Islamabad (UNA) – Scholars, sheikhs, and muftis from various Islamic schools of thought in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan issued a collective fatwa affirming that the security of the Two Holy Mosques and the safety of Mecca and Medina are a “red line” for the Islamic nation, and that defending them in the event of any attack is a shared religious responsibility for Muslims.
This came during a meeting held in Islamabad, chaired by the Chairman of the Council of Pakistani Scholars and Secretary-General of the International Council for the Glorification of the Two Holy Mosques, His Eminence Sheikh Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, with the participation of a number of senior scholars, muftis and hadith sheikhs.
The participants declared their full support for the Pakistani government’s position on Saudi Arabia’s security, stressing that Pakistani-Saudi relations are based on brotherhood, trust, and historical ties.
The meeting condemned the statements and threats issued by the Houthi leadership and the group’s mufti regarding Mecca, Medina, and Saudi Arabia, considering that targeting the Two Holy Mosques, threatening their security, or hinting at attacking them is contrary to Sharia and the teachings of Islam.
The participants also condemned the threats directed against Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey, stressing that the three countries have the ability to defend their territories, people and national security.
The scholars emphasized that protecting the Two Holy Mosques is not a Shiite-Sunni dispute or a sectarian conflict.
The collective fatwa stated that if any country, group, entity, or individual attacks Mecca, Medina, or the lands of the Two Holy Mosques, confronting the aggression and defending the security of the Two Holy Mosques becomes a religious duty.
Regarding the Palestinian issue, the meeting affirmed that the positions of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on it are clear and historic, and criticized the parties that use the issue to achieve political and regional goals and to stir up division among Muslims, pointing to the targeting of Saudi, Arab and Islamic ships at a time when Israeli ships are allowed to pass through the sea lanes.
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