IUMS condemns assaulting scholars in Lebanon, calls for holding perpetrators accountable
All praise be to Allah and peace and blessings be upon God’s messenger, his family, companions and followers:
The International Union of Muslim Scholars has been following with concern the incidents in Lebanon involving the assault against a number of Lebanon’s esteemed scholars, an incident that nearly drove the country into chaos when young people took to blocking the city’s roads. As the union follows these perturbing and regretful tragedies, it senses the hazard of the repercussions that may result from such religiously and legally unacceptable assaults. About the destructive chaos that may result and the spilling of innocent people’s blood, the Quran states that {if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people:} [Quran 5: 32] and Prophet Muhammad – peace and blessings be upon him – says in a hadith authenticated by At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa`i and narrated by Abd Ibn Amr Ibn Al-`Aas that "The passing away of the world would mean less to Allah than the murder of a Muslim.”.
In light of these recurrent assaults extending from Beirut to Bekaa`, the IUMS asserts the following:
First: the union condemns the assault on the two scholars of the Dar Al-Fatwa (the official authority for issuing edicts): Mazen Hariri and Ahmed Fakhran as they passed through the Al-Basta Al-Tahta area in Beirut, which resulted in the two scholars being taken to hospital for treatment.
Second: the union demands the Lebanese government to take all necessary measures regarding this incident, and fulfill its duty of providing security and safety to everyone in order to smother sedition and quench its flame. The union also demands the necessary arrest of the perpetrators of the assault in the nearest possible time and holding them accountable in accordance with the law.
Third: the union calls the Lebanese people, with all their constituents, sects, as well as political, religious and sectarian shades to practice self-restraint and to take up their responsibility at this critical stage which their country undergoes by gathering around the all-uniting national cores, and remaining completely aloof of all that is meant to stir sedition among them. In addition, the union calls them stand by their fellow oppressed Syrian people who stood collectively calling for their rights to freedom, dignity, and social justice, and to resist tyrants who spread harm in the land, who kill people and violate sanctities as Allah in His Grandeur said: {And fear tumult or oppression, which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong: and know that Allah is strict in punishment.} [Quran 8:25].
And our last call is that all praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!
Doha: 7 Jumada Al-Awwal 1434 H
Dated: 19 March 2013
Dr. Ali Al-Qaradaghi Dr. Yusuf Al-Qaradawi
IUMS Secretary General IUMS PResident