An Islamic religious ruling promulgated at a news conference in Washington says that it is the "duty" of Muslims to take part in the campaign against the terrorists who attacked the US.
While the primary aim of the ruling, or "fatwa", was to reassure Muslim soldiers in the US armed forces that they are permitted to fight other Muslims in Washington's anti-terror campaign, its secondary objective was to provide religious justification for Muslim nations to co-operate with US military action in Afghanistan.
Among the authors of the "Washington fatwa" was Sheikh Yusif al-Qadarawi, a scholar based in the Gulf emirate of Qatar.
The fatwa condemns the terrorist attacks and states that the "perpetrators of these crimes, as well as those who aid and abet them through incitement, financing or other support . . . must be brought to justice in an impartial court of law . . . Hence, it is a duty on Muslims to participate in [the war] effort with all possible means." Although US action could result in the deaths of innocent Muslims, a Muslim soldier "must perform his duty" and "follow orders".
This fatwa contradicts a previous ruling by Sheikh al-Qadarwi, who stated on September 16th: "A Muslim is forbidden from entering into alliance with a non-Muslim against another Muslim." He called on Muslims to fight the US.
For the past 1,400 years the mosque has been subjugated to the state, which appoints clerics and dictates the texts of Friday sermons - except when the state is under exceptional challenge.
Sheikh Hammoud bin Oqla al-Shuaibi has ruled: "Whoever supports the infidel against Muslims is considered an infidel . . . It is a duty to wage jihad on anyone who supports the attack of Afghanistan." Sheikh Oqla, a blind octogenarian, is a senior theologian of the Wahhabi sect to which the ruling House of Saud belongs.
So far the dissidents appear to be winning the battle of the fatwas. Jamal Kashoggi, editor of the Arab News, an official Saudi English daily, stated: "Whoever stands in defiance of American arrogance will be seen as a hero."
