibility they bear towards their Muslim brothers.

In conclusion, the International Islamic Fiqh Academy recommends that Burmese Rohingya Muslims be patient in the face of this affliction and seek the help of Almighty Allah, while doing what they can to confront the aggression, deter the aggressors and end their oppression. Allah Almighty said: « Indeed, Allah defends those who have believed. Indeed, Allah does not like everyone treacherous and ungrateful. (*) Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory. (*) [They are] those who have been evicted from their homes without right – only because they say, “Our Lord is Allah.” And were it not that Allah checks the people, some by means of others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of Allah is much mentioned. And Allah will surely support those who support Him. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might. » Al-Hajj -38-39-40

And the Almighty said: « Except those [poets] who believe and do righteous deeds and remember Allah often and defend [the Muslims] after they were wronged. And those who have wronged are going to know to what [kind of] return they will be returned.» Ash-Shu’ara -227

And may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions.

Prof. Ahmed Khaled Babeker

Secretary of IIFA