War in Afghanistan Has “No Islamic Justification”

‘There is no justification and Islamic reason for the ongoing war in Afghanistan. Even the killing of a single person in the current war is against Islamic law.”

War in Afghanistan Has “No Islamic Justification”
(Tem Peg / UNAMA)

In an interview, president of the International Union of Muslim Scholars said that the war in Afghanistan has no Islamic justification. Sheikh Ahmad Al-Raissouni said that the killing of Muslims is a “great sin” and that carrying out suicide attacks against Muslims is “prohibited” in Islam.

He said, “I told some of the Taliban that there is no justification and Islamic reason for the ongoing war in Afghanistan. Even the killing of a single person in the current war is against Islamic law.”

The Taliban often justify their war against Afghans and the Afghan government by calling it “Islamic,” arguing it’s for the liberation from their western oppressors. In recent years, however, this issue has sparked reactions from several global Islamic scholars. He also stated that while negotiations are proceeding, there is a need “to stop the war”—referring to a ceasefire, something that the Afghan people really demand.

Speaking on the rise of violence, he said, “I can say categorically that the killing of a person will send someone to the bottom of hell. Killing is a crime, the current murdering and killing is a crime.”

In his address to the Parliament, president of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani made a similar statement, arguing there is “no religious justification” for the Taliban’s war against the Afghan people. President Ghani stated that, “The Taliban do not have any Islamic reason for war.”


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In the last two months, Afghans have been bearing witness to a horrific rise in violence in their country. The Taliban signed a deal with the United States on Feb. 29, in which the Taliban agreed to not attack American and its allied forces in Afghanistan.

In contrast, the Taliban increased its attacks against the Afghan people and Afghan security forces, leaving dozens of women, children and men murdered and wounded everyday.

The Afghan government’s armed forces have been fighting back against the Taliban fighters but they are not committing offensive attacks against the Taliban since the U.S -Taliban deal. The Taliban is using their attacks as leverage at the peace talks.

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About

Makhfi Azizi is the director of the Campaign for Afghan Women and Girls at the Feminist Majority Foundation. She has been working with the foundation in this capacity for two years and works on issues of human rights, peace and security. Makhfi is dedicated to women’s equality, peace and democracy.