Fatwa: Sharia Does Not Forbid Use of Nukes

Reformist Iranian Internet Daily: A New Fatwa States That Religious Law Does Not Forbid Use of Nuclear Weapons

"The spiritual leaders of the ultra-conservatives [in Iran] have accepted the use of nuclear weapons as lawful in the eyes of shari'a. Mohsen Gharavian, a disciple of [Ayatollah] Mesbah Yazdi [who is Iranian President Ahmadinejad's spiritual mentor], has spoken for the first time of using nuclear weapons as a counter-measure. He stated that 'in terms of shari'a, it all depends on the goal.'

MEMRI has the lowdown.

Fear not...Sharia only permits their use as a counter-measure. So we have nothing to worry about...

Actually my major concern is not that they would actually use their nukes. Rather I believe they would use the nukes as a blackmailing device allowing them to escalate their funding, training, and directing of terrorism with increasing impunity.

Comments

[mike]

It would be interesting to know what the Islamic religious scholar believe nuclear weapons can be used as a counter measure to. Can they only be used in a retaliatory strike once nukes have been fired at Iran? Or perhaps they can be used as a counter measure to Israel’s ‘occupation’ of the West Bank or America’s ‘occupation’ of Iraq. Perhaps they could even be used as a counter measure against Denmark’s defamation of the Prophet Mohammed. All very vague.

[Martin]

Keep it abstract and then all options remain open!

[gersh]

for once, can finally say agree 100% percent with Mike. Hamas's Hudna gives us a perfect example of how religous islamic opinions can be interpreted so differently and vaguely depending on the time, audience and press presence.

[mike]

Gersh, thats a shock. We actually agree on something. Maybe I must consider changing my position. only joking. The world cannot allowing WMD to fall into the hands of a madman with or with out Fatwas

[James Clark]

Well this isn't really surprising.

I hope no one takes the "not without provocation" bits into a false sense of security. Provocation could be any damn thing when you're dealing with two-faced liers and sociopaths.