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On November 3, 2023, Al-Sahab, the media arm of Al-Qaeda Central Command, released an article addressing Islamic scholars and urging them to issue a ruling (fatwa) to incite Muslims to join the fighting against Israel, following that country's military incursion in Gaza.
In the past few days, the same media outlets released several articles calling for lone-wolf attacks in support of Gaza.[1]
Titled, "O Muslim Scholars – Join The Caravan," author Assim Al-Mughrabi cited prominent figures such as the Palestinian Abdullah Azzam, jihadi leader and ideologue who deemed jihad to restore "Palestine and Andalusia" as a religious obligation that falls on every Muslim.
The article further claimed that recent statements issued by Cairo-based Al-Azhar Fatwa Center echoed the same sentiment.
Praising Clerics Who Deemed Jihad Against Israel A Muslim Obligation
The article welcomed statements made by some Muslim clerics around the world who called the fight against Israel and in support of Hamas's operation, codenamed "Al-Aqsa Flood," as a duty upon Muslims. The article praised fatwas issued by Islamic scholars in Tunisia's Al-Zaytona University, and others in Morocco, Mauritania, Pakistani "subcontinent" and east Asia.
Nod To Egypt's Al-Azahr
The piece also praised a statement from Egypt's Al-Azhar Fatwa Center, issued on October 18, in which the Center stated that its considered the Hamas attack on October 7 on Israeli civilian a justified attack, saying Israeli civilians are "occupiers."[2]
The Cairo-based Al-Azhar, a leading center of religious learning and the supreme source of religious authority in the Sunni Muslim world, has issued a statement congratulating Hamas and the other Gazan factions on their October 7 attack, in which hundreds of armed militants raided Israeli territory, murdered 1,400 people, kidnapped over 100, and wounded over 2,000.[3]
The article also claimed that the Al-Azhar statement urged the Islamic nation to re-assess its relations with the "arrogant" western powers, Europe, and the U.S., and to follow the footsteps of the mujahideen in Somalia and Afghanistan:
"We also praise the statement of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, which summed up the call of this jihadi caravan that set out to confront the tyrants of the East and West forty years ago. Al-Azhar Al-Sharif urged the Islamic nation to make a radical review of its relationship with the West, the arrogant Euro-American, and confront them, repel their attack and to follow the model of the Mujahideen in Somalia and Afghanistan," said the article.
'Join The Carvan'
It continued: "Catching up with the jihad convoy in Palestine and every Muslim frontline is the destiny of this enlightened nation, and for this reason, the one [who] gets the divine honor to join this caravan should call upon his nation with wisdom and good action and pray for their success and guidance."
[1] See MEMRI JTTM report, Al-Qaeda Media Arm Releases Article Inciting Lone Wolf Attacks Against Embassies, Military Bases, Instructs Muslims To Make Bombs, Buy Drones To Show Support To Gazans, October 31, 2023. And MEMRI JTTM report, Pro-Al-Qaeda Outlet Republishes Archival Message By Slain Al-Qaeda Official Calling On Gazans To 'Endure Hardships, Show Steadfastness In Service Of Jihad', October 25, 2023.
[2] November 2, 2023.
[3] See MEMRI report, Egypt's Al-Azhar Salutes Hamas Terror Attack In Which Over 600 Israelis Were Killed, Over 100 Were Kidnapped, And Over 2,000 Were Wounded, October 8, 2023.
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