Declaration of the Mufti, His Eminence Sheikh Abd Al ‘Aziz Al Sheikh, on the Bombing Incident of Riyadh Traffic Department

Riyadh - Rabi‘ Al-Awwal 3, 1425 AH corresponding to 22nd April, 2004 AD.  SNA (Saudi News Agency)

His eminence the Mufti of Saudi Arabia, chief of the Senior ‘Ulama Commission, and head of the Administration of Scientific Research and Iftaa, Sheikh Abd Al ‘Aziz Al Sheikh, has issued a statement on the bombing incident of the Traffic Department in downtown Riyadh yesterday, Wednesday. Following is the script:

Praise be to Allah and peace and blessings be upon the best of the Prophets and messengers and upon his family and companions

We have regretfully followed the bombings of the Traffic Department in downtown Riyadh which caused casualties of sanctified Muslim lives and various injuries for a large number of Muslims who work in the building, passersby, or people who were in the neighboring buildings in addition to the damage of properties including buildings, cars, etc..

As a discharge of my responsibility, and as an advice to Muslims and to disclose the case of a misguided deviant group of people who have taken Islam as a cover to their actions, I declare to all Muslims that such bombing act is prohibited and is even regarded as one of the most heinous sins. Following are the supporting proofs:

Allah, the Exalted, said:" And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein; and the Wrath and the Curse of Allah are upon him, and a great punishment is prepared for him." (Surat Al-Nisa', 4: 93)

"And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right." (Surat Al-Isra, 17:33)

"And those who invoke not any other ilâh (god) along with Allah, nor kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse — and whoever does this shall receive the punishment. The torment  will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace; except those who repent and believe (in Islâmic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Surat Al-Furqan, 25:68-70)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:" Avoid the seven noxious things. It was said (by the hearers): What are they, Messenger of Allah? He (the Prophet) replied: Associating anything with Allah, magic, killing of one whom God has declared inviolate without a just cause…" (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

"The first (thing) that will be decided among people on the Day of Judgment will pertain to bloodshed." (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

"A believer remains at liberty regarding his religion unless he kills somebody unlawfully." (Related by Al-Bukhari)

Ibn ‘Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) commented on that Hadith saying: "One of the evil deeds with bad consequence from which there is no escape for the one who is involved in it is to kill someone unlawfully."
"It is hoped that Allah may forgive every sin, except in the case of one who dies a polytheist, or the one who purposely kills a believer."(Al-Targhib wa Al-Tarhib: 3/277)

"If a man kills a believer unjustly, Allah will not accept any action or duty of his, obligatory or supererogatory"

"If the dwellers of heaven and the inhabitants of earth collaborated in killing a believer, Allah would cast them all down into the hellfire." (Reported by Al-Tirmidhi: 1398)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said while making Tawaf (circumambulation) round the Ka‘bah, "How excellent you are! How beautiful your fragrance is! How great and sanctified you are! By Him in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, the sanctity of the believer's life and property is greater in the sight of Allah than you; no one should think  about him except good." (Al-Targhib wa Al-Tarhib: 3/276)

"The vanishing of the entire world is less in value in the sight of Allah than killing a Muslim."  (Reported by Al-Tirmidhi: 1395)

"The slain person will come on the Day of Resurrection, holding his head in one hand and with the other hand he would be holding the killer by the chest; his (the slain person's) veins would be bleeding until he reaches Al-'Arsh (the Throne), then he would say: 'This man has killed me'. Allah will then say to the killer: 'Perish you! He will then be taken to the Hellfire".

Muslims unanimously agreed on the sanctity of the blood of a Muslim and forbade killing him without a rightful claim; this is well known in Islam.

Based on the above proofs (from the Qur'an and Sunnah) we can conclude the following:

First: It is forbidden to kill Muslims without a rightful claim as it is regarded one of the gravest sins.

Second: The Prophet (peace be upon him) made it equal to associating partners with Allah in worship; a sin which Allah does not forgive.

Third: Whoever kills a Muslim purposely will face the wrath, curse, severe torture and eternity in the Hellfire.

Fourth: The forbidden killing is the first grievance to be judged between the servants on the Day of Resurrection and the disgrace will be the share of the one who killed a Muslim without a rightful claim.

Fifth: Killing Muslims without a rightful claim is a predicament from which extrication is not possible.

Sixth: The sanctity of the lives of Muslims is greater than the sanctity of the Ka‘bah. The annihilation of the entire world is less significant in the sight of Allah when compared to killing a Muslim.

Seventh: Being instrumental in killing a Muslim by any means counts as involvement in the crime and leads to receiving the same punishment of casting in the hellfire, even if the doers were all the dwellers of the heaven and the inhabitants of earth; this indicates the great sanctity of the Muslim's life.

Eighth: Whoever kills a Muslim unjustly, his good deeds will not be accepted at all.

Ninth: Killing Muslims pleases Iblis, the accursed enemy of Allah. 

All the above discusses killing a Muslim without a rightful claim; what if we add to that the bombing of properties, terrifying the secured Muslims, committing suicide, as well as other grave sins which cannot be perpetrated except by those whose hearts were sealed and misdeeds have been made attractive so they consider them good. Allah, the Exalted, said:

"Say (O Muhammad peace be upon him): 'Shall We tell you the greatest losers in respect of (their) deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds! They are those who deny the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of their Lord and the Meeting with Him (in the Hereafter). So their works are in vain, and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall assign no weight for them.'"(Surat Al-Anbia', 21:70-72)

"And of mankind there is he whose speech may please you (O Muhammad peace be upon him), in this worldly life, and he calls Allah to witness as to that which is in his heart, yet he is the most quarrelsome of the opponents. And when he turns away (from you “O Muhammad peace be upon him”), his effort in the land is to make mischief therein and to destroy the crops and the cattle, and Allah likes not mischief. And when it is said to him, “Fear Allah”, he is led by arrogance to (more) crime. So enough for him is Hell, and worst indeed is that place to rest!" (Surat Al-Baqarah, 2:204)

As I point out the ruling of these heinous ugly actions, I stress the following:

- Islam fights these acts and does not acknowledge them; it is acquitted from what is ascribed to it by such misguided criminals.

- Allah has exposed this misguided group of criminals who do not want victory for Islam or the Muslim Ummah; on the contrary, they want to make insecure and terrify the secured people, kill Muslims and do corruption on earth.    

- It is not allowed to shelter these criminals because whoever does so, will be an accomplice and will come under the Hadith: "May Allah curse one who shelters an innovator." It is the duty of anyone who has useful information about them or their whereabouts to  report to the competent authorities in order to stanch bloodshed of Muslims and protect their lands.

- It is not allowed to justify the acts of these criminals and killers.

¬- Thanks to Allah, this country is stable under its leadership; we listen and obey to Allah's commands concerning obedience to our leaders without violating Allah's commands because He said:" O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority." (Surat Al-Nisa', 4:59)

- The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "You have to listen and obey"

¬- Any affliction the Muslims face it is due to their sins; Allah the exalted said: "And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much." (Surat Al-Shura, 42:30)

We should therefore stick to piety and hasten to repent from sins.

- I'd like to address my word to my brothers from the security forces in this purified country; I congratulate them for the great job they are doing in defending Islam and its lands. Fellow bothers! Stick to diligence, vigilance and determination in defending your religion in the first place and defending this Muslim country against the misguided. May Allah support you and help you to all that is good.

- I then address my word to those who do criminal forbidden acts, those who mistakenly join them or those who sympathize with the criminals urging these all to repent before death comes; let them go back to the Qur'an and Sunnah because Allah will ask them about what they have done, Allah the Exalted said: " And be afraid of the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah. Then every person shall be paid what he earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly." (Surat Al-Baqarah, 2:281)

- I ask Allah to protect our country and all Muslim countries from all evils, to guide the misguided people, to turn their evil plotting against them, to forgive those who died from the Muslims, and to grant their family and relatives patience. Allah is Near and Responsive.

And peace and blessings be upon our Prophet, his family and his companions.

Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Chief of the Senior ‘Ulema Commission, and Head of the Administration of Scientific Research and Iftaa Sheikh Abd Al ‘Aziz Al Sheikh

Source: Saudi Press Agency