Various Islamic clerics and religious organizations from different parts of the world issued calls for a global jihad against the State of Israel, emphasizing the increasingly contentious relationship between Israel and the Muslim world.
On March 23rd, a Turkey-based Kuwaiti Islamic scholar, Dr. Tareq Al-Suwaidan, appeared on Al-Jazeera to discuss the role of Muslims in the West regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He argued that it is prohibited for Muslims to make permanent peace with what he called "enemies of Allah," adding that doing so nullifies jihad, which must continue until the Day of Judgement.
"Check any book talking about Jihad, and you will see that it is prohibited to make permanent peace with the enemies of Allah,” Al-Suwaidan said. "All Islamic scholars are in agreement that such a thing nullifies the [validity] of Jihad, which must continue until Judgment Day.”
Al-Suwaidan, who is also a Muslim Brotherhood leader, emphasized as well that while he does not expect Muslims in Europe to change their governments or implement Sharia law, he was still impressed with the pro-Palestinian movement in Western countries, calling them "exceptional" and "a wonderful thing.”
The cleric added that he expects them to “continue to demonstrate, to exert pressure on their regimes, to make people aware [of the situation], and to provide direct support to your brothers and sisters in Palestine,“ urging them to “continue to deliver aid to Palestine, because most of our routes have been blocked.“
Meanwhile, the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), an international body of Islamic theologians based in (and allegedly funded by) Qatar, released a brief, ten-point fatwa about “the continuation of aggression on Gaza and violation of the ceasefire“ by Israel on March 28th, urging all Muslims and Muslim countries to wage jihad against the Jewish state.
The fatwa states that "it is obligatory for every capable Muslim in the Islamic world to wage armed jihad against the occupation in Palestine," that Arab and Muslim states must intervene militarily, and that "the Zionist enemy" must be "besieged at land, on sea, and in the air," by closing waterways and airspace in Arab and Muslim states.
It even urged members of the American Muslim community to pressure US President Donald Trump to "fulfill his campaign promises of stopping the aggression and bringing peace."
Lastly, Islamic clerics in Pakistan organized a National Conference on Palestine last April 10th. In addition, they issued a declaration calling for jihad against Israel, claiming that the "Gaza war is not merely a war but an open genocide of Palestinians. Jihad has become an obligatory duty for Muslims. All Muslim rulers should formally announce it [jihad against Israel].”
The Grand Mufti of Pakistan, Mufti Taqi Usmani, addressed the conference, whose members predominantly included the followers of Islamist parties, declaring that “the leaders or the mujahideen of Hamas are not ready to retreat even an inch. We have told all Islamic governments openly through a fatwa [Islamic religious decree] that jihad has become obligatory upon you. Muslim rulers cannot hide from their obligation by mere talk. What are the armed forces of Muslim countries if they cannot wage jihad?"
"Pakistan neither has nor will have any relations with Israel," the mufti said, adding that Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan’s founding father, described Israel as an illegitimate child. "The state of Pakistan is even today firm on its stand for not recognizing Israel."
The declaration adopted by the conference also condemned the statements made by US President Donald Trump regarding the future of Gaza, adding that “the entire region, including Israel, is the ancestral homeland of Palestinians“ and even suggested that America “can settle the Israelis anywhere else“ if it wanted to.
