Saudi Sheikh Abdallah Al-Muslih on Suicide Bombings

Saudi Sheikh, Abdallah Al-Muslih, Chairman of the Commission on Scientific Signs in the Quran and Sunnah of the Muslim World League and former dean of Islamic law in the Saudi city of Abha, discussed suicide bombings during his religious ruling program on the Saudi-based Islamic Iqra TV, Mushkilat min Al-Hayat (Problems from Life), in which he answers viewers' questions.

On the May 20, 2004 episode of his show, Sheikh Al-Muslih brought evidence from early Islam to support his claim that while blowing oneself up is permitted on enemy land, it is forbidden in Muslim countries. Following is a transcript of the clip:

Sheikh 'Abdallah Al-'Muslih: The Prophet said that whoever has assisted in the killing of a Muslim, even with a fraction of a word A– meaning he said "k" and did not even finish saying "kill them," only "k" – then, on Judgment Day, it will be written on his forehead: "No hope of Allah's mercy." The Prophet said that the destruction of the entire world is lesser in the eyes of Allah than the killing of a Muslim.

He saw the Ka'ba and said, "By Allah, you are sacred but a Muslim's blood is far more sacred in the eyes of Allah than you are." That is regarding a Muslim.

The other instance is a non-Muslim who is protected by an agreement, whether he lives on the land of Islam like the Dhimmis, who have been living under the protection of Allah and His Prophet, or it is a country with which we are allies. In this case, the agreement should be respectedA… What remains is the Dar Al-Harb. If we and a certain country are engaged in a war then, in this case, a person can do whatever he wishes.

Regarding a person who blows himself up, I know this issue is under disagreement among modern clerics and jurisprudents. There are clerics who bring as evidence the story of Al-Braa Ibn Malek. When the Muslims besieged the fortress of death of the Hanifa tribe, Khaled Ibn Al-Walid and the Prophet's companions found it difficult to break into the fortress where the false prophet Musaylima and his people were hiding.

Al-Braa Ibn Malek came to Khaled and told him, "Sir, tie me to a shield and catapult me into this fortress." And indeed, they tied him up and catapulted him. In this case, we are talking of plunging into the enemy, and this is a jurisprudent issue that our clerics have been debating and so on. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with (suicide attacks) if they cause great damage to the enemy. We can say that if it causes great damage to the enemy, this operation is a good thing. This is when we talk of Dar Al-Harb.

But, if we speak of what happens in Muslim countries, such as Saudi Arabia, some areas in Muslim Algeria, or as we heard a few days ago, in Syria, this is forbidden, brothers! This is the land of the Muslims. We must never do this in a Muslim country.