Gaza: Al-Azhar’s Support for Scholars’ Fatwa Counters Egypt’s Grand Mufti’s Statement

In recent days, the International Union of Muslim Scholars issued a fatwa concerning the events unfolding in Gaza, urging Muslims to fulfil their religious duties toward the occupying enemy. This fatwa, followed by a clarifying statement from the Union, aligns with the longstanding positions of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif — historically unwavering in its support for just causes such as Palestine — except in rare cases where local political pressures shaped its rhetoric.

A Response that Refutes Itself

Following the fatwa’s release, Egypt’s Grand Mufti, Dr. Nazir Ayad, issued a strongly worded statement attacking the Union’s position. The tone and framing of his response were overtly political, raising questions about whether the author — a senior religious figure — truly believed the fatwa contradicted Islamic jurisprudence. The fatwa, it must be noted, was not political in nature nor aligned with any faction, but rather addressed one of the core issues of the Muslim Ummah: the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the aggression inflicted upon Gaza.

What is surprising is that Dr. Ayad, just months ago, served as the Secretary-General of the Islamic Research Academy, which has historically issued statements and held conferences expressing views that mirror those of the Union and even surpass them in tone and obligation. More astonishing is the fact that during his tenure, Ayad compiled a four-volume series titled “Al-Azhar and the Palestinian Cause”, collecting scholarly papers affirming the duty of Muslims toward Palestine, each volume prefaced by Ayad himself in full support of its message. This very collection was reviewed here on Arabi21 almost a year ago.

Al-Azhar’s Words Speak Louder than the Mufti’s

Had the Grand Mufti referred back to these volumes or the records of Al-Azhar’s conferences, he would have found the Union’s position not only consistent but perhaps milder than the scholarly consensus voiced in earlier decades. As a reminder, let us revisit some of the resolutions from the Fourth Conference of the Islamic Research Academy, held in Cairo on 6 October 1968 (13 Rajab 1388 AH), and compiled and published under the Mufti’s own supervision:

“All the reasons that make jihad obligatory, as defined in the Holy Qur’an, are found in the Israeli aggression: the occupation of Islamic lands, the desecration of holy sites, the expulsion of Muslims from their homes, and the brutal killing of the weak — elders, women, and children.

Jihad with wealth and life is thus a personal obligation upon every Muslim, to the extent of his means and capabilities, regardless of geographical distance.

The conference salutes the Mujahideen and defenders at the frontlines, appreciating their resistance and determination to achieve victory.

It calls for supporting the Palestinian people with all means necessary for resilience and escalation, and for backing Arab military fronts — especially the Jordanian front.

The conference urges all Arab and Muslim nations to mobilise all material and moral resources and to train all able-bodied people in the use of arms.

It demands that all Muslim governments sever any form of ties with Israel, stating that dealing with the occupying enemy in any form is a betrayal of all Muslims and contrary to Islamic teachings.

It condemns any nation that supports Israel’s aggression, considering such support an open challenge to the Muslim world and an affront to Islamic sentiments.

It declares that Muslims around the world will not stand idle in the face of Zionist expansionism in the Arab and Islamic world and will not hesitate to sacrifice their lives in defence of their lands and sanctities.”

These powerful resolutions, emanating from a leading Islamic institution like Al-Azhar, form the most authentic rebuttal to the Grand Mufti’s denunciation of the Union’s fatwa. Instead of issuing a politically flavoured statement disconnected from the scholarly tone, the Mufti could have engaged with the fatwa in a genuine scholarly debate, preserving both the dignity of religious discourse and the rights of Gaza’s oppressed.

In a time when Gaza faces brutal aggression and abandonment, one would expect religious authorities to stand with the people, not with temporal politics. Silence, in this case, would have been more honourable than issuing a statement that aligns more with authority than with truth.

There are indeed other aspects in the Union’s fatwa or in subsequent responses that merit discussion, many of which have already been analysed by commentators and scholars. However, this reminder — of Al-Azhar’s historical stance and the very documents once upheld by today’s critics — is crucial. These sources remain rare but invaluable, offering a consistent Islamic voice in defence of Palestine, and it is this voice that must continue to echo today.

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