Istishhad: Difference between revisions
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==Martyrdom operation=== |
==Martyrdom operation=== |
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A '''martyrdom operation''' is a military or an offensive attack in which the attacker is expected to die |
A '''martyrdom operation''' is a military or an offensive attack in which the attacker is expected to die. The main use of the term Istishhad among Arab and Muslims refers to the act of defending your homeland in order to retain a national pride. The term is used by armed [[Islam|Muslim]] militants, or other similar or related groups. [[Islamism|Islamist]] militants use this term as they do not see their attacks as an act of suicide, which is prohibited by Islam. While most combat involves a ''chance'' of death, a "martyrdom operation" implies a deliberate acts of self-sacrificial to convey respect and love for the attacker's homeland . |
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====Martyrdom operation==== |
====Martyrdom operation==== |
Revision as of 04:29, 19 January 2008
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Istishhad (Template:Lang-ar) means seeking or the act of martyrdom. It is the military attack which almost certainly will lead to die of attacker. The most usual form of this kind of attack is Suicide attack. But there are other forms like dropping the own body on the mine to make a path in the battlefield for other soldiers.
History
The origins of Istishhadi attacks lie among the Shia in Iran. Mohammed Hossein Fahmideh, a 13 year old boy who fought in the Iran-Iraq War, is known as the first Muslim who participate in such attack in contemporary history. He strapped rocket-propelled grenades to his chest and blew himself up under an Iraqi tank in November 1980. Ayatollah Khomeini adopted Fahmideh as a national hero and as an inspiration for further volunteer for martyrdom.[1] [2]
Shia usually refer to martyrdom of Hussain ibn Ali and his companions and family members in battle of Karbala to legitimate and justify such attack.
Martyrdom operation=
A martyrdom operation is a military or an offensive attack in which the attacker is expected to die. The main use of the term Istishhad among Arab and Muslims refers to the act of defending your homeland in order to retain a national pride. The term is used by armed Muslim militants, or other similar or related groups. Islamist militants use this term as they do not see their attacks as an act of suicide, which is prohibited by Islam. While most combat involves a chance of death, a "martyrdom operation" implies a deliberate acts of self-sacrificial to convey respect and love for the attacker's homeland .
Martyrdom operation
Those who carry out martyrdom operations and their supporters call it jihad and believe it is a necessity. According to Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi,
when protecting Islam and the Muslim community depends on martyrdom operations, it not only is allowed, but even is an obligation as many of the Shi'ah great scholars and Maraje', including Ayatullah Safi Golpayegani and Ayatullah Fazel Lankarani, have clearly announced in their fatwas.[3]
Islamic clergy especially in Iran consider martyrdom operations in Palestinian terrotories and other occupied countries an act of resistance and heroic. This is shared across the various Islamic sects. Thus, Yusuf al-Qaradawi agrees with Iranian mullahs.
Ruhollah Khomeini showered martyrdom operations during the Iran-Iraq War and those against Israel with accolade.
Osama bin Laden called the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon a "martyrdom operation." Palestinians primarily speak of a ‘martyrdom operation’ as opposed to ‘suicide bombing.’ The Iraqi administration referred to suicide attacks on invading troops during the 2003 Iraq war in these terms also, and, in particular, their promise to retake the Baghdad airport.
In January of 2006, one of Shia Islam's highest ranking marja clerics, Ayatollah al-Udhma Yousof al-Sanei also decreed a fatwa against suicide bombing however, declaring it as a "terrorist act":
- "Even those who kill people with suicide bombing, these shall meet the flames of hell."[4]
Some Sunni scholars opinion rejects suicide.[5] However, some top authorities do support suicide attacks on perceived enemies of Islam. Mohammed Ijaz ul-Haq, religious affairs minister of Pakistan, the world's second largest Muslim majority country, has made public statements in favor of it. Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, sometimes called "the world's most quoted independent Islamic jurist",[6] has called martyrdom operations:
the greatest of all sorts of Jihad in the Cause of Allah. A martyr operation is carried out by a person who sacrifices himself, deeming his life less value than striving in the Cause of Allah, in the cause of restoring the land and preserving the dignity. [7]
Other clerics have supported attacks mainly in connection with Palestine. Sunni Iraqi Cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Qubeisi has proclaimed that "those who commit martyrdom [i.e. suicide] operations who are, by Allah, the greatest martyrs in Islamic history..." [8] Amongst others the Imam of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Abd Al-Rahman Al-Sudayyis,[9], the former President of Al-Azhar University, Ahmad 'Omar Hashem [10] and Cleric, Sheikh Ibrahim Mudeiris of Gaza [11] have all urged on suicide operations by Muslims. Sayed Mohammed Musawi, head of the World Islamic League in London, condemning the London bombings, but insisted "there should be a clear distinction between the suicide bombing of those who are trying to defend themselves from occupiers, which is something different from those who kill civilians, which is a big crime."[12] There have been conflicting reports about the stand of Sheikh Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy, the top Egyptian cleric of Al-Azhar University, and the mufti of Egypt, Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Al Tayyeb. Shortly after 9/11 the Sheikh Tantawy issued a statement apposing suicide attacks.[13] But a translation from Al Azhar website quotes him as supporting suicide attacks on Jews in Israel as part of the Palestinian struggle "to strike horror into the hearts of the enemies of Islam." [14] Then in mid-2003 he was quoted again as saying "groups which carried out suicide bombings were the enemies of Islam."[15]
According to Professor Charles A. Kimball, chair of the Department of Religion at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, "There is only one verse in the Qur'an that contains a phrase related to suicide", Verse 4:29 of the Qur'an.[16] It reads O you who believe! Do not consume your wealth in the wrong way-rather through trade mutually agreed to, and do not kill yourselves. Surely God is Merciful toward you. Some commentators believe that the phrase "do not kill yourselves" is better translated "do not kill each other", and some translations (e.g. Shakir) reflect that view. (A note on the Qur'an's unique textual density is perhaps in order here: It is not uncommon for a single Qur'anic Arabic phrase to embrace two or more complementary meanings at the same time, and this may be the case with 4:29.)
Mainstream Islamic groups such as the European Council for Fatwa and Research use the Quran'ic verse Al-Anam 6:151 (And take not life, which Allah has made sacred, except by way of justice and law) as further reason to prohibit suicide.[17] In addition, the hadith unambiguously forbid suicide.[18]
A contrary view is presented by Faisal Bodi who has written in The Guardian that, "in the Muslim world, then, we celebrate what we call the martyr-bombers. To us they are heroes defending the things we hold sacred. Polls in the Middle East show 75% of people in favour of martyr-bombings."[6] Nevertheless, Islamist militant organisations (including Al-Qaeda, Hamas and Islamic Jihad) continue to argue that suicide operations are justified according to Islamic law, despite Islam's strict prohibition of suicide and murder.[19][20] Irshad Manji, in a conversation with one leader of Islamic Jihad noted their ideology.
"What's the difference between suicide, which the Koran condemns, and martyrdom?" I asked. "Suicide," he replied, "is done out of despair. But remember: most of our martyrs today were very successful in their earthly lives." In short, there was a future to live for--and they detonated it anyway.
Since the four suicide bombings in London, there have been many scholastic refutations of suicide bombings from Sunni Muslims. Ihsanic Intelligence, a London-based Islamic think-tank, published their two-year study into suicide bombings in the name of Islam, titled 'The Hijacked Caravan',[21] which concluded that, "The technique of suicide bombing is anathema, antithetical and abhorrent to Sunni Islam. It is considered legally forbidden, constituting a reprehensible innovation in the Islamic tradition, morally an enormity of sin combining suicide and murder and theologically an act which has consequences of eternal damnation."[22] The Oxford-based Malayist jurist, Shaykh Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti, issued his landmark fatwa on suicide bombing and targeting innocent civilians, titled 'Defending the Transgressed, by Censuring the Reckless against the Killing of Civilians', where he states suicide bombing in its most widespread form, is forbidden: 'If the attack involves a bomb placed on the body or placed so close to the bomber that when the bomber detonates it the bomber is certain [yaqin] to die, then the More Correct Position according to us is that it does constitute suicide. This is because the bomber, being also the Maqtul [the one killed], is unquestionably the same Qatil [the immediate/active agent that kills] = Qatil Nafsahu [suicide]"[23]
In January of 2006, one of Shia Islam's highest ranking marja clerics, Ayatollah al-Udhma Yousof al-Sanei also decreed a fatwa against suicide bombing, declaring it as a "terrorist act".[24]
See also
- Suicide attack
- Baby Suicide Bomber
- Child suicide bombers in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
- Female suicide bomber
- Using animals instead of suicide
- List of Hamas suicide attacks
- List of Palestinian Islamic Jihad suicide attacks
- List of Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades suicide attacks
Footnotes
- ^ Our leader: Mohammed Hossein Fahmideh
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://www.mesbahyazdi.org/english/contact-us/afq/contact4.htm#عمليات%20شهادت%20طلبانه
- ^ Feb 2007 interview with Christianne Amanpour of CNN: [2]
- ^ Terrorism and Suicide bombings
- ^ a b Bodi, Faisal (2001). "Bombing for God". Special report: Israel and the Middle East. Guardian Newspapers Limited. Retrieved 2006-07-19. - "In the Muslim world, then, we celebrate what we call the martyr-bombers. To us they are heroes defending the things we hold sacred. Polls in the Middle East show 75% of people in favour of martyr-bombings."
- ^ Fatwa Bank
- ^ Dubai TV, May 5, 2004
- ^ On Saudi TV Channel 1, April 2, 2004,
- ^ On Channel 1 of Egyptian TV, April 23, 2004
- ^ Palestinian Authority TV, May 21, 2004
- ^ After London, Tough Questions for Muslims
- ^ Grand Sheikh condemns suicide bombings
- ^ lailatalqadr.com, April 4, 2002.
- ^ Cleric condemns suicide attacks
- ^ AN-NISA (WOMEN)
- ^ Euthanasia: Types and Rulings
- ^ Committing Suicide Is Strictly Forbidden in Islam
- ^ The Islamic Ruling on the Permissibility of Martyrdom Operations
- ^ Fatwa of Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradhawi
- ^ The Hijacked Caravan
- ^ The Hijacked Caravan: Refuting Suicide Bombings as Martyrdom Operations in Contemporary Jihad Strategy
- ^ Defending The Transgressed By Censuring The Reckless Against The Killing Of Civilians
- ^ Feb 2007 interview with Christianne Amanpour of CNN: [3]
External links
- The Culture of Martyrdom How suicide bombing became not just a means but an end by David Brooks in The Atlantic Magazine June 2002
- Defending the Transgressed Fatwa against suicide bombing by Shaykh Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti
- The Logic of Suicide Terrorism by Bruce Hoffman published in The Atlantic Magazine June 2003
- Suicide Bombers Why do they do it, and what does Islam say about their actions?
- The Hijacked Caravan Study refuting suicide bombing in Islam by Ihsanic Intelligence
- What makes suicide bombers tick? - Suicide bomber profile and info
- ‘The Seekers of Martyrdom Command’: Another State-Inspired Organization of Suicide Attackers in Iran (Official Website Based in U.S. and Germany)