US Muslim Academics Criticize Anti-Terror Fatwa

Last week, a group of American Muslim scholars issued a fatwa condemning terrorism. (See prior posting.) Now, according to an Associated Press report yesterday, the fatwa is being sharply criticized by some American Muslim academics. They argue that the legal ruling was largely aimed at improving the public image of Islam and not at starting an honest discussion about Islamic teaching. These critics say that the fatwa was so broad it was meaningless, and that it should have denounced specific terrorist groups including al-Qaida. Also Emory University Professor Abdullahi An-Na'im, who specializes in Islamic law and human rights, said the American fatwa was misleading in taking the position that it applies equally when an Islamic country, like Iraq, is under occupation by a non-Muslim country.