Contextualizing Islamic Perspectives
on Nuclear Weapons
Bennett Seftel
Center for Strategic and International Studies
PONI Summer Conference
June 3-4, 2014
Overview
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Sources of Islamic law
Origins of Sunni – Shia division
Islamic principles relating to nuclear weapons
Sunni and Shia decrees and perspectives
Implications and takeaways
Sources of Islamic Law
• Quran- “recitation,” book of revelation,
– Muhammad- revelations between 610-632
– Official version compiled by third Caliph ‘Uthman (653-656)
• Hadith- “sayings”
– Sayings and actions of the prophet
– Six authoritative collections passed through chains of transmission (isnad)
• Sunnah- “habit” or “practice”
– Established customs, rituals, traditions, and practices
• Fatwa- religious decree
– Legal opinion issued by respected Islamic scholars
Sunni – Shia Divide
Shia
Sunni
Prophet
Muhammad
Abu Bakr
Ali
Umar
Hassan
Husayn
'Uthman
Ali
Muawiyah
Zaydiyya
Ismailiyya
(7 Imam)
Twelvers
Umayyad
Dynasty
(12 Imam)
Sunni – Shia Populations
Principles Rooted in Quran and Hadith
• Quran
– Limits
• Ch. 2: 190: “Fight in the way of God those who fight you, but do not transgress
limits; for God loveth not transgressors.”
• Ch. 4: 93 “If a man kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, to abide
therein (Forever): And the wrath and the curse of Allah are upon him, and a
dreadful penalty is prepared for him.”
– Proportionality
• Ch. 16:126 “And if ye do catch them out, catch them out no worse than they catch
you out: But if ye show patience, that is indeed the best (course) for those who are
patient.”
– Deterrence
• Ch. 8:60 “And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds
of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy.”
• Hadith
– Killing of women, children, and elderly is prohibited
– Abu Bakr forbade destruction of trees, livestock, and crops before Syrian war
Sunni Fatwa - Nasir Sheikh al-Fahd
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Al-Qaeda links
Saudi Sheikh - 2003 fatwa
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Hadiths:
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Al-Sa'b ibn Jaththamah- Night raid against polytheists where women and children are
killed collaterally. Muhammad responded “they are of them.” Interpretation:
Unintentional killing is an acceptable loss.
2.
Umar- The Prophet burned and cut down date/palm trees of the Banu al-Nadir tribe.
Interpretation: The destruction of foreign lands is permitted.
3.
Abu Dawud- Catapult used on city of Taif resulting in indiscriminate killing.
Interpretation: It is permitted to kill fellow Muslims “used as shields” collaterally
similar to women and children.
Imprisoned since 2003
Fatwa mentioned in Ayman al-Zawahiri’s book “Exoneration”
Sunni Fatwa - Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa
Egyptian Grand Mufti – 2009 fatwa
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Only Muslim rulers can declare war
Breach of international agreements
• Quran Ch. 5:1 “O you who have
believed, fulfill [all] contracts.”
Killing of innocents
Killing of women and children
Killing of fellow Muslims
Retaliation by other countries
Wasting money and institutions
Betrayal of foreign nation
Analogies out of context
Shia Fatwa - Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Iranian Supreme Leader – 2004 fatwa
• Roots in Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s
statement prohibiting chemical weapons
during Iran-Iraq war
• Fatwa’s text elusive, but referenced:
– Javad Zarif, Iranian ambassador to UN
– 2005 Iranian statement to IAEA
– U.S. President Barak Obama, 2013
Implications and Takeaways
• Pakistan nuclear
ideology
• Al-Qaeda’s efforts
• P5 + 1 negotiations
with Iran: Outcomes?
– Saudi Arabian nuclear
outbreak
– Regional arms race
– Increase in scholarly
debate
Questions?
[email protected]