Dr. Mustapha Benhamza, President of the Ulema Council of Oujda and member of the Muslim Council of Elders has criticized various misleading fatwas which permit the theft of money from non-Muslims under the pretext “spoils of war”.

During a gathering for the Moroccan community in the United Kingdom, Dr. Benhamza stressed that such rhetoric is a justification for theft and that the concept of the “land of war” only applies to when it is partaking in a direct conflict with Muslims, something which does not apply to current events.

Benhamza said, “We are living in a world based on various intertwined interests and relations. Hence, when a Muslim enters the United Kingdom, they do so to seek stability and opportunity, and not as an invader or conqueror. Islamic jurisprudence does not in any way encourage theft and the concept of jihad is something that cannot be interpreted by individuals who speak at mosques or elsewhere, otherwise the entire world would enter a state of never-ending war and conflict.”