Mauritanian Cleric Muhammad Al-Hassan Ould Al-Dadou Al-Shanqiti Says Muslims Must Strive To Obtain Nuclear Weapons, Agrees They Should Achieve 'Balance Of Terror'

Mauritanian cleric Muhammad Al-Hassan Ould Al-Dadou Al-Shanqiti said in an interview broadcast on Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas-Gaza) on May 22, 2019, that the Muslims have a duty to strive to obtain nuclear weapons because there is a threat that nuclear weapons might be used against them and it is the "only way to deter the enemies." He gave the example of Pakistan, which he said stopped being "harassed" by its neighbors once it obtained nuclear weapons. Al-Shanqiti also said that the recent "rush" to normalize relations with the Zionists is caused by a lack of faith in Allah and by the fact that the Zionists possess a nuclear weapon while the Arabs do not. He added that Muslims must not use such a weapon unless it is used against them. The interviewer said that there should be a "balance of terror."

Interviewer: "What is the ruling on efforts by the Muslims to obtain [nuclear] weapons?"

Muhammad Al-Hassan Ould Al-Dadou Al-Shanqiti: "Since this kind of weapon has been used in the past, and since there is now a threat that it will be used against the Muslims, they have a duty to strive to obtain this weapon. Possession of nuclear weapons is the only way to deter the enemies. Look at Pakistan. When it obtained the nuclear bomb, a lot of the harassment by its neighbors stopped. These neighbors used to harass [Pakistan] because they had the nuclear bomb. The rush to normalize relations with the Zionists, which we are witnessing today, and many of the defeats that Arabs have suffered were cause by... Well, obviously it is caused by the lack of faith in Allah, but in large part, it is because the Zionists possess a weapon that the Arabs do not."

Interviewer: "Yes. [The Israelis] scare them..."

Muhammad Al-Hassan Ould Al-Dadou Al-Shanqiti: "Right. Therefore, the Muslims must strive to obtain this deterring weapon, but they must not use it unless it is used against them.

Interviewer: "There should be a balance of terror."

Muhammad Al-Hassan Ould Al-Dadou Al-Shanqiti: "Yes, the Muslims must have something that will terrify their enemies."