Fatwa issued against suicide bombings, targeted killings and terrorism

E-Paper | April 26, 2026

LAHORE:At least 50 religious scholars of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) issued a collective fatwa (decree) on Tuesday against suicide bombings, killing of innocent people, bomb attacks, and targeted killings declaring them as Haram or forbidden, DawnNews reported.

The council also demanded that the government review the syllabi of those madressas (seminaries) which are propagating extremist views.

Acting on an appeal by the SIC chief, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, 50 muftis (clerics) issued a fatwa against suicide bombings, killing of innocent people, bomb attacks, and targeted killings declaring them as un-islamic, keeping in view the recent terrorist attacks in Peshawar, Quetta and Nanga Parbat.

The decree said that according to Islam suicide was Haram (forbidden), murder was a sin second only to Shirk and killing foreign guests was the worst crime.

The decree went on to declare drone attacks as a violation of international law and as an act of cruelty.

Moreover all soldiers who had lost their lives in terrorist attacks were declared as Shaheed (martyrs) and national heroes, according to the fatwa.

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Ahmad

Jul 02, 2013 11:39pm

About time. What took them so long to do this? What they were sleeping for the past 10 years. It took them 70,000 lost lives to finally reach to something so elementary. Why are these people so primitive in their thought process. No vision no foresight. Absolutely ridiculous. Its come far too late, but still has come and I hope that other countries will also follow Pakistan's new precedent

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Parvez

Jul 02, 2013 11:58pm

A brave correct and appreciable step............well done. Let us hope that people listen and observe the rulings of the fatwa and let us hope that the issuing authority has the will to enforce it.

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Ali Abbas

Jul 03, 2013 12:13am

What rock these muftis have been hiding under for last 15-20 years. Their words seem hollow somehow. They did not says much during previous progressive govt but now they are coming out of woodwork to support rightist and religious based party. They have no problem with killings as long as liberals are being killed and are being blamed for it. Complete joke. Why doesn't govt orders its very highly paid military and ISI to clean this mess instead of using meaningless words of these hypocrites.

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sunnyboy

Jul 03, 2013 12:18am

These Mullahs speak from their mouth and also from their rear end. Sunni Mullahs perpetuate hate, intolerance and killings of anyone who is indifferent to their brand of Islam. This Fatwa is a farce.

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Faisal

Jul 03, 2013 12:24am

it is not just Haram or forbidden, it exits you from the embit of Islam. You can do Haram or forbidden acts but still remain a Muslim however this crime is more than Haram, it takes you out of the embit of Islam. You should have repoted the Fatwa against terrorism issues by Dr. Tahir ul Qadri a few years ago. it is a unique fatwa because it goes to the extent to say that suicide bombers will not wake up on the day of ressurection as Muslims, but committing this hineous act they will die as nonMuslims. Tahir Ul Qadri's fatwa was the only fatwa in the history of such fatwas that so categorically denounced suicide bombing and terrorism. over 2million reported Tahir ul Qadri's fatwa worldwide except Pakistani Media. go to www.fatwaonterrorism.com and download a copy in over 20 languages. it is 600 pages of evidences to prove his point including hundreds of Ayats, Ahadith and rullings of various renowned scholars.

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Benazeer Abbas

Jul 03, 2013 12:46am

Takfiri Deobandi terrorists don't care fatwas of Brelvis. Fact.

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Raza

Jul 03, 2013 12:49am

Good. Took a long time coming though! All other schools of thought, religious or not should do the same.

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quresh

Jul 03, 2013 01:41am

Fatwa is too late........... Why........ So many people died and after so many years, now they are issuing FATWA. ridicules act.

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Sonal

Jul 03, 2013 02:18am

So how effective are fatwas, and are their issuance a rare occurrence?

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Shahid

Jul 03, 2013 02:42am

It is never too late, Although these mufties will be answerable to Almighty Allah for holding the truth and not declaring facts that should be well known to every human being let alone to a Muslim.

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Ahmedj

Jul 03, 2013 03:46am

The decree has made suicide Haram (forbidden) in Islam and murder considered as a sin second only to Shirk. I agree to the Ulemas statements. However the drone attacks was only declared as a violation of international law and as an act of cruelty. Why didn't the ulema went further to highlight the role of the state to protect its citizen from the drone attacks? What happened to this fatwa? A big question mark on the credibility of decree.

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Sonal

Jul 03, 2013 03:39pm

So what effect does issuing a fatwa have usually, and is fatwa issuance a rare occurence?

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