On August 25, 2008, the Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee issued a fatwa permitting the hacking and damaging of American and Israeli websites that harm Islam and Muslims, as part of "electronic jihad."
The Al-Azhar fatwa, issued in response to a question regarding attacks by Muslim groups on American and Israeli websites in retaliation for these countries' actions against Muslims, states: "Jihad is set out by Muslim religious law so that the word of truth [i.e. Islam] will be supreme, in order to aid the oppressed, and in order to defend the religion, honor, homeland, freedom, and human dignity. As Allah has said on this matter: "Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but do not transgress. Lo! Allah loveth not transgressors. [Koran 2:190]... Accordingly, electronic jihad on [Internet] networks is permitted by Muslim religious law because it is one of the means of resisting the enemy, particularly [when it is] an enemy that disseminates statements online that harm Islam and Muslims. Wars today are different from wars in the past; [today] the enemy uses various means such as ideological attack and electronic war."
The fatwa also states: "The Muslim must stand up to the brutal attacks on Islam aimed at presenting it inappropriately. [This should be done] by means of electronic raids, and all possible resources should be directed to such wars."
Source: Islamonline.net, August 25, 2008; see also MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 2037,
Al-Azhar Fatwa: Hacking U.S., Israeli Websites Is Permissible As Part Of Electronic Jihad, August 29, 2008
On August 25, 2008, the Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee issued a fatwa permitting the hacking and damaging of American and Israeli websites that harm Islam and Muslims, as part of "electronic jihad."
The Al-Azhar fatwa, issued in response to a question regarding attacks by Muslim groups on American and Israeli websites in retaliation for these countries' actions against Muslims, states: "Jihad is set out by Muslim religious law so that the word of truth [i.e. Islam] will be supreme, in order to aid the oppressed, and in order to defend the religion, honor, homeland, freedom, and human dignity. As Allah has said on this matter: "Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but do not transgress. Lo! Allah loveth not transgressors. [Koran 2:190]... Accordingly, electronic jihad on [Internet] networks is permitted by Muslim religious law because it is one of the means of resisting the enemy, particularly [when it is] an enemy that disseminates statements online that harm Islam and Muslims. Wars today are different from wars in the past; [today] the enemy uses various means such as ideological attack and electronic war."
The fatwa also states: "The Muslim must stand up to the brutal attacks on Islam aimed at presenting it inappropriately. [This should be done] by means of electronic raids, and all possible resources should be directed to such wars."
Source: Islamonline.net, August 25, 2008; see also MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 2037, Al-Azhar Fatwa: Hacking U.S., Israeli Websites Is Permissible As Part Of Electronic Jihad, August 29, 2008
