Lal Masjid. ILLUSTRATION: ANAM HALEEM
The ‘martyr or no martyr’ debate is not new and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Munawar Hassan is not the first one to trigger it. The story goes back to Ghazi Abdur Rashid-led Lal Masjid squad that first issued a fatwa (religious decree) declaring military’s Wana Operation in 2004 a ‘rebellion against God and His Prophet’ and army soldiers losing life in it as ‘not martyred’.
The religious ruling had also invalidated funeral prayers for the soldiers killed in the operation. The fatwa was signed by over 500 ‘religious scholars’ and it basically initiated from Darul Uloom Haqqania Akora Khattak.
“Munawar Hassan’s statement is right in line with the principles of Sharia,” said Hafiz Ehtisham Ahmed, the spokesperson for Shohada Foundation of Pakistan (SFP), in a statement released on Tuesday in reaction of ISPR statement condemning the JI chief’s statement. In a TV interview, JI chief had questioned if “those fighting for the US could be declared martyred?”
The SFP, the representative organisation for ‘victims’ of Lal Masjid militarty operation 2007, stated that the mosque and its affiliated seminary Jamia Hafsa were ‘punished’ for the same fatwa by former president Pervez Musharraf, and its cleric Ghazi was ‘murdered’ for endorsing and issuing the religious ruling.
The SFP spokesperson said that 2004 fatwa was equally relevant today as the circumstances were the same. “In fact it is worse at present; the present government has been blindly following orders from the US,” said Ahmed.
“There is no ambiguity or need left for further interpretation after the mosque’s 2004 fatwa and Hassan’s recent statement — which was rightfully in line with Islamic principles.”
“Be it under severe US pressure or otherwise, in all cases, any military operation launched against fellow Muslims in order to appease or win favour from the infidels is haram,” stated the fatwa.
Pakistan Army recently condemned Hassan’s statement and expressed fears that it was an attempt at instigating rebellion among soldiers. However, the Lal Masjid fatwa had clearly asked the soldiers not to obey orders.
“The military operations in Wana (Waziristan) are against Sharia law therefore it is not permissible for the armed forces to participate in it,” the fatwa had asserted. It had justified this ruling on the basis that it is haram to obey the ruler in the matters contradicting or violating Sharia.
The fatwa had also declared those killed by the army as martyrs. “All those people who get killed during these unjust operations are innocent according to the Sharia law; therefore, they are to be recognised as martyrs,” it said.
The SFP spokesperson said that all those calling for a fresh fatwa over the JI chief’s statement were misleading people.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 14th, 2013.
COMMENTS (25)
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Jamat-e-Intihai-Ghair-Islami.... the ultimate hypocrites....
@Dingdong: "When Pakistan is considered a secular country, "
Definitely Pakistan's constitution is not secular. It describes itself as an Islamic Republic and the laws favor Muslims in many different areas. Where did you get the information that Pakistan was a secular country?
Military should have clear stance on extremism and terrorism. Military has to dissociate from Maudoodis and Saudis ideology and educate new recruits about pakistanis being equal irrespective of religion and also to inform what sacrifices have been made by Christians, ahmadis and other religion military people for pakistan military. Make military a pakistani military not a religious military if they want to gain respect and honour. Extremist recruited during Zia time and afterwards need to be wiped out.
Great example of why Pakistan is stuck in the mud. Seems like most Pakistani's seem to admire Turkey - if so then remember that Turkey unstuck itself when it found a leader who separated the State from religion.
A man who has no heart for rapped women call himself a religious scholar? What religious background/authority this man has beside being ameer of a so called religious party? Have these crooks ever published any scholarly work beside shooting fatwas from their hip. And what would these mullahs call themselves when they were sitting in lap of Zia up Haq, an American stogie. Were they doing jahad at that time?
pak army should come out from this war...
who gave authority to deobandi religious fanatics to give fatwa they are minority in pakistan....and involved in terrorism
@A J khan: ....but all we have are all cissies.
Why do we need to clarify whether our soldiers are Shaheed or not from Munafiqeens???
This is something new which electronic media did not share with public. If all this is true then what is the government waiting for ...... more blood shed or stop these unholy fathers to confuse the nation which is 70% illiterate and the rest is too scared to talk on this burning issue of who is Shaheed and who is Gazi. Please don't allow these indoctrinated preachers to rule over the government and its institutions. Please bring all these seminaries under direct control of the government without any hesitation or face the incoming train with full speed.
@sattar rind: Which court....??? Supreame court or Scared court......???
Pakistan Army has to realize, it ca no longer use these mullahs as proxies to wage wars in India and Afghanistan. These radical mullahs are more danger to this country than to any of our enemies. The JI which gained power as a result of the military-mullah alliance is now so brave that it will call the army that empowered it a rented army. The murderers and rebels of the state who deny the constitution and the state are their heroes and martyrs. These jamat mullahs have the exactly same thinking and ideology as the taliban in waziristan. Get rid of them. Or the survival of our country will be threatened.
People with religious faith always think they're right and everyone else is destined for a rather hot place. Just think how peaceful the world would be if the faithful just left it at that and minded their own business.
@Ataturk: Absolutely! Yes, it is high time that we cleanse our society of this chronic ailment of excessive religiosity. If Pakistan is to survive and prosper as a modern country then we the people must assert ourselves and be more active in condemning the evil forces that have design against Pakistan in the name of religion. This must stop, silence is no option any more, this doesn't reflect tolerance any more. The mullahs interpret our silence and our tolerance as our weakness and continue with their terrorism, we can not allow this, even if it means that we must support and ask and give mandate to our military to come forward and intervene in the affairs of the State to save it from total disintegration before it is too late and there's nothing to save neither Pakistan nor our religion as we have been practicing it here for over 800 years. Yes, some one must do the job whether our own Ataturk or a modern day Naser who rid Egypt of its Akhwans and ensured Egypt free of all infectious concoctions and cocktails of religion & politics & mullahism & populism.
Ok Muslims, please explain how it is possible for TTP to also use sharia to justify killing of Pakistanis?...they attack schoolgirls and say it is in accordance with sharia?...they bomb mosques and churches and say it is according to sharia?....it appears that anything can be justified by sharia...please explain?
I hope Army realizes we need a 21st century Ataturk to rid Pakistan of these problems.
There is 5000 years of history throughout world history and other countries such as those in Europe Asia and the Americas that proves that a theocratic state be it Catholic, Protestant or other Christian, a Buddhist, or Zoroastrian just doesn't work. When will our Generals realize this and help us move at a good place to a secular state.
For Officers & men of Pakistan Army, Pakistan is more sacred than stupid opinions of terrorists, their apologists & judgments of any court.
When Pakistan is considered a secular country, why do people especially the liberalists want to debate the issue of martyrs non martyrs?
When was the last time these Mullahs issued fatwa against killing of those thousand of innocent Pakistanis?
Its clear treason case. All of them should be lined before court.
one Al sissi is needed to put things in their correct places
jamatiii THAAA (always)
J(I chief should also declare who are martyr in Syria - the soldiers fighting for Assad regime or the rebels( they are said to be fighting for democracy against the Shia dictator).