Islam and the Bomb - Belfer Center for Science and International ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

42 Because the document was written to respond to Dr. Fadl personally, one might imagine Zawahiri’s apology to Dr Fadl along the lines of this imaginary tribute—“this is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to write, using you Dr. Fadl, as a ploy, and degrading your thoughts and ideas despite their release under clear duress, but I am doing so to cloak an even larger strike, and for that you must forgive me, and understand my true intentions. In the same spirit, we, al-Qaeda have cut jihadists loose to plan attacks like the Christmas day flight and Times Square bombing—in the hope they will distract the infidels from a main event that is something altogether different.” The aging jihadist provides a hint of what he has in mind, when he refers to the need to cor- rect the “people’s mood.” “Chiefly, that they spoiled the Muslim people’s mood because they were so great and powerful causing people to stop showing interest in lesser jihadist actions. For example if what happened in Indonesia had happened before the jihadist acts in America, they would have had a greater effect on the people, who would have rejoiced more. The people showed less attention to them because the image of the collapse of the two New York towers was something like a dream causing many other actions to appear smaller for a long time. This is the bad aspect, that it spoiled our mood and the people’s mood. Our mood will not be corrected until the United States vanishes and is followed by the Jewish state.” 73 Near the end of “Exoneration,” Zawahiri outlines a prediction: “Read the history books well and use them to forecast the future. America has been broken in Iraq and Afghanistan and it is now gathering her belongings and picking up the pieces of what is left to her before departing. The Muslim nation and her jihadist pathfinders, on the other hand, are increasing in capabilities and power as time passes. This is the historical timeline which is clear to any comprehending mind.” 74 Making good on this wistful vision of the future is the exoneration that Zawahiri seeks. By noting that jihadist capabilities and power are increasing, he hints at the notion of future strikes. Just as Osama bin Laden issued a fatwa to declare war on the United States in 1998, Ayman Zawahiri issued a fatwa a decade later to announce the impending transition to the next stage of conflict. The 9/11 attack transformed Osama bin Laden into a figure of mythi- Islam and the Bomb: Religious Justification For and Against Nuclear Weapons
cal proportions. After lifelong humiliation, disappointment, and questions concerning his effectiveness as a leader and operational planner, Zawahiri is desperately seeking an opportu- nity to become the architect of his movement’s future, and the master of his own destiny. Radical Clerics in Support of al-Qaeda (Source: Exoneration) Atiyatallah Mujahid Scholar Nasir Bin-Hamad al-Fahd Saudi Cleric * Abu-al-Walid al-Filastini Mujahid, battlefront fighter, mufti and Abd-al-Hakim Hassan judge of mujahidin Abu-Yahya al-Libi Libyan Teacher ** Husayn Umar Bin-Mahfuz Yemeni scholar Abu-al-Hasan al Masri Abu-Abdallah al-Muhajir Teacher Abu-Hafs al-Muritani (a.k.a. Dr. Mahfouz Oueld Scholar, poet, mujahid, author and educator el Oueld) Abu-al-Hasan al-Qari Mujahidin’s Quranic reciter and imam Abu-al-Mundhir al-Sa’idi Notable of the Libyan Fighting Group Abu Musab al-Suri Syrian Mujahid Preacher Abdullah Zakiri No official position *Last report, in Saudi custody ** Currently in US custody Note: Only two passing references are made to Osama bin Laden in “Exoneration.” Zawahiri invokes Nasir al Fahd repeatedly. In the book, Zawahiri also names 14 clerics who reputedly support al-Qaeda, offering a brief description of each one. In the event questions arise in the future concerning Zawhiri’s authority to issue a fatwa, this list of clerics is likely intended to demonstrate al-Qaeda’s support from Islamic clerics and scholars. As always, Zawahiri has thought through his case to the last detail. Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs | Harvard Kennedy School 43
Page 1: Islam Islam and the Bomb Religious
Page 4 and 5: Belfer Center for Science and Inter
Page 6 and 7: AUTHOR’S NOTE Threats cannot be f
Page 8 and 9: CONTENTS Foreword 9 Living in an Ag
Page 10 and 11: 8 Islam and the Bomb: Religious Jus
Page 12 and 13: 10 ing nuclear weapons? Has a decis
Page 14 and 15: NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN THE 21 ST CENTUR
Page 16 and 17: 14 The Allure of Nuclear Weapons Th
Page 18 and 19: 16 Islam. They claim to represent t
Page 20 and 21: 18 In applying this hierarchy of mo
Page 22 and 23: 20 The Court of Public Opinion “C
Page 24 and 25: THE QURAN AND WEAPONS OF MASS DESTR
Page 26 and 27: 24 The first Caliph (successor to t
Page 28 and 29: 26 both Saudi radical cleric Nasir
Page 30 and 31: AL-QAEDA’S RELIGIOUS JUSTIFICATIO
Page 32 and 33: 30 On that basis, and in compliance
Page 34 and 35: 32 ings of US and Saudi targets in
Page 36 and 37: 34 In November, 2007, Sayid Imam Ab
Page 38 and 39: 36 He offers a meticulously researc
Page 40 and 41: 38 Zawahiri’s Three Operational M
Page 42 and 43: 40 they have done good for their re
Page 46 and 47: SUNNI VOICES REJECTION OF TERRORIST
Page 48 and 49: Chronology of Sunni Voices Against
Page 50 and 51: Reactions to the anti-WMD Fatwa Dr
Page 52 and 53: SHIA VOICES IRAN AND THE BOMB Follo
Page 54 and 55: 52 “The decree by Khamenei “pro
Page 56 and 57: 54 “From all I can see, it’s no
Page 58 and 59: president of the Kayhan chain of ne
Page 60 and 61: Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah-Yaz
Page 62 and 63: you can do whatever you want to def
Page 64 and 65: Comment: For additional information
Page 66 and 67: APPENDICES Appendix A - Background
Page 68 and 69: 66 Early Muslim scholars developed
Page 70 and 71: 68 located in Yemen, Iraq, and part
Page 72 and 73: 70 Appendix B: Al-Qaeda Nuclear Pla
Page 74 and 75: Appendix C: Events from 2003-2010 -
Page 76 and 77: In his book “Cosmology and Human
Page 78 and 79: 76 and hidden matters, the conseque
Page 80 and 81: 78 pressed. Thus, this prohibition
Page 82 and 83: 80 Appendix E: Sunni Biographies Dr
Page 84 and 85: 82 despite our strong oppositions t
Page 86 and 87: 84 to the United Nations. He presen
Page 88 and 89: 86 losophy and in particular Sadra
Page 90 and 91: 88 nied him food and drink until he
Page 92 and 93: 90 Zawahiri: Page 5, 8, 25, 26, 50,
Page 94 and 95:
92 “As everyone knows, whoever at
Page 96 and 97:
94 fought with fire, and Khalid ibn
Page 98 and 99:
96 Sa’id reported to us that al-L
Page 100 and 101:
98 “The Prophet, may God bless hi
Page 102 and 103:
100 and to refrain from them if the
Page 104 and 105:
102 permissible, and one may setup
Page 106 and 107:
104 “Al-‘Ayni said in ‘Umdat
Page 108 and 109:
106 C. The third position on the is
Page 110 and 111:
108 the prophet (may God bless him
Page 112 and 113:
110 facilitate victory over them. T
Page 114 and 115:
112 “In this Hadith there is perm
Page 116 and 117:
114 The Imam al-Nawawi (may God hav
Page 118 and 119:
116 Referencing Al-Ayni Al-Fahd: Pa
Page 120 and 121:
118 board with them. Malik said tha
Page 122 and 123:
120 “They said that this is a gen
Page 124 and 125:
122 that a tradition from the proph
Page 126 and 127:
124 “Similarly, if an non-believe
Page 128 and 129:
126 The second aspect: Muslim leade
Page 130 and 131:
128 beginning of the verse, God giv
Page 132 and 133:
130 book “Consensus on Matters of
Page 134 and 135:
132 Ibn Qudamah also said: “Chapt
Page 136 and 137:
134 Referencing Muhammad Ibn Isma
Page 138 and 139:
136 in the Name of God and in God
Page 140 and 141:
138 Ibn Taymiyyah (may God have mer
Page 142 and 143:
140 a martyr. Anyone undeserving of
Page 144 and 145:
142 Zawahiri: Page 35, 80, 82, 83,
Page 146 and 147:
144 Similar to this is what Muhamma
Page 148 and 149:
146 ENDNOTES 1. Tzu, Sun. The Art o
Page 150 and 151:
148 Times. 29 May 2003. http://www.
Page 152 and 153:
150 115. Intelligence and Terrorism
Page 154 and 155:
152 163. Gomaa, Ali. “Biography.
Page 156 and 157:
154 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report wo
Page 158:
156 Islam and the Bomb: Religious J
show all

Islam and the Bomb - Belfer Center for Science and International ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?