RIYADH, 25 October — Saudi Arabia’s grand mufti has said that the killing of non-Muslims in Islamic countries is not allowed in Islam. He made this statement following threats by Osama Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda against Westerners in the Gulf.
“Those who kill (non-Muslims) with whom Muslims have treaties, will never see paradise,” Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh said.
“We must have strong faith in God, look into issues very carefully and not punish people for a mistake that others have committed. Islam is based on justice,” the mufti told Al-Riyadh newspaper.
“The consequences of such behavior are far reaching on Islam and Muslims, in this life and the hereafter,” warned the mufti, who heads the Council of Senior Ulema.
Al-Sheikh criticized the Sept. 11 attacks in the USas a “terrible crime.”
Meanwhile, local newspapers warned yesterday that terrorism could spread unless Europe and the United States press for a just settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“The West alone is responsible for Palestinian misery and the desecration of Islamic holy sites because it gave birth to Israel,” Al-Riyadh said in an editorial. The intifada was a natural response to the West’s unwavering support of a repressive Israel, it said.
In the context of the intifada, “some are doing the right things while others are recruiting the forces of violence and turning them against America and the West,” it said.
“This being the case, will Europe and the United States use their influence to promote a solution, or will matters remain out of control, leading to reactions similar to the actions?” Al-Riyadh asked.
Al-Watan daily blasted the US for criticism of Riyadh for allegedly not doing enough to fight terrorism. “The fact is that Israel is practicing terrorism in broad daylight, and that Saudi Arabia and other Arab and Islamic states are against this terrorism in Palestine, against the terror attacks on the US and against the killing of innocent people in Afghanistan,” the paper said.
“There is no need to mix issues and to contrive pretexts to divert attention from the state terrorism practiced openly by Israel with continuous US backing,” it added.
