The Canadian Human Rights Commission sponsored a webinar entitled “Building Bridges Between Cultures,” promoting Islam as a religion of peace and justice that shares values with other major faiths. But given the sizeable problem the globe is experiencing with political Islam, the first question one might ask is, why is this ignored? The second question might be: why do other religions not feel the need to promote their religion in diversity pow-wows about how they are religions of peace?

Shahina Siddiqui, President of the Islamic Social Services Association (ISSA) of Canada, was the keynote speaker at the webinar. She’s also a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner’s National Advisory Committee on Diversity, and the RCMP Commanding Officers’ Diversity Committee. She stated:

It also says that they cannot share, Islam does not share values with other major faiths, and this consistently you hear it in the media coming from Islamophobic websites…

So going back to Islamophobia…. to really understand what the definition of Islamophobia is – it is proposed that Islam and Muslims are monolithic, and cannot adapt to new realities . This is one of the elements of Islamophobia…..

What reasonable person could disagree with Siddiqui about how it is incorrect to think Muslims are unable to adapt to new realities? That is, if her statements were as innocent and authentic as they appear. If Muslims are fully willing to be citizens of Western countries and fully reject Sharia law, then they should be embraced, as is everyone of other faiths who upholds the same values. But herein lies the problem. No other faith has been advocating anything like Sharia under a global caliphate. No other faith under a state government stones women for being raped, murders for blasphemy, issues death fatwas against “apostates,” seeks to obliterate democratic states, etc. etc. etc. No other faith has a plan of civilizational jihad. Let’s also have open discussions about so-called “Islamophobic websites” and whether the multitude of articles on such sites about human rights abuses in the name of Islam are invented or true.

Siddiqui also says:

Islam believes that peace comes when there is justice. A great responsibility on Muslims to pursue justice, to establish justice , to work against oppression and any kind of oppression and to speak up against it.

Islam in fact is not a violent religion. The word Islam comes from two root words: peace and submission. The objective of an Islamic way of life is to bring peace, not only to the individual, to the family, to the community, but to the world .

How might Siddiqui explain 1,400 years of violence and conquest, and the current human rights violations in Muslim states, especially against women, Christians and apostates? Come to think of it, how might she also explain the slaughter of over 10 million Muslims since 1948 at the hands of other Muslims, for not being Muslim enough?

“Canadian Human Rights Commission’s webinar: ‘Islam is a religion of peace and justice’”, by Jonathan Halevi, CIJ News, August 29, 2016:

The Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) has recently sponsored a webinar entitled “Building Bridges Between Cultures – Welcome and Integration of New Canadians” with the attendance of Marie-Claude Landry, Chief Commissioner of CHRC, Caroline Bakmazjian and Louise Chamberland, Discrimination Prevention Officers at the CHRC, in Montreal.

The keynote speaker at the webinar was Shahina Siddiqui, the President of the Islamic Social Services Association (ISSA) of Canada. Siddiqui, a Canadian Muslims of Pakistani descent, is a member of the RCMP Commissioner’s National Advisory Committee on Diversity and the RCMP Commanding Officers’ Diversity Committee, D-Division in Manitoba.

The following are excerpts from Shahina Siddiqui’s presentation:…..

……“Before I go on to say what Islamophobia is and how we all need to be working against it, I think I also want to say that at Islamic Social Services [Association – ISSA] we have also put in place a mechanism by which we are addressing Islamophobia, and by which we’re building bridges between bunches and religious communities.

“So we have a lot of trainings that we put out for service providers to understand our community, to understand the nuances, the cultural diversity within the Muslim community in Canada.

“We also do a lot of coordination among organizations, so that we work together, because to me Islamophobia is not in Muslim issue, it is a Canadian issue and we, all Canadians, have to work together for eliminating it. And also we have to make sure that as a result of Islamophobia, any kind of racism or xenophobia, that it does not interfere with the social integration which has the potential to do and to put in place mental health support which the recipients or victims of racism suffer from, which goes unreported, or they suffer in silence. So we are in place to do that.

“We also do a lot of consultations with other agencies, calling us asking to help them with understanding the Muslim culture, their faith, or how to work with Muslim clients, which include the new refugees coming in from Syria. And we have put almost close to 1800, that people can find on our website, educational materials, sectors specific for all providers to understand, and the general public as well.

“So going back to Islamophobia, the fear and hatred of Muslims, which we see right now, people are very aware of what we see, coming from the south, American elections right now, but to really understand what the definition of Islamophobia is – it is proposed that Islam and Muslims are monolithic, and cannot adapt to new realities. This is one of the elements of Islamophobia.

“It also says that they cannot share, Islam does not share values with other major faiths, and this consistently you hear it in the media coming from Islamophobic websites…

“It also states that the religion of Islam is inferior to the West or incompatible to the West.

“And next, it is a religion of violence and supports terrorism. This is what Islam is labeled as in the discourse and also that it is a violent political ideology.

“I would like to take the opportunity to actually respond to each of these elements of Islamophobia and to show how false they are, and also how damaging they can be.

“So to say that Muslims are one monolithic group is absolutely mind boggling, because we have 1.6 billion Muslims in the world. In Canada alone we have 1 million and we come from 54 different countries. We speak 40 different languages and dialects within our community alone. And we have such a diversity of cultures, diversity of religious practice, so we want that to be understood that this is not a monolithic group, but very very diverse.

“Secondly, that we share many values with other major faiths. [the argument that] We do not share values, and I think this is again a falsehood, because Islam is not a new religion. It is a continuation of Judaism and Christianity and these three major faiths are referred to as Abrahamic faiths, because we take our lineage, our Prophet Abraham as the father of all three faiths. And so we share many values, especially about justice, about human equality, about pluralism, about social harmony with all other major faiths as well.

“The other one [argument] that it is somehow Islam is inferior to the West. Again Muslims have been in Canada since 13 years before confederation, the first Muslim was born in Canada. If you look at the contribution that Islam has made to the world in every field whether it is science, humanities or any other sphere of knowledge.

“When Europe in the Dark Ages it is Islam and Muslims who brought the knowledge of science and others to the world. You study in university about mathematicians and scientists who have been given Latin name, but they are actually Muslims who made this [contribution]. To say that a faith and a community that brought knowledge and brought enlightenment to the West, and is the basis of, because the first encyclopedia of medicine was written by a Muslim. The first university established in the world was by a Muslim woman. To say that it is somehow inferior it is obviously a false, but a very damaging accusation to make.

“Islam in fact is not a violent religion. The word Islam comes from two root words: peace and submission. The objective of an Islamic way of life is to bring peace, not only to the individual, to the family, to the community, but to the world.

“Islam believes that peace comes when there is justice. A great responsibility on Muslims to pursue justice, to establish justice, to work against oppression and any kind of oppression and to speak up against it.

“So it becomes, again to me, a total misrepresentation to say that Islam is somehow supports violence and terrorism.

“Terrorism has no faith. You know, the tone the we constantly hear in the media about Islamic terrorism is so damaging, because in the minds of people when they continuously hear the tone Islamic terrorism, the two become synonymous and so the reason to educate people is terrorists and terrorism have no faith. It’s violent, it’s criminal and we should call it for what it is.

“Again, it’s a monopolitical ideology so to speak, it’s a faith, it’s a religion, it’s a way of life that people live by and it promotes, as I’ve said for myself personally, the peace that I feel by putting my faith in practice, by reaching out to communities.

“I’ll tell you that in the Quran it says that God has created us into nations and tribes so that we may know each other. And that is what Muslims should live by, is we have to reach out to all people, knowing that they are all creations of a one creature and that we are equal in our creation, and to stand “up for justice not only for Muslims, but for all human beings, because we are diverse by a divine design. It was God’s plan to make us diverse, so that we would have an interesting world and not a boring one.”

In response to Shahina Siddiqui’s presentation, Louise Chamberland, Discrimination Prevention Officer at the CHRC in Montreal, said the following: “Thank you very much Shahina for explaining what Islamophobia consists of, and also thank you for letting us know about the contribution of Islam to the world, and [I] really really liked what you mentioned about justice and justice for everyone.”

Is ISSA a reliable source on Islam?

The Islamic Social Services Association (ISSA) and the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) published on September 29, 2014 “a 38-page handbook for Canadian Muslim communities about radicalization towards violent extremism.”

According to the authors, “the handbook, titled United Against Terrorism: A Collaborative Effort Towards a Secure, Inclusive, and Just Canada, answers questions about radicalization and provides Canadian Muslims with tools to confront misinformation and challenge discrimination.”

“We heard and responded to a pressing need to understand and evaluate the nature, origin, causes, facilitators and impacts of violent extremist messages on Canadian Muslim youth,” explained ISSA President Shahina Siddiqui.

“The best defense to violent extremist messages is to equip communities with sound knowledge, and to ensure that they are well-informed of their civic rights and responsibilities,” said NCCM Executive Director Ihsaan Gardee.

ISSA and NCCM: Jihad is “struggling in the path of good” and only “defensive”

ISSA and NCCM (formerly CAIR-CAN) determined that “Jihad is not holy war either. Islam allows for Jihad in the form of a military action in self defense only” and that “Islamic tradition and law encourages peaceful resolution through negotiations over military combat.”

Both organizations based their position on the book Riyadh-us-Saliheen (“The Gardens of the Righteous” رياض الصالحين) compiled by Imam Zakaruya Yahya Bin Sharaf An-Nawawi, a Sunni Shafi’ite jurist and hadith scholar who lived in 13th century.

The Gardens of the Righteous (Arabic: Riyadh as-Salihin), is a compilation of verses from the Qur’an and hadith by Al-Nawawi. It contains a total of 1905 hadith divided across 372 chapters, many of which are introduced by verses of the Quran.

The following is the chapter (p. 10) of the handbook issued by ISSA and NCCM which deals with the meaning of jihad in Islam:

“IS JIHAD THE SAME AS TERRORISM?

“ABSOLUTELY NOT! Jihad is an Arabic term meaning striving, struggling and exertion in the path of good. Every day a Muslim struggles with his/her desires and does good and strives to be a better human being he/she is performing jihad. Prophet Muhammad told his companions as they went home after a battle:

“We are returning from the lesser jihad [the battle] to the greater jihad,” the far more vital and crucial task of extinguishing transgression from one’s own society and one’s own heart. (Riyadh-us-Saliheen) [* Note: this CIJnews couldn’t find this hadith in Riyadh-us-Saliheen. Leading Muslin scholars ruled that the hadith is unreliable. For more information click here].

Jihad is not holy war either. Islam allows for Jihad in the form of a military action in self defense only. Even in self-defence, terrorism and violence against civilians, women, children, non combatant spiritual leaders and destruction of infrastructure, places of worship, poisoning of wells (food supplies) and burning of orchids is strictly prohibited. Generally Islamic tradition and law encourages peaceful resolution through negotiations over military combat.

“But if the enemy incline towards peace, you also incline to peace, and put your trust in Allah.” (Quran 8:61)”

Leading Islamic organizations in Canada: Jihad is both defensive and offensive

ICNA Canada: Jihad has an offensive role in fighting heresy in the world in order to bring about an Islamic global dominance

ICNA (Islamic Circle of North America) Canada is an Islamic nationalwide organization striving “to build an Exemplary Canadian Muslim Community” by “total submission to Him [Allah] and through the propagation of true and universal message of Islam.”

Located at 391 Burnhamthorpe Rd., East, Oakville, Ontario, ICNA Canada emphasizes that “the propagation of true and universal message of Islam is only possible in Canada when whole Canadian Muslim Community transformed into a Dawah community by practicing and propagating the true Islamic Way of Life. With the vision of building an exemplary Canadian Muslim community it is very important to spread the word of Islam…”

Dr. Iqbal Massod Al-Nadvi is the Amir (President) of Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) Canada and is also serving as Chairperson of Canadian Council of Imams. he also served as Director of Al-Falah Islamic School in Oakville, Ontario from 2004 to 2011, prior to which he served as Imam of Muslim Association of Calgary Islamic Center from 1998-2004 and as a member of the University of Calgary chaplaincy team.

On its official website ICNA Canada shares with its members, followers and supporters the book “Riyad us Saliheen”. The book which appears on ICNA Canada site adds modern commentary to the verses from the Qur’an and hadith.

The following are excerpts from the book which deal with the duty of jihad and and its offensive role in fighting heresy in the world in order to bring about an Islamic global dominance:

“Polytheists and infidels should be invited to Islam, and if they reject the invitation, then Jihad be made against them…

“In certain circumstances, however, Jihad becomes Fard-ul-`ain (individual duty — an injunction or ordinance, the obligation of which extends to every Muslim in person) and in that case permission of the parents to take part in Jihad is not essential because then every Muslim is duty-bound to take part in it…

“l. The objective of Jihad. This objective warrants that one must struggle against Kufr (disbelief) and Shirk (polytheism) and the worship of falsehood in all its forms. Jihad has to continue until this objective is achieved. This contention is supported by a Hadith, to the effect that Jihad will continue till the Day of Resurrection…

“It is incumbent on the Mulsims to wage Jihad against them to wipe out Kufr [heresy] and Shirk [polytheism] and raise the banner of Tauhid [oneness of Allah] everywhere.

“This Hadith strongly refutes the people who distort the Islamic concept of Jihad and hold that Islam preaches defensive war only. It is an apologetic approach because defensive war has to be fought in any case by every nation and country. Thus, it is a compulsion and needs no justification.

“The real distinction of Islam lies in its enjoining Muslims to wage war for upholding the truth beside fighting for their own defense.

“The domination of Kufr, Shirk and falsehood is darkness, heresy and tyranny, and the objective of Islam is to purge the world of all these evils.

“It aims at liberating man from the worship of man, set them on the path of worship of Allah, and to provide a just and equitable society to mankind.

“Wherever in the world there is tyranny, ignorance and heresy, Muslims are bound to fight such evils and finish them by means of Jihad.

“There is also a third form of Jihad which is waged against countries where Muslims are victims of aggression, suppression and cruelties of the non-Muslims. It is incumbent upon Muslims to liberate their brethren in Faith from the clutches of the non-Muslims by means of Jihad…

“It is evident from this Hadith that so long as Kufr [disbelief] is present in this world, it is necessary to wage Jihad against it to finish it off, and so long as all the disbelievers do not openly accept Islam and adopt the Islamic way of life, Muslims are duty- bound to make Jihad against them.

The B.C. Muslim Association: Jihad “can be either defensive or offensive”

The B.C. Muslim Association (BCMA), the largest Sunni Muslim organization in the British Columbia representing Sunni Muslims, explains on its official site the meaning of jihad as follows:

“WHAT is Jihad?

“The essence of Jihad is to struggle and sacrifice for one’s religion in a manner which is pleasing to God. Linguistically, it means to “struggle” and can refer to one’s striving to do good deeds, give charity, or to join an Islamic military action. The most commonly known form is the military Jihad which is permitted in order to preserve the well being of society, to prevent oppression from spreading, and to promote justice. This can be either defensive or offensive, depending on the circumstance.”

Toronto Islamic Dawah group: Jihad is also launched “to spread the message of Islam”

On its official website WIIC (Walk in Islamic Info Center) states that its mission “is to create awareness & understanding about the religion of Islam and correct misinformation about Islam amongst Muslims & non-Muslims” by giving “street Dawah,” distributing free Quran and books on introduction to Islam, supplying Quran and Islamic “books to detention centers (jails),” operating dawah office and musallah [Prayer House]” in downtown Toronto (at Yonge & Dundas Street across from Eaton Center) and offering “Free Dawah Franchise worldwide.”

Muslim Dawah activists at Dundas Square distributed last year the book “Human Rights in Islam and Common Misconceptions” authored by Abdul-Rahman al-Sheha. On the back cover of the book an official sticker of WIIC was attached containing a Quranic verse and WIIC’s contact information (address, phones, email and website).

The following are excerpts from the book that addresses human rights in the ideal Islamic State “in the light of perfectly balanced system of laws and principles of Islam” and contends that “both the Glorious Qur’an and the Sunnah aim to produce an ideal individual in an ideal society”:

“Jihad is… an honorable ‘struggle’ and resistance against oppressors and those who oppose the peaceful spread of Allah’s Word and faith in Him and His religion of Islam… Islam prohibits this ‘war’ and allows for Jihad in the three situations, namely:

“1) Defense of Life, Property and National Boundaries, without transgression…

“2) Removing oppression and championing the just rights of the oppressed people…

“3) Defense of Faith and Religion… A ‘Mujahid’ (Muslim fighter for the cause of Allah)… has a clear understanding that Jihad is only for just reasons: to protect Islam and the Muslims, and to spread the message of Islam and Word of Allah. If the enemies of Islam who are fighting the Muslims cease their attack, and accept terms for a just peace, the Muslim fighters are commanded to cease hostilities…

Muslim Brotherhood’s

Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood: Jihad is in effect until the Day of Judgement

Hassan al-Banna, the founder of the global movement of the Muslim Brotherhood which has branches in Canada, explained in his book “Jihad” the meaning of jihad in Islam. The following are excerpts from al-Banna’s book:

“Jihad is an obligation from Allah on every Muslim and cannot be ignored nor evaded. Allah has ascribed great importance to jihad and has made the reward of the martyrs and the fighters in His way a splendid one…

“The weaknesses of abstention and evasion of jihad are regarded by Allah as one of the major sins, and one of the seven sins that guarantee failure.

“Islam is concerned with the question of jihad and the drafting and the mobilisation of the entire Umma into one body to defend the right cause with all its strength than any other ancient or modern system of living, whether religious or civil…

“I have just presented to you some verses from the Qur’an and the Noble Ahadith concerning the importance of jihad. Now I would like to present to you some of the opinions from jurisprudence of the Islamic Schools of Thought including some latter day authorities regarding the rules of jihad and the necessity for preparedness. From this we will come to realise how far the ummah has deviated in its practice of Islam as can be seen from the consensus of its scholars on the question of jihad.

“The author of the “Majma’ al-Anhar fi Sharh Multaqal-Abhar”, in describing the rules of jihad according to the Hanafi School, said: “Jihad linguistically means to exert one’s utmost effort in word and action; in the Sharee’ah it is the fighting of the unbelievers, and involves all possible efforts that are necessary to dismantle the power of the enemies of Islam including beating them, plundering their wealth, destroying their places of worship and smashing their idols. This means that jihad is to strive to the utmost to ensure the strength of Islam by such means as fighting those who fight you and the dhimmies (if they violate any of the terms of the treaty) and the apostates (who are the worst of unbelievers, for they disbelieved after they have affirmed their belief).

“It is fard (obligatory) on us to fight with the enemies. The Imam must send a military expedition to the Dar-al-Harb every year at least once or twice, and the people must support him in this. If some of the people fulfil the obligation, the remainder are released from the obligation. If this fard kifayah (communal obligation) cannot be fulfilled by that group, then the responsibility lies with the closest adjacent group, and then the closest after that etc., and if the fard kifayah cannot be fulfilled except by all the people, it then becomes a fard ‘ayn (individual obligation), like prayer on everyone of the people. This obligation is by virtue of what He, the Almighty, said: ‘Then fight the polytheists…!’ (Surat at-Tawbah (9), ayah 5) and by what the Prophet (PBUH) said: ‘Jihad is in effect until the Day of Judgement’

Sayyid Qutub: Jihad is both defensive and offensive

Sayyid Qutb, the leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood in the 1950s and 1960s, rebuked in his book “Milestones” orientalists and Muslims who claimed the the jihad has only a defensive nature. The following are excerpts from his book:

“These defeatist-type people try to mix the two aspects and want to confine Jihad to what today is called ‘defensive war’. The Islamic Jihad has no relationship to modern warfare… Islam is not a defensive movement in the narrow sense which today is technically called a defensive war… It was a movement to wipe out tyranny and to introduce true freedom to mankind…

“If we insist on calling Islamic Jihad a defensive movement, then we must change the meaning of the word ‘defense’ and mean by it ‘the defense of man’ against all those elements which limit his freedom. These elements take the form of beliefs and concepts, as well as of political systems, based on economic, racial or class distinctions. When Islam first came into existence, the world was full of such systems, and the present-day Jahiliyyah also has various kinds of such systems.

“When we take this broad meaning of the word ‘defense’, we understand the true character of Islam, and that it is a universal proclamation of the freedom of man from servitude to other men, the establishment of the sovereignty of God and His Lordship throughout the world, the end of man’s arrogance and selfishness, and the implementation of the rule of the divine Shari`ah in human affairs.

“As to persons who attempt to defend the concept of Islamic Jihad by interpreting it in the narrow sense of the current concept of defensive war, and who do research to prove that the battles fought in Islamic Jihad were all for the defense of the homeland of Islam – some of them considering the homeland of Islam to be just the Arabian peninsula-against the aggression of neighboring powers, they lack understanding of the nature of Islam and its primary aim. Such an attempt is nothing but a product of a mind defeated by the present difficult conditions and by the attacks of the treacherous orientalists on the Islamic Jihad…

“Since the objective of the message of Islam is a decisive declaration of man’s freedom, not merely on the philosophical plane but also in the actual conditions of life, it must employ Jihad…

“The reasons for Jihad which have been described in the above verses are these: to establish God’s authority in the earth; to arrange human affairs according to the true guidance provided by God; to abolish all the Satanic forces and Satanic systems of life; to end the lordship of one man over others since all men are creatures of God and no one has the authority to make them his servants or to make arbitrary laws for them. These reasons are sufficient for proclaiming Jihad…

“The Jihad of Islam is to secure complete freedom for every man throughout the world by releasing him from servitude to other human beings so that he may serve his God, Who IS One and Who has no associates. This is in itself a sufficient reason for Jihad…

“The reason for Jihad exists in the nature of its message and in the actual conditions it finds in human societies, and not merely in the necessity for defense, which may be temporary and of limited extent…

“Those who say that Islamic Jihad was merely for the defense of the ‘homeland of Islam’ diminish the greatness of the Islamic way of life and consider it less important than their ‘homeland’. This is not the Islamic point of view, and their view is a creation of the modern age and is completely alien to Islamic

consciousness…

“Jihad in Islam is simply a name for striving to make this system of life dominant in the world… Jihad continues until the Day of Resurrection.”

Hizb ut-Tahrir: jihad is also offensive

The global Islamic organization Hizb ut-Tahrir, which has branches in Canada, explains that jihad is also offensive by initiating fighting with the disbelievers. The following are excerpts from its official publication “The Inevitability of the Clash of Civilization”:

“Those saying Islam is a deen [religion] of peace deny offensive jihad i.e. Initiating fighting with the disbelievers. They confirm the defensive war and deny the offensive war (qital ut-talab) i.e. initiating the attack.

“Some of them believe there is no necessity for this matter since it is possible to overcome the material obstacles and convey the da’wah [propagating Islam] to disbelievers without colliding with these obstacles, by using the internet, media, books, leaflets, building mosques and Islamic centres in the heart of the countries of disbelievers, and live contacts with individuals to make them enter the deen of Allah. They claim that this takes the place of offensive war.

“This view collides with the texts of the Book, Sunnah and Ijmaa Us-Sahabah that all command that we initiate fighting against them, even if they do not initiate against us, if they do not accept Islam or pay the jizyah and submit to the rule of Islam. These texts are not reasoned with the reason (illah) that Jihad is only obliged in the situation of inability to convey verbally.”

Qaradawi: Jihad is carried out “to make the Word of Allah the uppermost”

Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the chairman of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, explained in his book “Fiqh of Jihad” (Jurisprudence of Jihad) that one of the objectives of the jihad is “to make the Word of Allah the uppermost.” The following are excerpts from Qaradawi‘s book:

“The encounter with the enemy may come to an end if the enemy embraces Islam and declares their abidance with the pillars of Islam, its rituals, and legislations because this is the ultimate goal of fighting and any other action that may precede or follow it. Muslims do not fight to achieve material or worldly goals. On the contrary, the objective of fighting is only to make the Word of Allah (Exalted and Glorified be He) the uppermost.

“Therefore, the leaders of Muslim armies used to give the armies they faced three choices: to embrace Islam and in this case there would not be any fighting, otherwise, to pay jizyah and then there would also not be any fighting; and the last option is to fight. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught them that as indicated in the hadith narrated by Buraydah and reported by Muslim.

“If the enemies declare that they accept the Word of Allah and are satisfied with Him as their only Lord, Islam as their only religion, and Muhammad as their prophet and messenger, they shorten the road and become brothers of other Muslims, through the declaration of the word of Islam, i.e., tawheed (monotheism): there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. The old enemy would in this case have the same rights and duties of Muslims.”

Qaradawi also issued an Islamic ruling legalizing the suicide bombing attacked carried out by Palestinians males and females alike.

Al-Azhar top cleric: Jihad will continue till the Day of Resurrection

The grand imam of Egypt’s Al-Azhar, the highest seat of Sunni Islamic learning Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, said on January 10, 2012 following a meeting with Hamas second in command Ismail Haniyeh, that the “struggle/ resistance (meaning jihad carried out by Hamas) is a legitimate right of the Palestinian people… till the noble al-Quds [Jerusalem] and the entire Palestinian land are liberated.” …..