Reference: I’laam al-Mu’aasireen bi Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen – Pages 423-424
Question: The [recent] bombing [incident] has disturbed us [Muslims], just as [I’m sure] it has disturbed every [other] person with a conscience; this is [something] you warned about in the khutbah – may Allaah grant you success, and [as outlined] in the [official] statement of the Council of Senior Scholars. However, that which has disturbed us greater is the onslaught of the newspapers and media in attacking the religiously devout [amongst us]. So what is your advice regarding the likes of this situation – and may Allaah [continue to] grant you success?
Response: I say, the attack [emanating] from the[se] [morally] corrupt people against the religiously devout [Muslims] when such an incident occurs is something which is expected. That is because the likes of these [people] take advantage of and seize these opportunities to speak as they wish. And this is from [amongst] the harmful effects of these bombing incidents. Certainly, from the harmful effects is that people begin looking at every religiously devout [Muslim] with suspicion, whereas we know it is not possible for the one who [correctly] adheres to the true religion to do such an evil & reprehensible act. In fact, the religiously devout [Muslims] free and distance themselves from this [heinous] act and reject it [both] in their hearts and with their tongues. However, the[se] [morally] corrupt people take advantage of every situation where they see evil and corruption and then speak as they wish. However, I say that Allaah the Most High said in His Book:
However, there is another [serious] matter, and that is – amongst the general [Muslim] public there are some who are ignorant, and [in their ignorance] they prohibit their children from becoming religiously devout, saying to them ‘look what the religiously devout ones have done’; and this is [utterly] wrong. This is because those who have done these [evil and wicked] acts were not dictated to do so by their religion; if [indeed] they returned [their affairs] back to the text of the Book and the Sunnah, they would have learnt with certainty that this action is prohibited, and it [certainly] does not draw [its perpetrator] near to Allaah, rather, this is aggression and hostility towards the servants of Allaah (‘Azza wa Jall). So it is not befitting for the general [Muslim] public to conclude from this [transgression] a reason to warn their children against being religiously devout upon the correct and authentic methodology.
