Top Iranian Cleric Issues Fatwa against Trump

The religious edict urges Muslims to target the U.S. president as an “enemy of Allah” should the United States assassinate Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

By: Joshua Marks – Jewish News Syndicate; jns.org

Following the June 21 U.S. strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites, a prominent Iranian cleric has issued a fatwa (Islamic religious ruling) which is being interpreted by some as calling for the assassination of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUDI), a non-profit advocacy group promoting secular democracy and human rights in Iran, translated the edict, issued by Shi’ite Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi. The fatwa, dated Saturday and published by Islamic Republic state media the following day, was issued in response to a formal religious query (estefta) that NUDI also released.

The estefta states:

“Over the past few days, U.S. President [Donald Trump] and leaders of the Zionist regime have threatened to assassinate the Supreme Leader [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] and other religious leaders. We implore you to declare what the religious edict [and required response] is for threatening the religious guide and leader of Islamic society. And Allah forbid, if such an act is carried out by the American government or anyone else, what would be the responsibility of every Muslim across the world?”

In response, the fatwa declared Trump a “Mohareb” (enemy of Allah), stating:

“It is upon all Muslims across the world to make these enemies regret their words and wrongdoing. If harm or hardship befalls them, they will be rewarded as Mojaeh [warriors] in the path of Allah, if Allah wills it.”

cont’d…

https://www.jns.org/top-iranian-cleric-issues-fatwa-against-trump/?_hsmi=112486089