US embassy cable - 05AMMAN5456

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 005456 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, KISL, JO 
SUBJECT: C-NE5-00725: ISLAMIC CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS IN 
AMMAN ENDORSE FINAL STATEMENT 
 
REF: A. AMMAN 5357 
     B. AMMAN 5258 
     C. AMMAN 4991 
 
Classified By: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (U)  The three-day international conference "True Islam 
and its Role in Modern Society" closed on July 6 in Amman 
with a joint statement that forbids declaring adherents to 
any one of the eight schools of Islamic jurisprudence an 
apostate (takfir) (refs).  Signed by a wide range of 
prominent Sunni and Shi'a scholars and clergy, the statement 
also limited the issuance of religious edits (or fatwas) to 
qualified Muslim clerics in the eight schools. 
 
2.  (C)  Religious authorities who endorsed the statement 
included:  Grand Imam of al-Azhar Mohammad Sayyed Tantawi, 
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Sistani, Grand Mufti of Egypt Ali 
Jumaa, Grand Mufti of Oman Ahmad Khalili, the Islamic Fiqh 
Academy in Saudi Arabia, Grand Mufti of Jordan Izzeddine 
Tamimi and the King's National Fatwa Committee, and cleric 
Sheikh Yusef al-Qardawi, among others.  The King noted during 
a meeting with CODEL Levin on July 7 that the fact that 
Sistani's fatwa endorsing the statement was issued from Qom 
gave the conference and resulting statement particular 
credibility and hoped that it would help heal the Sunni-Shi'a 
rift that has developed in the aftermath of the Iraq 
conflict, and deprive extremists of religious pretexts for 
Sunni-Shi'a violence.  This is a first step toward ending 
religious justification for any violence, in the King's mind. 
 
3.  (C)  The statement drew from King Abdullah's address to 
the conference, which urged the more than 170 scholars and 
clerics to unify the global Muslim community against threats 
to its integrity from both Muslims and non-Muslims. 
Reinforcing themes outlined in the "Amman Message," the King 
emphasized that divisions in the Islamic community, acts of 
violence and terrorism in the name of Islam, and the killing 
of Muslims in the name of religion violate the spirit of true 
Islam. 
 
4.  (U)  The full text of the statement follows: 
 
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. 
 
Peace and Blessings be upon our master Mohammad and his 
Family. 
 
"O mankind!  Be careful of your duty to your Lord who created 
you from a single soul..." (Al Nisa', 4.1) 
 
In accordance with the fatwas issued by the honorable and 
respectable Grand Imam Sheikh Al Azhar, the Grand Ayatollah 
Al Sayyid Ali Al Sistani, the honorable and respectable Grand 
Mufti of Egypt, the honorable and respectable Shi'a clerics 
(both Jaafari and Zaydi), the honorable and respectable Grand 
Mufti of the Sultanate of Oman, the Islamic Fiqh Academy in 
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Grand Council for Religious 
Affairs of Turkey, the honorable and respectable Grand Mufti 
of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the respectable 
members of its National Fatwa Committee, and the honorable 
and respectable Sheikh Dr. Yusef al-Qardawi. 
 
And in accordance with what was mentioned in the speech of 
His Majesty King Abdullah during the opening session of our 
conference; 
 
And in accordance with our own knowledge in sincerity to 
Allah the Bounteous; 
 
And in accordance with what was presented in this our 
conference by way of research papers and studies, and by way 
of the discussions that transpired in it; 
 
We, the undersigned, hereby express our approval and 
affirmation of what appears below: 
 
1 -- Whosoever is an adherent of one of the four Sunni 
schools of jurisprudence (Hanafite, Malikite, Shafite, and 
Hanbalite), the Jaafari (Shi'a) school of jurisprudence, the 
Zaydi school of jurisprudence, the Ibadi school of 
jurisprudence, or the Thahiri school of jurisprudence, is a 
Muslim.  Declaring that person an apostate is impossible. 
Verily his (or her) blood, honor and property are sacrosant. 
Moreover, in accordance with what appeared in a fatwa of the 
honorable and respectable Sheikh al Azhar, it is not possible 
to declare whosoever subscribes to the Ashaari creed or 
whoever practices true Sufism an apostate.  Likewise, it is 
not possible to declare whosoever subscribes to true Salafi 
thought an apostate.  Equally, it is note possible to declare 
as apostates any group of Muslim who believes in Allah the 
Mighty and Sublime and His Messenger (may peace and blessings 
be upon him) and the pillars of faith, and respects the 
pillars of Islam and does not deny any necessary article of 
religion. 
 
2 -- There exists more in common between the various schools 
of jurisprudence than there is difference.  The adherents to 
the eight schools of jurisprudence are in agreement as 
regards the basic Islamic principles.  All believe in Allah 
the Mighty and Sublime, the One and the Unique, that the 
Noble Qur'an is the revealed word of Allah; and that our 
master Mohammad, may blessings and peace be upon him, is a 
prophet and messenger unto all mankind.  All are in agreement 
about the five pillars of Islam:  The two testaments of faith 
(shahadatayn), the ritual prayer (salat), almsgiving (zakat), 
fasting the month of Ramadan (Sawm), and the Hajj to the 
sacred house of Allah.  All are also in agreement about the 
foundations of belief: belief in Allah, His Angels, His 
scriptures, His messengers, and in the day of judgment, in 
divine providence -- good and evil.  Disagreements between 
the ulama is only with respect to the ancillary branches of 
religion (furou) and not the principles and fundamentals 
(usoul).  Disagreement with respect to the ancillary branches 
of religion is a mercy.  Long ago it was said that variance 
in opinion among ulama "is a good affair." 
 
3 -- Acknowledgment of the schools of jurisprudence within 
Islam means adhering to a fundamental methodology in the 
issuance of fatwas.  No one may issue a fatwa without the 
requisite personal qualifications which each school of 
jurisprudence defines.  No one may issue a fatwa without 
adhering to the methodology of the schools of jurisprudence. 
No one may claim to do absolute ijtihad and create a new 
school of jurisprudence or to issue unacceptable fatwas that 
take Muslims out of the principles and certainties of the 
Shari'a and what has been established in respect of its 
schools of jurisprudence. 
 
4 -- The essence of the Amman Message, which was issued on 
the Blessed Night of Power in the year 1425 Hijri and which 
was read aloud in Masjid al-Hashimiyyeen, is adherence to the 
schools of jurisprudence and their fundamental methodology. 
Acknowledging the schools of jurisprudence and affirming 
discussion and engagement between them ensures fairness, 
moderation, mutual forgiveness, compassion and engaging in 
dialogue with others. 
 
5 -- We call for casting aside disagreement between Muslims 
and unifying their words and stances; reaffirming their 
mutual respect for each other; fortifying mutual affinity 
among their peoples and states; strengthening the ties of 
brotherhood which unite them in the mutual love of Allah. 
And we call upon Muslims to not permit discord and outside 
interference between them. 
 
Allah the Sublime says: 
 
"The believers are naught else than brothers.  Therefore make 
peace between your brethren and observe your duty to Allah 
that ye may obtain mercy." (Al Hujurat, 49:10) 
 
Praise to be Allah alone. 
 
Please visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at 
http://www.state.sgov/p/nea/amman/ or access the site through 
the Department of State's SIPRNET home page. 
HALE