Shaykh Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi Echoes Stance Of The Mujahidun Scholars On ISIS And Its Pseudo Caliphate
10 July 2014
After the Islamic State announced its Caliphate on the first day
of Ramadan 1435 (Sunday June 29th 2014) it was to be expected that Shaykh Abū
Muhammad al-Maqdisī, one of the most influential Jihadist ideologues, recently
released from a Jordanian prison would react on it.
This text was published on his
websitejust
a few days after the Caliphate was re-established by the Islamic State:
In the Name of Allah, the Most
Compassionate, the Most Merciful
All praise be to Allah. Peace and blessings be upon the
Messenger of Allah.
To proceed,
These are some of the points and observations that I wished to
write down in this Blessed Month (Ramadan), the month of the Qur'an. We ask
Allah to grant us the blessing to be able to distinguish between right and
wrong, and to use us in support of the truth, unafraid of any enemy or affected
by contradictions. May Allah guide us and all our brothers to the right path. (Ameen!)
First: Due to the flow
of visitors, I heard much in the past two weeks. I was unable to read much and I
still have a lot to read, but from the little that I have read, every side was
eager to attain victory for the faction (party, group) to which they pledged
allegiance. They worked hard to show its evidence, data, and arguments, and many
of it has no juristic (fiqhorshar'i)
basis. Much of it was given to me and I looked at it prior to my release from
prison. I will not dismiss completely what was presented to me as I see no
usefulness in it. Either affirm the truth or admit that you were wrong.
Second: In the parties
I heard from there are certainly wise and virtuous people. Both parties have
those who seek righteousness and desire its success, and they do not wish for
evil but reject it, even if it comes from those with whom they are allied. I was
pleased with them and decided to continue to communicate them and they
strengthened my assemblies. Such people are counted upon for reform and closing
the rifts. And in those parties are also fanatics and on whom the saying
applies:"the fanatic does not
distinguish". They did not provide much use to the assemblies, but enflamed
issues and they must learn to listen and understand.
Third:Moral
pressure was exerted on me to retract that statement that I [previously] issued
after a productive and lengthy communication between the parties involved in
either the reconciliation or the arbitration that was refused by the State's
(ISIS) group. A large number of people claim that the statement is null or will
be voided. None of it was issued by me (promises of recantation) and I did not
promise anyone of it [in retracting the statement].
What I have said in front of them and still say: The statement
and its author are not flawless. [The statement] came about as a result of
fruitful communication between all those involved especially those who refused
the previous initiatives and who refused to resort to legal (Shariah)
arbitration. Some of them claim that I only listened to one side only.
[Yet] in my prison cell, I had a supporter of the State (ISIS)
who used to call weekly about Syria and often provide us with pro-State (ISIS)
news. I received State (ISIS) news, reports, and writings that are pro-State
(ISIS), as I also looked at the State's scholars' response to such news. The
replies are saved to keep-off those who doubt it. I reiterate that if I appear
unjust to one side in my statement or deviated from the truth, then I will
immediately and without hesitation retract it as truth is my guide and it is
easily followed as I am not committed or biased to either side.
Regarding the statement, its issuance was borne from those who
refused to go down to the judgment of Allah, and in it I advised to stand by the
side of those who arbitrate with the Shariah of Allah. That does not mean that
the party in which we called to stand aside is infallible or that we recommend
them with an absolute recommendation, but the matter is as Sheikh al-Islam (ibn
Taymiyyah) said:"Pure justice in
everything is impossible, by knowledge and work, but the ideal is idealized."Fatwas
(10/99)
Fourth:I
still repeat that fairness is the suit of the honourable, and the honourable are
few among the contesting parties and their supporters in all the countries. The
result of this lack of fairness by many among the prominent ones in the media
and the muftis of the contesting parties is that negative phenomena have spread
among the youth of the current in many of the countries. They found bad examples
and follow them in swearing, lacking manners, having mistrust, and lacking in
polite dialogue.
Before my release, I heard about abuses by some of the media
spokesmen and jurists of both contesting sects, and I relayed some of this and
rejected it. After my release from prison I read about abuses and abasement from
people who do not deserve to describe the Mujahideen or jurists in such a way.
If they had described street people instead of jurists it would have been
better. They accused the offenders as being bastards, sons of whores, and other
obscene and vulgar language, and uttered other than that of lies, falsehood, and
slander – and this is not worthy of those who issue the signature of Allah and
give fatawa in the religion of Allah – to inciting for the spilling of protected
(Muslim) blood and devaluing it (the blood and lives of the Muslims).
They became bad examples for youth of this current all-over
the world and not only in the Syrian field; affliction overran them, lack of
manners spread among them, as well as insults towards young and old, and
scholars and educators. The assault even spread to offenders among the Muslims,
and their blood and souls were made permissible. Sufficient for us is Allah and
(He is) the best Disposer of affairs from these mistakes that they spread among
the public and the villainous among the people.
We are surprised by anything that comes from the like of those
jurists, muftis, and spokesmen who are characterized by such base morals and
daring against the blood of the Muslims! Therefore, we disavow their falsehood
and we demand their officials from all the parties be concerned for the religion
of Allah, the purity of this current, and the character of its people and the
affair of Jihad and the Mujahideen. We demand that they exclude them and keep
them away from positions of directing and giving speeches, for everyday they
repel from this religion with their contradictory speeches, and they flee from
its correct method with their crooked method, and they deform its honourable
morals with their base "ethics".
Whoever seeks the interest of Jihad must exclude the low ones,
the misguiding ones, those who incite to shed the blood of the Muslims, who
spread bad morals and obscenities among the Muslim youth. Instead, make them
guiding advocates who are merciful with the Muslims, who adhere to the ethics of
the Prophethood and follow its guidance in the Ummah and know how to address all
the people.
Fifth:Some
good people conveyed to me that some people in Sham, in an attempt to influence
me to retreat from the statement, saying that blood was shed because of it, or
at the time of its issuance, a bombing was dedicated to me under name of"Millat
Ibrahim"(a famous book authored
by the Shaykh) from parties hostile of the State organization (ISIS).
This is intimidating talk and pressure as much as possible to
obtain greater portions of concessions, and it is a technique which might be
useful in negotiation or buying and selling, but it is not useful in arguing,
convincing, or fulfilling truth and aborting falsehood. Therefore, it is not
beneficial to use it in this aspect. The complaint is lacking credibility,
because the statement did not incite to shed blood of a Muslim, nor did it not
mention a call to kill or fight.
Rather, all the efforts exerted over the past eight months
resulted in this statement, which was for the sake of stopping the bloodshed and
keeping the rifles from being directed at the chests of the Muslims and the
Mujahideen; and for the sake of stopping the negligence of others among the
Muslims or objecting to perform their rights; and for the sake of stopping from
devaluing their blood and money, under pretexts of interests of the State (here
he means both the interests of the true Islamic State and also the organisation
ISIS), building the (Islamic) State, etc, as if everyone else (other than ISIS)
does not want to build an (Islamic) State or empower the Shariah of Allah.
In any case, whoever refused the arbitration will be the one
to bear the responsibility for the ongoing bloodshed, just as whoever embarked
in shedding it (initiating the fighting to begin with) will bear it from all the
parties. On my part, I praise Allah, He who saved me from shedding one drop of
Muslim blood. I ask Him the Almighty, [for me] not to be a cause, not even with
a single letter or half a word in that. I say that those who apply pressure in
such these techniques:"I am not
a man who heeds the sound of hatred".
I say: To whoever dedicated any operation to me that shed the
blood of a Muslim from any party of the parties:"Nay
it is ye who rejoice in your gift!"[Al-Naml,
36] Dedicate to me if you like, but obey my advice and respond to my calls to
stop the bloodshed and accept arbitration, reform, and straightforwardness on
the guidance of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in Da'wa
and Jihad. This is what we demand of you to dedicate it to us if you love us or
love to delight our eyes.
Our eyes cannot be delighted with the shedding of Muslim blood
from any party that is within the circle of Islam even if they were disobedient.
We do not give permission to fight any Muslim at all but to push away the
assailant, and it is known that pushing away the assailant does not mean killing
specifically, but to push away first, and what cannot be pushed by the tongue or
hand then it is not permitted to push by weapon, because the origin is the
sanctity of the Muslim blood and his money and honour.
Sixth:I
was asked about the victories of the State organization (ISIS) in Iraq, so I
said: There is no believer that does not rejoice for the victories of Muslims,
no matter their condition, (over those who) their description is as Rawafidh and
apostates. The fear is for the consequences of these victories and how the
Sunnis and the other Da'wa or Jihadi groups and all the Muslims in the liberated
areas will be treated? And against whom the heavy weapons will be used that were
taken as spoils from Iraq and sent to Syria? This is my question and my concern.
We are afraid of the answers on the ground, because we do not trust the minds
that hold these weapons for many reasons.
Seventh:In
the morning today I was asked: Do you know about the writings of someone about
the Caliphate and his saying that its empowerment is not a requirement!
I said: I did not know about it, but the writing is read by
its title, and the announcement of their naming their organization the Caliphate
must be soon.
Then he said: And what is your opinion if they (ISIS) announce
that (Caliphate)?
I said: The name and its announcement do not bother me and I
will not waste my time refuting what someone blackened in his writings, because
all of us wish for the return of the Caliphate, the breaking of borders, the
raising of banners of Tawhid, and the dropping of the banners of denouncement.
No one hates that but a hypocrite. The wise lesson is through matching the names
with the facts and its existence and to apply it truly and, indeed, on the
actual land. Whoever rushes something before its due time will be punished by
being deprived from it.
But what concerns me the most is what those people will
require for this announcement and the name in which they developed it from an
organisation (AQ in Iraq the ISI), to the State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS), and
then to a general Caliphate (IS). Will this Caliphate be a safe haven for every
vulnerable one, and a shelter for every Muslim? Or will this name be considered
a sword hanging over those who disagree from among the Muslims? Will it
write-off all the emirates that preceded their announced state? And will they
abort with it all the groups that do Jihad in the Cause of Allah in all
different fields before them?
The brothers in the Caucasus have already announced their
blessed emirate and did not require that all the Muslims everywhere comply, and
neither did they shed inviolable blood for the sake of a name. What then is the
destiny of the Islamic Emirate of the Caucasus to those people after declaring
aloud the name of the Caliphate?
The Taliban announced an Islamic Emirate before them, as well,
and its Emir, (Amir al-Mu'maneen) Mullah Omar, may Allah preserve him, is still
fighting the enemies, he with his soldiers. They did not require the shedding of
inviolable blood or untangling a complex knot in the name of the emirate, which
was truly founded on the land for years. So what is the destiny of this emirate
to those who speak in the name of the Caliphate today and announced it?
What is the destiny of all the active Muslim groups, those
whose members pledged allegiance in Iraq and Sham and all-over the land? And
what is the destiny of their blood to those who speak in the name of the
Caliphate today and have yet to stop threatening those who offend them among the
Muslims by tearing apart their bodies with bullets?
These are the important questions that I have that require
answers.
And here we are, before the day is over, al-Adnani shouts out
the expected questions. He was like we have expected. We did not do him
injustice.
O Allah, have mercy and grace on the Muslims, O Lord of the
Worlds. Distance evil and malice away from them. (Ameen!)
I conclude with a warning to those who wade in the blood of
Muslims, whoever they are: Do not think that with your loud voices you will
silence the voice of truth, or that with your threats, your shouts, your lack of
manners, and your aggression that you will silence our bearing witness to the
truth. No, a thousand times no… We will stay loyal guardians for this religion,
protectors who stand on guard for these groups, defending them from those who
tamper and do wrong, from the slander of the fanatic and the intransigent and
others who maim… Either you reform yourselves, repent, and keep away from the
blood of the Muslims and distorting this religion, or we will strike upon you
with words like swords, striking with evidence the livers of mounts and moving
with its sayings the riders.
You and others know that we will not be silent in prison or
behind bars, and we will not be silent after escaping the jaws of the jailer. By
Allah, He who raised the sky without pillars, we will not leave anyone to tamper
with this religion and devalue the blood of the Muslims, even if they accuse us
of hostility, distortion, and lies, and slander everyone near and far… We warn
you about distorting the religion of Allah and corrupting and staining with the
blood of the Muslims and the Mujahideen. Be pious and always speak the truth.
For every event there is a Hadith, and for every situation
there is a saying.
I say: This is some of what I have and not all of It… I put it
forward in this Blessed Month (Ramadan), recalling the Hadith of the Prophet,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him:"Whoever
does not give up lies and false conduct, Allah has no need that he should give
up his food and drink."
It was said that Abu Mas'ud, may Allah be please with him, had
asked: How do you welcome the month of Ramadan? He said:"None
of us would dare to welcome the crescent [moon] and in his heart with malice on
his Muslim brother."
Fourth of Ramadan, 1435 (July 2014) from the Hijrah of
al-Mustafa, Peace and Blessings be Upon Him.