Muslims around the globe expect Al Azhar to stand with the besieged people of Gaza

It is with the utmost urgency that we are calling upon you to take immediate action concerning a politically motivated and unexpected fatwa that was issued by the scholars of the Islamic Research Academy, lead by Dr. Mohamed Sayed Tantawi, of Al Azhar. This academy and its scholars responded to pressure by the Egyptian government in issuing a decision that supports the steel barrier, which Egypt – along with cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – is constructing underground along the border it shares with Gaza. The wall, when completed will be nearly six miles long and will be about 100 feet deep. It will cut off the underground tunnel system between Egypt and Rafah, through which life-sustaining humanitarian supplies such as food,  medicines and even livestock are brought to the suffering Palestinians of Gaza, who have been under an Israeli-imposed siege for more than two years.

The siege has crippled Gaza’s economy. At least 90 percent of the population now relies upon the United Nations for food and other humanitarian aid, according to the UN. Fewer than 10 percent of Gaza’s wells are potable because waste water treatment plants destroyed in Operation Cast Lead are leaking untreated sewage into neighborhoods and farm fields. The siege prohibits shipments of reconstruction supplies. At least 25, 000 people are still homeless and are enduring winter’s harsh weather in tents and other makeshift shelters. Medicines are depleted and hospitals are short on supplies, electricity and fuel.

Allah (swt) exhorts us to fight injustice. Allah said in the Holy Qur’an: “O humankind! Indeed, God commands the execution of justice among you and the doing of good to others and the giving of charity to close relatives. Moreover, He forbids all obscenity and shameful deeds and injustice. He admonishes you of this so that you may become mindful of His commandments.” 16:90.

Al Azhar's shocking fatwa came just days after the prominent cleric, the Honorable Sheikh Yousef al-Qardawi, chairman of the International Union for Muslim Scholars, along with other scholars, issued a fatwa prohibiting the construction of this wall. Al-Qardawi likened the wall to “predetermined murder.” He emphasized that the underground tunnels are a result of the siege – including the closed Rafah border crossing. Without the closed crossings, there would be no need to bring in humanitarian supplies underground.

TAKE ACTION

Email Dr. Tantawi and Al Azhar to let them them know that American Muslims were astonished and shocked to hear this fatwa. Muslims in the United States as well as other Muslims around the globe expect Al Azhar to stand with the besieged people of Gaza and to pressure the Egyptian government to open its boarders to allow food and medicine to get into the Strip .

Main points include:

• American Muslims are not happy and were shocked by the fatwa.
• The fatwa ignores injunctions in the Qur’an to fight injustice and to support the oppressed.
• The tunnels are instrumental in the transport of humanitarian supplies such as food and medicine into Gaza
• The fatwa weakens the umma, the majority of which support an end to Israel’s siege on Gaza

Contact info:
email: [email protected]