Q&A: The London Bombings – Part 2

A Tele-Link With Shaykh Sālih as-Suhaymi

Question:

O Shaykh -May Allaah bless you. What is the Islamic position towards the bombings that took place in London last week?

Answer:

All praise is due solely to Allaah and may the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him whom there is no Prophet after (Muhammad). To proceed:

Then verily Allaah has clarified the legislated laws that pertain to the Muslims and the non- Muslims, and he has clarified that which is permissible from that which is impermissible, and the truth from the falsehood. Therefore, it is obligatory upon every Muslim to ensure that their actions are in accordance to the Islamic legislation before any implementation.

The bombings that occurred in London or in any other place than it, was perpetrated by some ignorant individuals who are ascribed to the Muslims. Then that which I worship Allaah with – this is an evil act and an act not condoned by Islam, and Islam is free from this (behaviour).

Also, this is not Jihaad in the path of Allaah as Jihaad has conditions and specific fundamental elements, which are known to the people of knowledge. Maybe I will explain this matter in detail on another occasion.

As for this act, then it is harmful to Islam and the Muslims – rather it casts doubts on the objectives of the perpetrators, either they are ignorant and unaware of the Islamic rulings, or they are Kharijites who do not follow the methodology of the people of Sunnah and the Jamaa’ah, or they have been sent by some shady organisations and dubious orientations.

Even if Jihaad existed (in these times), then the likes of these acts are not condoned by Islam due to various reasons, from them are:

  1. This is transgression against innocent people who are unarmed and defenceless – without any justification.
  2. This afflicts the old, the children and the women, and even if Jihaad existed these people cannot be killed.
  3. It has reached me that this even afflicted some Muslims, and we do not allow this act, whether it is against Muslims or non-Muslims.
  4. Those who profit from the fruits of these reckless acts are the enemies of Islam and the Muslims, because the Muslims living in those lands might be harmed by the likes of these acts, which are ascribed to Islam. And Islam is free from them.

Our senior scholars have all agreed in condemning the likes of these actions, and that they are not from Islaam and that Islam does not condone them, and that this is reckless killing that is impermissible and there is no justification for this, rather it is forbidden. If those who carry out these (crimes) claim that they are doing something for Islam, then (in reality) they have carried out that which is detrimental to Islam and the Muslims.

So it is obligatory upon the Muslims in that land to free themselves from the likes of these acts, and they have the right to explain to those in authority in that land that Islam does not condone this and that these people do not represent the correct Islam.


Question:

O Shaykh, there remains an important question if you would allow us to ask; something that the disbelievers ask frequently, (which is): Are these people who commit suicide and blow themselves up in this manner considered to be martyrs in Islam?

Answer:

We say to them and other than them, and this is something that we worship Allaah with, that the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said, “Whoever kills himself is in the hellfire.”

So whoever kills himself, and he (Prophet Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) mentioned “whether this is with a piece of iron”, and in another hadeeth, “whatever he uses to kill himself with” or “whether he jumps off a high place.” So, whatever method they use to intentionally kill themselves then he is in the hellfire, and not a martyr.

Likewise these acts are not condoned by Islam. So if a person blows themselves up then this could be added to the previous reasons that we mentioned earlier (above) i.e. that this act of killing is prohibited. And killing oneself is prohibited in (Islamic) law.