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Prominent Pakistani scholars, including the Grand Mufti of Pakistan, issue fatwa calling for Muslim governments to launch a military jihad against Israel.
A conference of ulema in Pakistan has issued a fatwa calling on all Muslim countries to use their armies to launch a jihad to protect the Muslims of Gaza.
“If you can watch over 50,000 of your brothers and sisters being killed before your eyes, and you cannot move to action to help them, then what use are you weapons? What use are your armies?” said Mufti Taqi Usmani, addressing thousands of guests and delegates assembled before him at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad.
Speaker after speaker at the conference, which included some of the most famous and respected ulema of Pakistan, called on all Muslim governments in the world to use their armies to launch a Jihad against the “illegitimate State” of Israel.
The fatwa was backed by Mufti Taqi Usmani, Maulana Munib-ur-Rahman and former Government Minister Maulana Fazlur Rahman.
The fatwa came at the culmination of a major event called the National Palestine Conference held at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad and attended by thousands of influential Muslim scholars, retired members of the judiciary, politicians and social activists..
The fatwa, read out on live television, has sent shock waves through Pakistan’s ruling elite as it was issued by Islamic scholars belonging not to some fringe jihadi organisation but by highly respected scholars belonging to “the establishment” as well as all the main ‘schools of thought’ within Pakistani society.
Mufti Maulana Taqi Usmani blasted Israel for breaking the cease-fire deal again and slaughtering over 50,000 unarmed and defenceless civilians in Gaza.
He expressed deep embarrassment at standing in front of the massive Muslim gathering, exactly one year on since a similar conference at the same venue a year ago, and calling upon the Muslim countries in the world to intervene and bring the war on Gaza to an end.
“Today, we should not be gathered here in Islamabad. Today, we should all have been gathered on the plains of Gaza, with our Palestinian brothers and sisters”, said Mufti Usmani to a sombre gathering.
He expressed his dismay at the fact that, “from Indonesia to Morocco”, Muslims have been watching the carnage in Gaza in complete silence.
“I am ashamed to say that, until now, our actions have been limited to trying to provide some financial help [to the people of Gaza].
That until today, we have not told our governments explicitly, that jihad upon them is now obligatory.”
“We will not be able to answer before Allah SWT now, with simply our verbal condemnations.
Jihad against Israel is now obligatory upon every Muslim government in the world. The speech was frequently met by chants of Takbeer from the crowd.
Addressing the political and military leadership of Pakistan, Mufti Usmani said “the entire nation is awaiting for you to fulfill your obligation.”
Whilst the views of Mufti Taqi Usmani on Palestine and jihad are well known, the fatwa was also backed by The Grand Mufti of Pakistan, Maulana Muneebur Rahman who said “what has happened to you, oh Muslims, that you do not wage jihad in the way of Allah?”
Growing calls for jihad
Many scholars at the Islamabad conference criticised the Pakistani government for not declaring war on Israel.
This comes just days after the secretary general of the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), Ali al-Qaradaghi, called on all Muslim countries to “intervene immediately militarily, economically, and politically to stop this genocide.”
His statement, also backed by 14 other prominent Muslim scholars, urged all Muslim countries to “review their peace treaties” with Israel and encouraged Muslims in the United States to pressure President Donald Trump to “fulfil his election promises to stop the aggression and establish peace.”
The International Union of Muslim Scholars was founded by Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi and is headquartered in Qatar, but comprises leading scholars from around the globe.The announcements by prominent religious leaders have come amid growing calls for jihad by Muslims across the Ummah.
Huge pro-Palestine protests have gone viral online, showing demonstrators chanting, “The people demand jihad,” in Algeria, Syria, Yemen, and Pakistan.
However, there has been some opposition to the calls for jihad. Egypt’s Grand Mufti, Nazir Ayyad, criticised the IUMS fatwa as “irresponsible.”
“Such actions may endanger the security of societies and the stability of Muslim states. Supporting the Palestinian people in their legitimate rights is a religious, humanitarian, and moral duty.
However, this support must be provided in a way that truly serves the interests of the Palestinian people and not to advance specific agendas or reckless ventures that could lead to further destruction, displacement, and disaster for the Palestinians themselves.”
More than 50,600 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in Israel’s military onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Prime Minister Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
