Tehran, 30 June (H.S.): Iran’s Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi has issued a fatwa against US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, labeling them enemies of God. He has called for Muslims worldwide to unite against these leaders, who he claims threaten the Islamic republic’s authority. According to the fatwa, individuals or regimes threatening the Iranian leadership are considered ‘warlords’ or ‘mohareb,’ with severe penalties under Iranian law, including execution or exile.

The decree emphasizes that any support for these enemies by Muslims or Islamic states is forbidden (haram) and urges Muslims to make them regret their actions. It asserts that Muslims enduring hardship in this struggle will receive divine rewards. This religious ruling follows a 12-day conflict that began with Israeli airstrikes in Iran, targeting military figures connected to its nuclear program; Iran retaliated with missile attacks on Israel. Subsequently, the US collaborated with Israel to strike Iranian nuclear sites, prompting Iran’s attack on a US military base in Qatar.

A fatwa is a religious directive from a high-ranking cleric, compelling Muslims to act. Iranian clerics have historically used fatwas to incite violence, the most notorious being the one against author Salman Rushdie in 1989, which has led to ongoing threats to Rushdie’s life, including a serious attack in 2023.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar