IMRA interview: Mufti of Jerusalem on use of mosque as firing position

Aaron Lerner Date: 2 April 2003

IMRA interviewed Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine by
appointed by Yasser Arafat, in Arabic, on April 2, with Michael Widlanski,
lecturer at The Rothberg School of the Hebrew University, acting as
translator.

IMRA: There are reports that Iraqi forces are using the Ali Mosque in
Najaf - not as a place of refuge but instead as a place from which to shoot
at American forces. Is there a problem, from the standpoint of Islamic
religious law, with them doing this?

Sabri: It is the American and British forces who are on the attack. And
they have attacked the mosques and the hospitals. And they are criminals.

IMRA: So let us ask this in a general way without relating the question to
this specific case. In principle can a mosque be used in battle - not for
refuge but instead as a firing position.

Sabri: What you have to understand here is that they are the raiding
forces, they are the criminal forces. And they are the ones who are killing
the children, the women and the elderly. And it is not important whether
people are being killed from the mosque or not from the mosque. The most
important thing is for American and British forces to get out of Iraq.

IMRA: I understood that. I am asking a question relating to religious law
in general. Forget about Iraq. Let us talk about anyplace. Just as a
concept.

Sabri: You cannot deal with such a question when there are raiding parties
in Iraq. You cannot deal with whether it is permitted or not permitted. The
root of it is that there must not be occupying raiding forces in Iraq.

When the American and British forces get out of Iraq I will answer that
question.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
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Website: http://www.imra.org.il