The Kenanah communiqué is a fallacy, false allegations against the religion of Islam and concealment of facts
Rulers of Egypt have not launched a coup against the regime. Rather it was the Egyptians who revolted against a regime that failed to govern Egypt
The current rulers of Egypt have not murder anybody. The murderers are the ones who deceived demonstrators and gave them fatawa to the effect of the permissibility of armed protest against the army, the police and the Egyptian people
The regime ousted by the people was the one that supported the enemies of our nation; throughout a complete year of ruling, it took no a stance against the enemies and foes of Egypt
The dismissed judges are those who left their podiums and adopted the podiums of the Group and its policies that contradict the people's interests
Egyptian leaders are the ones who have always led negotiations aiming at achieving the unity of Palestine; Egypt is still working for the unity of the Palestinian people
The stance of the Grand Imam of Al-Azahr was a response to a sweeping will of the Egyptian people who went into streets in Cairo and other governorates calling for the ousting of this regime
Institutions that issue such communiqués are unreal ones that are all in the minds of those who hate Egypt and its people
Those who issued such criminal communiqués have to realize that they will be held accountable before Allah for every drop of blood to be shed as a result of these inciting fatawa which are against the religion and Law
In the Name of Allah, Most Companionate Most Merciful
A Communiqué from Al-Azhar Scholars of Egypt al-Mahrusa (Protected by Allah the Most Exalted)
All Praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. May Allah's Peace and blessings be upon His faithful Messenger and his Household and his Companions
From time to time communiqués are issued by a group, self-described as the scholars of the nation. These groups are just few in number, but they claim these titles in vain. They present themselves as the only speakers in the name of Muslims and Islam, which should not be the way of the people of knowledge as it fits not to their responsibilities before Allah, the Al-Mighty.
Having precisely scrutinized this communiqué that was repeatedly issued under the title of "Kenanah Communiqué" and having recognized its fallacies, false allegations against the religion of Islam and its concealment of facts, the Scholars of Al-Azhar are issuing "Al-Mahrusah Communiqué" to reply to their claims.
First: They described the Egyptian leaders and the national figures as criminals and murderers who led a coup against the will of the nation, kidnapped the elected president, unjustly killed thousands of innocents, unjustifiably detained tens of thousands, sentencing some of them into death, etc.
The truth is that: this group tries always to overlook the fact that the rulers of Egypt have not launch a coup against the regime as they claim. It was the Egyptian people who revolted as a whole as the world witness on 30/6 demanding the deposal of the regime which failed to rule Egypt, to preserve its potentialities and protect its soldier and borders. The president failed to be a president of all Egyptians. He gave power only to a small group in the institutions of the state, a matter that was about to disunite these institutions and create a civil war among the Egyptians.
Second: Among their fallacies are that the rulers of Egypt "unjustly killed thousands of innocents, unjustifiably detained tens of thousands, etc."
The truth is that: the current authorities of Egypt have not murder anybody. The murderers are the ones who deceived the demonstrators and gave them fatawa to the effect of the permissibility of armed protest against the army, the police and the Egyptian people in order to rule people by force. They threw the sons of the poor people into death, while the elite among them enjoy ease and comfort under the protection of regimes that hate Egypt and its people.
Third: Among their lies are that the authorities of Egypt are supporting the enemies of our nation and the Zionists.
The truth is that: the ousted regime was the one that supported the enemies of our nation, and throughout a complete year of ruling Egypt took no stance against the enemies of Egypt. This is clear for all. Even during their rule, Egypt suffered serious economic crises and unprecedented turmoil.
Fourth: They falsely say "rulers of Egypt have dismissed hundreds of judges, professors, Imams and preachers." All this is false allegation. The dismissed judges are the ones who left their podiums and adopted the podiums of the Fanatic Muslim Brotherhood and its policies that contradict the people's interests. Those judges are the ones who ignored the rules of independence of the judiciary system, violated its traditions and issued political communiqués that undermine security and stability of the country.
Never has it happened that a university professor, a teacher or a preacher was dismissed except for those who used educational institutions and pulpits to propagate deviate concepts that represent an imminent danger against the society. In addition, there are those who gave up their jobs to join the enemies of the nation. In response, law was enforced so as to protect the youth and nation from such deviant thoughts that a person of wisdom would never object to the necessity of combating them with all the legal means. Dismissal cases, nevertheless, have taken place only due to absence or abstention from performing the professional duties.
Hence, it becomes clear that the call to resist state officials, army and police is unfounded and fails to find any religious support in shar'iah or Islamic jurisprudence. Al-Azhar stresses that the authentic ruling in this regard is that all the Egyptians must stand united behind their leaders to support them in carrying out their duties that aim to protect the religion, nation and citizens from the schemes and misinterpretations made by the deviant and ignorant group of individuals.
Fifth: This fallacious communiqué and the other deceitful ones that followed charge the Egyptian authority with hostility to the Palestinian resistance and devastation of Sinai. Obviously, these charges are mere lies as everyone knows that the Egyptian leaders are the ones who led the reconciliations and negotiations that sought to achieve the Palestinian unity for many years. Up to this moment, Egypt is still striving to bring about this unity. We wonder if those have forgotten that the leaders of resistance factions were permanent guests in Cairo where discussions that sought find a way out of this critical situation were held. Now it is your turn to tell us what your ousted regime did for the Palestinian cause! Did they even make one serious outcry in favor of the Palestinian cause? Observers are in agreement that the Palestinian cause went into a coma of soulless slogans under the past regime that you shed crocodile tears over its decline.
Sixth: Strangely enough, those who issued this communiqué are so delusional that they believe that the ousted president is still the state’s legitimate president! We wonder how could those who claim to be the voice of knowledge and reason disregard the will of the millions who took to the streets on June 30 demanding nothing but replacing the ruling regime and the ouster of the ruler. No sane person would conceive that the will of millions be disregarded and be forced into tolerating a regime they revolted against after it had lost its legitimacy and was doomed to failure.
Seventh: Another lie they tell is that the attitude of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar towards the ouster of the unsuccessful ex-regime constitutes a violation of shari'ah. Nevertheless, the attitude taken by the Grand Imam was an instance of complying with the sweeping popular demand that was expressed by millions of Egyptians who took to the squares and streets in Cairo, provinces and villages – all demanding the ex-regime to leave. Hadn’t the Grand Imam and the other national figures taken this attitude, the nation would have fallen into a spiral of devastating violence and civil war. The shari'ah maxim that the Grand Imam and the other national figures relied on to take that attitude is “Warding off evils is given priority over achieving benefits.” Hence, the Grand Imam’s attitude was a reflection of that of Al-Azhart role, throughout its long history, never fell short to support the people when they were oppressed or striving for freedom or justice. So, how could they expect Al-Azhar to stand watching while the Egyptians were asking for help and demanding security and stability?!
Eighth: Their claim that the Grand Mufti bears the legal and criminal responsibility for the “innocent” souls that were taken is completely void. This is because considering the criminal cases that are referred to the Mufti of Egypt is a core part of his job and is a legal obligation he assumes. Based on personal reasoning that is in conformity with shari'ah injunctions, documents and other proofs, the Mufti issues his verdicts. However, the Mufti’s opinions regarding capital punishment cases are advisory rather than mandatory.
Ninth: This communiqué is attributed to a number of scholarly individuals, entities and institutions. These entities are fictitious and only exist in the delusional minds of those whose hearts are filled with hatred to Egypt and its people, and who are striving by all mean to cause discord among the Egyptians. After scrutiny, some of the names mentioned in this communiqué turned out to be fake. These include Prof. Moustafa Ghalwash – professor at the Faculty of Theology – who passed away nine months before issuing these communiqués, which gives a proof of forgery and random citations of these names.
As for the persons, 8, who are said to belong to Al-Azhar University, they had been dismissed from the University before the issuance of the so-called communiqués. They are now outside Egypt and are wanted for justice, so attributing them to Al-Azhar University in this communiqué is some sort of deceit and forgery.
Tenth: As for their claim that the shari'ah position of judges, officers, soldiers, muftis, media men, politicians and whoever is proved to have been involved in assaults or shedding the blood of the innocent is that they are all killers … etc.
Such claim may not be adopted by a scholar or a jurist who fears Allah and acknowledges the value of a word. We assure, in fact, that those who issued this fatwa are not qualified –in terms of shari'ah- for the issuance of such crucial fatawa that cause killing of souls that should be preserved as commanded by Allah and His Messenger.
Everyone should know that the only institutions entitled to issuing such fatawa are only those officially designated to such role.
This criminal call contradict the explicit teachings of shari'ah and opens the gates wide for the deceived ones to commit crimes of killing and bombing against these groups that these fatawa permitted the shedding of their blood. Those who issue such illegal communiqués have to know that they will be held accountable before Allah for every drop of blood to be shed as a result of these inciting fatawa which are against the religion and Law. We remind those who are lenient in issuing those fatawa on killing and blood shedding of the words of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) : “Whoever helps to kill a believer, even with half a word, he will meet Allah (SWT) with (the words) written between his eyes, 'He has no hope of the mercy of Allah.”
We say to them: who kill the soldiers? Who shed the blood of innocent officers, judges and others? Who is constantly pointing his weapon towards innocent Egyptians? The only answer to be given by just ones is that those crimes are committed by the youth deceived by the groups of treachery, terrorism and treason, and that Allah's threat would not miss them in the Hellfire, what a wretched is the destination!
Accordingly, "Al-Mahrusah Communiqué" calls on Egyptians: the youth and the elders, men and women, to be cautious against the deception of these unjust and terrorist groups; to be cautious against their members who enjoy luxurious life while pushing naive, poor and deceived Egyptian youth to destruction, suicide and killing. Followers of such unjust groups have to revert back to their sense, and not to be deceived by destructive fatawa of those Kharijites who are trying to base their fatawa on Islamic texts with false justification.
Their followers should be sure that their Sheikhs -who make it permissible for them to kill, bomb and label others as disbelievers- are distorting words from their [proper] usages and they obscure falsehood and lies to people. They will meet their punishment on the Day when there will not get benefit from any group. These groups will not avail them before Allah at all on the Day of Judgment "And those who have wronged are going to know to what [kind of] return they will be returned." (As-Shu'ara: 26}.
Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and its bodies.
Written in Mashyakhat Al-Azhar on:
26 of Shawal, 1436/11 of August 2015.