Shaikh Abdulaziz Bin Abdullah Al-AsShaikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Chairman of the Committee of Senior Ulema [religious scholars] and Chairman of the Department of Scientific Research and Ifta [guidance], today issued the following statement in response to the killing of the Egyptian envoy to Iraq:
Praise be to Allaah, and prayer and peace upon his last Prophet. We ask Allaah to preserve our religion and bless us by adhering with it to the apparent and hidden truth and keep us sane and protect us from the evils of ourselves.
We heard with great pain what happened to the Egyptian envoy to Iraq, and since this incident was falsely put in a religious context we would like to present the truth, and hope that Allaah will guide by it the hearts of those who deviated from the righteous path.
Killing of the souls that Allaah prohibited is a greater crime and one of the greatest sins, as Allaah says:
{And kill not anyone whom Allaah has forbidden, except for a just cause,}
…and Allaah also says:
{Because of that we ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder or to spread mischief in the land, it would be as if he killed all mankind.}
What happened to the Egyptian envoy, as he was kidnapped and killed, is considered spread of mischief in the land which Allaah prohibited.
Allaah says:
{And of mankind there is he whose speech may please you, in this worldly life, and he calls Allaah to witness as to that which is in his heart, yet he is the most quarrelsome of the opponents. And when he turns away from you, his effort in the land is to make mischief therein and to destroy the crops and the cattle, and Allaah likes not mischief. And when it is said to him “Fear Allaah,” he is led by arrogance to more crime. So enough for him is Hell, and worst indeed is that place to rest.}
It is, therefore, clear that this action is prohibited and is among the great sins, and even worse is to relate it to religion. That is a major crime and deceit using the name of Allaah, as Allaah says:
{Verily, those who invent lies against Allaah will never prosper.}
This statement is to present the truth and advise the nation. We ask Allaah to preserve our religion and peace, to keep us sane and guide us to understand our religion and adhere to the deeds of our Prophet and to save us from the apparent and hidden temptations of sedition. Aameen.
