Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) Resolution: On Being Faithful Muslims and Loyal Americans

by Sheila Musaji

At the end of September, The Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA), issued a Fatwa “A Resolution On Being Faithful Muslims and Loyal Americans”.  TAM first published the text of that Fatwa on October 8th.  It has now been over a month since the fatwa was released, and the lack of response requires an update.

Since the subject of this document is so important in the ongoing claims that Islam and democracy, or Islam and freedom of thought are incompatible, and since that debate has been engaged in by even elected representatives of our government,  as an American Muslim, I thought that this would receive wide coverage in the media, that the scholars involved in issuing the fatwa would be interviewed on the nightly news, that some of our elected representatives who have made statements questioning our loyalty would apologize. 

None of this has happened.  It seems as if this fatwa, just like the numerous other fatwas on many different topics has been totally ignored by the mainstream media. 

This is not surprising as this fatwa was released at about the same time as the Peace for Humanity Rally and Declaration for Global Peace was held in London and attended by 12,000 Muslims and interfaith participants.  That event was broadcast live to dozens of countries, and was a rally against extremism and to promote a moderate, inclusive version of Islam.  The event in Wembley Arena was led by Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, a respected Pakistan-born Islamic scholar.  A statement was issued that was signed by many Muslim scholars from all over the world.  Dr. Qadri has previously released an important 600 page fatwa against all forms of extremism and terrorism.  Here is the text of that declaration

Preamble

Recent decades have seen the world’s great faith and cultural communities torn apart by misunderstandings and mistrust to such an unfortunate degree that people of good intentions towards each other are now compelled to declare their unequivocal rejection of the beliefs and activities that divide them and their unreserved embrace of the beliefs and activities that unite them.

We, the signatories to this “London Declaration for Global Peace & Resistance against Extremism”, affirm that all humans everywhere possess inherent dignity and immutable rights: these including freedom from poverty, oppression, fear and prejudice and freedom of belief, worship and expression.

This declaration is being launched by Muslims for the Muslims of the world and for the rest of humanity.

Declaration

We the signatories to this declaration send a message of peace and fraternity to all of humanity’s innumerable states, nations, communities and individuals along with a call for respect, dignity, compassion, equality, solidarity and justice for, and between, all people.

We address our call for peace, tolerance and respect to all people everywhere, but especially to political and religious leaders and decision-makers as well as to scholars, teachers and journalists.

While we recognise the unique differences between faiths, cultures and communities, and we recognise that all people gain happiness and identity from what they consider to be unique, we declare that all humans everywhere possess immutable rights and values that transcend all political boundaries and philosophies and are inherent and important in all religious faiths and creeds.

Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and those of other religions, along of course with all people who do not identify with any faith, must enjoy the same civil and legal rights and freedoms and be able to live in peace and harmony and must  pursue peace only through mutually respectful engagement and dialogue.

We reject unequivocally all terrorism because at the heart of all religions is a belief in the sanctity of the lives of the innocent. The indiscriminate nature of terrorism, which has in recent years killed far more civilians and other non-combatants than it has combatants, is un-Islamic, un-Judaic, un-Christian and it is indeed incompatible with the true teachings of all faiths. Because of its manifestly indiscriminate and therefore murderous nature, we condemn all terrorism in all forms and in all countries regardless of any claimed religious and political intentions.

We unequivocally reject, disown and condemn all terrorism committed in the name of Islam, just as we reject and condemn all terrorism committed in the names of other religions or causes. Terrorism is never a legitimate and honourable act of war but is always a cowardly act of indiscriminate murder.

We reject as mistaken and spurious any assertions made by both Muslims and non-Muslims that the world is currently locked in an inexorable struggle between Islam and the West and we commit ourselves, through positive and mutually respectful engagement and dialogue, to oppose any and all claims of clashes of civilisations or the incompatibility of the values in various regions, states and communities.

We support efforts by international agencies, governments and communities to protect the world’s citizens from terrorism; we commit ourselves to assisting in the de-radicalisation of those groups and individuals who might mistakenly believe that their religion tolerates indiscriminate and wanton violence.

Whereas we do not overlook the real or perceived grievances that may serve as a causative fuel for terrorist violence - and we call upon all national and local governments to address those grievances with haste and resolve - we commit ourselves to the non-violent resolution of those issues as well as to the removal through education and dialogue of conspiracy theories that seem to blinker some peoples’ worldviews.

We welcome the wave of popular and generally peaceful uprisings against tyranny and oppression known as “the Arab Spring” and we recognise that it is a rights-based, not religion-based, movement which is compatible with the universal human rights and aspirations mentioned above.

We call on all international agencies and governments to support with clarity and resolve the liberty-motivated Arabs, Berbers and other Muslims and we call upon them to do so in a non-martial, impartial, transparent and well-communicated manner that will enhance trust and establish bonds of good will.

We the signatories to this declaration believe that the too-long-running conflict between Israel and Palestine needs to be resolved urgently and with scrupulous fairness.

We affirm the necessity urgently to resolve this conflict so as to provide both the Palestinians with a sovereign pluralistic and representative state and the Israelis with national and local security. If it is to be permanent and durable, the peace agreement between Israel and Palestine must be fully and actively supported and protected in a non-partisan fashion by the international community and its terms must be equally beneficial to the citizens of both states who have for so long feared and mistrusted each other.

We call for the promotion of human rights, fundamental freedoms, equality between men and women, and the cardinal values of humanity such as reconciliation, forgiveness, generosity and solidarity.

We declare that there is no difference between an Arab and a Jew, between a Muslim and a Christian, between a Hindu and a Sikh, between a black person and a white person, or between a man and a woman. All humans are equal and must be treated with equal respect, dignity, compassion, equality, solidarity and justice.

We unequivocally condemn anti-Semitism (including when sometimes it is disingenuously clothed as anti-Zionism), Islamophobia (including when it is sometimes disingenuously dressed up as patriotism) and all other forms of racism and xenophobia.

We call on all Muslims and other minorities living in the West to respect all the laws of the country in which they are living whether they possess the status of citizen or resident.

We call on the Muslims, the governments and the elites of the West to promote integration and citizenship, the only solution for peaceful co-existence and cohesion.

We call on all governments to protect minorities against all hatred, intimidation and violence, especially from ultra-nationalism or religious intolerance.

We call for increasing aid for Africa, and other impoverished regions and nations of the world, in order to improve their living conditions, provide socio-economic and political stability, and realise the objectives of true democracy.

We call on the financial powers to introduce more humanity in their economic considerations. After both world wars, the stability of the European states is crucial for the world.

We call on the world governments to increase efforts for the alleviation of poverty, to combat illiteracy, proliferation of weapons, and threats to our natural environment.

11,000 participants at the Peace for Humanity Conference support this London Declaration for Global Peace & Resistance against Extremism.

Finally, we the signatories to this declaration call upon all people everywhere to express their agreement with our beliefs, expectations and aspirations by adding their own signatures to the declaration, which will be found online on http://www.peaceforhumanity.co.uk & www.londondeclaration.com

That London declaration although done very publically, received almost no notice in the mainstream press.  This FCNA fatwa wasn’t released in a huge stadium, but that doesn’t seem to make any difference.  It was released to the press, and noted on Muslim websites.  It would seem that no matter how hard Muslim scholars and the Muslim community try to get out messages countering extremism, they are simply ignored.  At this point in time, after seeing this happen so many times, it is very difficult not to see a conspiracy at work.  Someone is deciding what is worth printing, and anything positive about Muslims or Islam is not going to be acknowledged.

The full text of the Fatwa is available on the FCNA website, and is as follows:

A Resolution On Being Faithful Muslims and Loyal Americans

Like other faith communities in the US and elsewhere, we see no inherent conflict between the normative values of Islam and the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Contrary to erroneous perceptions and Islamophobic propaganda of political extremists from various backgrounds, the true and authentic teachings of Islam promote the sanctity of human life, dignity of all humans, and respect of human, civil and political rights. Islamic teachings uphold religious freedom and adherence to the same universal moral values which are accepted by the majority of people of all backgrounds and upon which the US Constitution was established and according to which the Bill of Rights was enunciated.

The Qur’an speaks explicitly about the imperative of just and peaceful co-existence, and the rights of legitimate self-defense against aggression and oppression that pose threats to freedom and security, provided that, a strict code of behavior is adhered to, including the protection of innocent non-combatants.

The foregoing values and teachings can be amply documented from the two primary sources of Islamic jurisprudence - the Qur’an and authentic Hadith. These values are rooted, not in political correctness or pretense, but on the universally accepted supreme objectives of Islamic Shari’ah, which is to protect religious liberty, life, reason, family and property of all. The Shari’ah, contrary to misrepresentations, is a comprehensive and broad guidance for all aspects of a Muslim’s life - spiritual, moral, social and legal. Secular legal systems in Western democracies generally share the same supreme objectives, and are generally compatible with Islamic Shari’ah.

Likewise, the core modern democratic systems are compatible with the Islamic principles of Shura - mutual consultation and co-determination of all social affairs at all levels and in all spheres, family, community, society, state and globally.

As a body of Islamic scholars, we the members of FCNA believe that it is false and misleading to suggest that there is a contradiction between being faithful Muslims committed to God (Allah) and being loyal American citizens. Islamic teachings require respect of the laws of the land where Muslims live as minorities, including the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, so long as there is no conflict with Muslims’ obligation for obedience to God. We do not see any such conflict with the US Constitution and Bill of Rights. The primacy of obedience to God is a commonly held position of many practicing Jews and Christians as well.

We believe further that as citizens of a free and democratic society, we have the same obligations and rights of all US citizens. We believe that right of dissent can only be exercised in a peaceful and lawful manner to advance the short and long term interests of our country.

The Fiqh Council of North America calls on all Muslim Americans and American citizens at large to engage in objective, peaceful and respectful dialogue at all levels and spheres of common social concerns. We call upon all Muslim Americans to be involved in solving pressing social problems, such as the challenge of poverty, discrimination, violence, health care and environmental protection. It is fully compatible with Islam for Muslims to integrate positively in the society of which they are equal citizens, without losing their identity as Muslims (just as Jews and Christians do not lose their religious identity in doing the same).

We believe that emphasis on dialogue and positive collaborative action is a far better approach than following the paths of those who thrive on hate mongering and fear propaganda. Anti-Islam, anti-Semitism and other similar forms of religious and/or political-based discrimination are all forms of racism unfit for civilized people and are betrayal of the true American as well as Islamic values.

May the pursuit of peace, justice, love, compassion, human equality and fellowship prevail in the pluralistic mosaic that is the hallmark of our nation.

Fiqh Council Resolution: Reaffirm Compatibility of Islamic Practices and American Democratic Principles
Resolution of the Fiqh Council of North America
Adopted in its General Body Meeting held in Virginia on September 24-25, 2011

The current FCNA members are:

Executive Council
Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, Chairman
Dr. Zainab Alwani, Vice Chairman
Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Shah, S.G./Executive Director
Dr. Mohamad A. El Sheikh
Dr. Jamal Badawi
Shaikh Abdur Rahman Khan
Shaikh Muhammad Nur Abdullah

Council Members
Dr. Deina Abdelkader
Dr. Muneer Fareed
Shaikh Muhammad Hanooti
Imam Yahya Hendi
Dr. Yusuf Z. Kavakci
Dr. Muhammad Qatanani
Imam Hassan Qazwini
Dr. Ali Solaiman Ali
Dr. Muddassir H. Siddiqui
Dr. Ihsan Bagby

Note:  The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) acknowledges the Fiqh Council of North America(FCNA) as the trusted religious body in North America responsible for responding to religious issues and questions facing Muslims in North America.  In its most recent General Body Meeting, FCNA adopted the following important resolution, which ISNA embraces fully.

SEE ALSO

MUSLIMS DENOUNCE TERRORISM  Simply click on the logo on the TAM homepage to go to a lengthy collection of Muslim denunciations of terrorism, extremism, and violence.
- Qur’an & Hadith against extremism  (see also power point presentations)
- Part I Fatwas and formal statements by Muslim scholars and organizations.
- Statements by Organizations (has now been included in Part I)
- Part III Statements and Articles by Individuals (see also power point presentations)
- Part IV A Few Quotes A-K, and A Few Quotes L-Z
- Part V The Muslim Majority Who Don’t Get Publicity (see also power point presentation)
- Muslims and Arabs in the U.S. Military
- Selective Hearing of Muslim Voices Against Extremism
- Sunni Shia Unity Resource - collection of articles
- Muslim Voices Promoting Islamic Non Violent Solutions