In the name of Allaah, the Benevolent, the Merciful. All praise is due to Allaah, and may peace and blessings be upon the messenger of Allaah, his family, companions, and those loyal to him. Firstly, we are to say that what actually took place is contingent upon investigation, and it isn’t our place to be hasty and not await the results. Nevertheless, we say that what took place, regardless of its culprit being an Egyptian or not or a Muslim or not, was a heinous abomination, ignorance, foolishness, and a despicable crime. Such an act is condemned by both the Islamic shari’ah as well as civil law. We do not stand by its culprits regardless of what their motives were, and irrespective of what their explanations are.
This is because of the most self-evident truths of the Islamic shari’ah is the sanctity of blood for every peaceful countryman, every person that enters the lands of Islam as a visitor, trader, or tourist that has been promised security. Additionally, the sanctity of their blood, wealth, and honor, is identical to the sanctity of a Muslim’s blood, honor, and wealth. Add to this that whoever kills a covenanter during their contract, Allaah does not accept from them their deeds.
It is impermissible that a Muslim betray his contracts, and every traitor will bear a flag on the Day of Judgment proportionate to the size of his treachery. Our prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had made clear to us that of the qualities of a hypocrite are: ‘When he promises, he betrays.’ Also, in the hadeeth of Abdullah ibn ‘Amr, the prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘Whoever kills a soul we have covenanted (peace with) without due right, they will not smell the fragrance of paradise, even though its fragrance can be detected from a distance of a 40 years travel.’ [Narrated by Al-Bukhari]
As for the argument that the conflict was initiated by a group of non-Muslims via incidents such as aggression against new Muslim converts and the consequences they faced for embracing Islam by the members of their former religion, and that other non-Muslim religious authorities interfered in ways that elicited mayhem and chaos, we say: The sin in this and the punishment is deserved by those actually involved and those in support of it, but the consequences shouldn’t be generalized wherein the innocent and suspects together have to pay the price, and the flames of the conflict touch the lives of both the culprits and those still true to their covenants. We Muslims recite to the world from our book, the words of Allaah, the Most High: “Has he not been informed of the scriptures of Moses? And (those of) Abraham, who fulfilled? – That none shall bear the burden of another.”
The wise have come to know that the major tribulations begin with the likes of these incidents whose sparks fly fast until they devour all within sight. In our history, we’ve seen the awful effects of treachery and how it damaged the Muslim nation, incurring turmoil and tragedies. Do not forget what the history books record for us of the slaughtering and atrocities that we faced at the hands of the Tartars. The start of this was stupidity demonstrated by some fools who betrayed a number of Tartar messengers. The entire Muslim nation had to pay the price for these acts and what they resulted in of horrors that cause the hair to stand on end!
The harms tied to the likes of these incidents and its results upon our nation and religion are as clear as day, for they enliven warring factions, impede inviting others to this religion, and gives the fools and hateful non-Muslims a flammable tool to light fires against us and fabricate falsehood about us. Therefore, won’t the mischievous desist already? Won’t the mistaken extremists rectify themselves already? Oh Allaah, forgive us! And Allaah, the Most High, knows best.
