World Tribune.com: Sunni Muslims: Having modern nukes 'a religious obligation'

Sunni Muslims: Having modern nukes 'a religious obligation'

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM Thursday, January 23, 2003

CAIRO Ñ Sunni Muslim leaders have authorized Islamic states to acquire nuclear weapons.

The Islamic Ruling Committee in Al Azhar, based in Cairo, ruled that Islamic states must acquire nuclear weapons for their defense. The committee is regarded as the highest authority for Sunni Muslims in the Middle East, according to Middle East Newsline.

"The acquisition of modern nuclear weaponry is a religious obligation," the committee said in a statement on Dec. 23.

The statement came in response to a question in Islamic law sent to Sheik Ala A-Shanawi who said the founder of Islam, Mohammed, would have acquired a nuclear bomb to fight his enemies.

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A-Shanawi is a member of the Islamic Ruling Committee, headed by Sheik Ali Abu Al Hassan.

"All Islamic nations are required to seize nuclear weaponry, giving the nation the utmost respect," A-Shanawi said. "We see how far behind our nation is as a result of not being prepared as well as it should be, while the enemy has equipped itself with the best weaponry there is, which it will use to harm and destroy Muslims."

Islamic sources close to Al Azhar said the ruling by A-Shanawi represents the opinion of the committee. Al Hassan, who heads the panel, has also called for Islamic states to acquire nuclear weapons as a deterrent to their enemies.

"Getting to know the enemy and realizing the different ways to deal with it is a religious obligation," Hassan said in an interview with Islam On-Line website. "If a neighboring country is known to posses a nuclear weapon, then we must do all in our power to do the same."

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