Beliefs and ideology of Osama bin Laden

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Osama bin Laden (1957 – 2011) was a founder of al-Qaeda. In conjunction with several other Islamic leaders, he issued two fatwas—in 1996 and then again in 1998—that Muslims should kill civilians and military personnel from the United States and allied countries until they withdraw support for Israel and withdraw military forces from Islamic countries. Bin Laden's ideological guides have proven to be Ibn Taymiyya, Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, and Sayyid Qutb. Although perceptions to the contrary abound, bin Laden has not been influenced greatly by Ibn Abd al-Wahhab or the Wahhabi school of thought, and he is not a good example of contemporary Wahhabi Islam as practiced in Saudi Arabia.

Sharia

Following an extreme form of Islamism, bin Laden believed that the restoration of God's law will set things right in the Muslim world—or as he put it, his hope that the revelation unto Mohammed will be resorted to for ruling. "When we used to follow Muhammad's revelation we were in great happiness and in great dignity, to Allah belongs the credit and praise",

has been noted for its simplicity. He believed "the only Islamic country" in the Muslim world was Afghanistan under the rule of Mullah Omar's Taliban before that regime was overthrown in late 2001.

Differences with Wahhabi Ideology

Although bin Laden possessed views similar to Wahhabi Islam, his ideology was different in crucial ways. First, Wahhabi doctrine is very clear that only political leaders can call for jihad, making bin Laden's calls illegitimate. Secondly, Wahhabi Islam has positioned itself very clearly behind the Saudi royal family, in contradiction to bin Laden's repeated calls for the overthrow of the Saudi government, and it does not allow for disobedience to a ruler unless the rule commands that his/her subjects violate religious commandments. Furthermore, the basic goals of bin Laden are different. bin Laden was most interested in "resisting western domination and combating regimes that fail to rule according to Islamic law." However, Wahhabism focuses on correct methods of worshipping God, removing idols, and ensuring adherence to Islamic law.

Jihad

In a January 2004 message Bin Laden called for the establishment of provisional underground ruling councils in Muslim countries to be made up of "ulema, leaders who are obeyed among their people, dignitaries, nobles, and merchants." The councils would be sure "the people" had "easy access to arms, particularly light weapons; anti-armored rockets, such as RPGs; and anti-tank mines" to fight "raids" by "the Romans," i.e. United States.

His interviews, video messages and other communications always mentioned and almost always dwelt on need for jihad to right what he believed were injustices against Muslims by the United States and sometimes other non-Muslim states, the need to eliminate the state of Israel, and to force the withdrawal of the U.S. from the Middle East. Occasionally other issues arise; he called for Americans to "reject the immoral acts of fornication, homosexuality, intoxicants, gambling, and usury," in a October 2002 letter.

Grievances against Saudi Arabia

As bin Laden was born in Saudi Arabia and had a close relationship with the Saudi royal family it might seem strange for him to have such an acrimonious relationship with the government. However, his opposition to the Saudi government stems from his radical ideology. The Saudi decision to allow US troops into the country in 1990 to defend against a possible attack by Saddam Hussein upset bin Laden. From his point of view, "for the Muslim Saudi monarchy to invite non-Muslim American troops to fight against Muslim Iraqi soldiers was a serious violation of Islamic law"

Bin Laden, in his 1996 fatwa (declaration) entitled "Declaration of War against the Americans Occupying the Land of the Two Holy Places", identified several grievances that he had about Saudi Arabia, the birthplace and holy land of Islam. Bin Laden said these grievances about Saudi Arabia:

“

The intimidation and harassment suffered by the leaders of the society, the scholars, heads of tribes, merchants, academic teachers and other eminent individuals; The situation of the law within the country and the arbitrary declaration of what is Halal and Haram (lawful and unlawful) regardless of the Shari'ah as instituted by Allah; The state of the press and the media which became a tool of truth-hiding and misinformation; the media carried out the plan of the enemy of idolising cult of certain personalities and spreading scandals among the believers to repel the people away from their religion, as Allah, the Exalted said: {surely- as for- those who love that scandal should circulate between the believers, they shall have a grievous chastisement in this world and in the here after} (An-Noor, 24:19). Abuse and confiscation of human rights; The financial and the economical situation of the country and the frightening future in the view of the enormous amount of debts and interest owed by the government; this is at the time when the wealth of the Ummah being wasted to satisfy personal desires of certain individuals!! while imposing more custom duties and taxes on the nation. (the prophet said about the woman who committed adultery: "She repented in such a way sufficient to bring forgiveness to a custom collector!!"). The miserable situation of the social services and infra-structure especially the water service and supply, the basic requirement of life., The state of the ill-trained and ill-prepared army and the impotence of its commander in chief despite the incredible amount of money that has been spent on the army. The gulf war clearly exposed the situation., Shari'a law was suspended and man made law was used instead., And as far as the foreign policy is concerned the report exposed not only how this policy has disregarded the Islamic issues and ignored the Muslims, but also how help and support were provided to the enemy against the Muslims; the cases of Gaza-Ariha and the communist in the south of Yemen are still fresh in the memory, and more can be said.

”

Bin Laden wanted to overthrow the Saudi monarchy (and now other Middle East governments) and establish an "Islamic Republic" according to Shari'a law (Islamic Holy Law), to "unite all Muslims and to establish a government which follows the rule of the Caliphs."

United States

See also: Motivations of the September 11 attacks

Identified motivations of the September 11 attacks include the support of Israel by the United States, presence of the U. S. military in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the US enforcement of sanctions against Iraq. bin Laden has had a complicated relationship with the United States, as he was supported by the United States in the Soviet-Afghan war. However, he first called for jihad against the United States in 1996. This call solely focused on US troops in Saudi Arabia; bin Laden loathed their presence and wanted them removed in a "rain of bullets".

bin Laden's hatred and disdain for the US were also manifested while he lived in Sudan. There he told Al-Qaeda fighters-in-training:

“

America appeared so mighty ... but it was actually weak and cowardly. Look at Vietnam, look at Lebanon. Whenever soldiers start coming home in body bags, Americans panic and retreat. Such a country needs only to be confronted with two or three sharp blows, then it will flee in panic, as it always has. ... It cannot stand against warriors of faith who do not fear death.

”

Grievances against the United States

In his 1998 fatwa entitled, "Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders" bin Laden identified three grievances against the US:

“

First, for over seven years the United States has been occupying the lands of Islam in the holiest of places, the Arabian Peninsula, plundering its riches, dictating to its rulers, humiliating its people, terrorizing its neighbors, and turning its bases in the Peninsula into a spearhead through which to fight the neighboring Muslim peoples. If some people have in the past argued about the fact of the occupation, all the people of the Peninsula have now acknowledged it. The best proof of this is the Americans' continuing aggression against the Iraqi people using the Peninsula as a staging post, even though all its rulers are against their territories being used to that end, but they are helpless. Second, despite the great devastation inflicted on the Iraqi people by the crusader-Zionist alliance, and despite the huge number of those killed, which has exceeded 1 million... despite all this, the Americans are once against trying to repeat the horrific massacres, as though they are not content with the protracted blockade imposed after the ferocious war or the fragmentation and devastation. So here they come to annihilate what is left of this people and to humiliate their Muslim neighbors. Third, if the Americans' aims behind these wars are religious and economic, the aim is also to serve the Jews' petty state and divert attention from its occupation of Jerusalem and murder of Muslims there. The best proof of this is their eagerness to destroy Iraq, the strongest neighboring Arab state, and their endeavor to fragment all the states of the region such as Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Sudan into paper statelets and through their disunion and weakness to guarantee Israel's survival and the continuation of the brutal crusade occupation of the Peninsula.

”

Favorable bin Laden opinion of two American authors

In 2011, in a review of a new book from former CIA officer Michael Scheuer, professor and writer Fouad Ajami wrote that "[i]n 2007, [bin Laden] singled out two Western authors whose knowledge he had high regard for: Noam Chomsky and" Scheuer.

Killing of civilians

According to bin Laden's ideology civilians may be deliberately killed in jihad. This position evolved from an earlier, less violent one. In a 1998 interview, he alleged that in fighting jihad "we differentiate between men and women, and between children and old people," unlike hypocritical "infidels" who "preach one thing and do another." But two years later he told another interviewer that those who say "killing a child is not valid" in Islam "speak without any knowledge of Islamic law", because killing children and other civilians may be done in vengeance. In other words, bin Laden's interpretation of Islamic doctrine allows retaliation against civilians because of perceived indiscriminate US aggression against Muslims. To another question by a Muslim interviewer about the Muslims killed in the 9/11 attack, bin Laden replied that "Islamic law says that Muslim should not stay long in the land of infidels," although he suggested Muslim casualties in the attack were collateral not deliberate.

Other ideologies

In his messages, bin Laden has opposed "pan-Arabism, socialism, communism, democracy and other doctrines," with the exception of Islam. Democracy and "legislative council[s] of representatives," are denounced, calling the first "the religion of ignorance," and the second "councils of polytheism." In what one critic has called a contradiction, he has also praised the principle of governmental "accountability," citing the Western democracy of Spain: "Spain is an infidel country, but its economy is stronger than ours because the ruler there is accountable."

Jews, Christians, and Shia Muslims

Bin Laden was profoundly anti-Semitic, and delivered many warnings against alleged Jewish conspiracies: "These Jews are masters of usury and leaders in treachery. They will leave you nothing, either in this world or the next." He has also made at least one clear denunciation of Christians: "Every Muslim, from the moment they realize the distinction in their hearts, hates American, hates Jews, and hates Christians. This is a part of our belief and our religion."

Bin Laden's videos and interviews said nothing about Shia Muslims, but it is reported that he disapproved of attempts by people like Hassan al-Turabi "to make common cause with Shiites." Al-Qaeda ideology classes in Afghanistan listed Shia along with "Heretics, ... America and Israel," as the four principal "enemies of Islam". At the same time, bin Laden's organization worked with Shia Militants. And, in his early years, was apparently inspired by the Shia radicalism such as the 1979 Iranian Revolution, implementation of Sharia by Ayatollah Khomeini, and the human wave attacks committed by radical Shia teenagers during the 1980s Iran-Iraq War, but despite this, there was a major rift between the ideologies of the two, for he may have believed that Khomeini did not go far enough in his interpretation of Islamic Law. For example, Bin Laden rejected the traditional Shia Chador, claiming that it was too revealing, instead was in favor of the Burqa, and while Khomeini praised Technological achievements for both Men and Women, Bin Laden completely rejected the idea. While in Sudan, "senior managers in al Qaeda maintained contacts with" Shia Iran and Hezbollah, its closely allied Shia "worldwide terrorist organization. ... Al Qaeda members received advice and training from Hezbollah." where they are thought to have borrowed the techniques of suicide and simultaneous bombing. Because of the Shia-Wahhabi enmity, this collaboration could only go so far. Iran was rebuffed when it tried to strengthen relations with al Qaeda after the October 2000 attack on USS Cole, "because Bin Laden did not want to alienate his supporters in Saudi Arabia."

In May 2008, bin Laden criticized Hassan Nasrallah because "He welcomed the Crusader forces" into Lebanon in reference to UNIFIL presence after the 2006 Lebanon War. Moreover, he went on to state that "By doing so, he confirmed the claim by Sabih Tufayli, former Hezbollah secretary-general, that Kofi Annan came to Lebanon [to facilitate] an agreement between Hizbullah and the Zionists, and this is why [Nasrallah] refused to accept [the assistance of Sunni] mujahideen."

However, Hezbollah and Hassan Nasrallah are reportedly profoundly against the ideology of Bin Laden and Al Qaeda, which they see as simply calling for the killing of any innocents having any idea outside the Wahhabi views of the group and the complete destruction of society and welfare. Nasrallah and Bin Laden were known to be profusely against each other, especially when Nasrallah condemned the group for the September 11 attacks as he called completely against the Laws of Islam and also for diverting him to the destruction of America and their various allies and not focusing on Israel instead.

East Timor

In his November 2001 statement, Osama bin Laden criticized the UN and Australian "Crusader" forces for ensuring the independence of the mostly Catholic East Timor from the mostly Muslim state of Indonesia.

Music

Bin Laden opposed music on religious grounds. Despite his love of horse racing and ownership of racing horses, the presence of a band and music at the Khartoum race track annoyed him so much that he stopped attending races in Sudan. "Music is the flute of the devil," he told his Sudanese stable-mate Issam Turabi.

Environmentalism

Osama bin Laden and his aides have, on more than one occasion, denounced the United States for damaging the environment.

You have destroyed nature with your industrial waste and gases more than any other nation in history. Despite this, you refuse to sign the Kyoto agreement so that you can secure the profit of your greedy companies and industries.

Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden's aide said global warming reflected

how brutal and greedy the Western Crusader world is, with America at its top

Bin Laden has also called for a boycott of American goods and the destruction of the American economy as a way of fighting global warming.

Technology

On the subject of technology, bin Laden is said to have ambivalent feelings –being interested in "earth-moving machinery and genetic engineering of plants, on the one hand," but rejecting "chilled water on the other." In Afghanistan, his sons' education reportedly eschewed the arts and technology and amounts to "little other than memoriz[ing] the Quran all day".

John F. Kennedy conspiracy theory

Bin Laden supported the conspiracy theory that John F. Kennedy was killed by the "owners of the major corporations who were benefiting from its (Vietnam War) continuation"

In the Vietnam War, the leaders of the White House claimed at the time that it was a necessary and crucial war, and during it, Rumsfeld and his aides murdered two million villagers. And when Kennedy took over the presidency and deviated from the general line of policy drawn up for the White House and wanted to stop this unjust war, that angered the owners of the major corporations who were benefiting from its continuation. And so Kennedy was killed, and al-Qaida wasn't present at that time, but rather, those corporations were the primary beneficiary from his killing. And the war continued after that for approximately one decade. But after it became clear to you that it was an unjust and unnecessary war, you made one of your greatest mistakes, in that you neither brought to account nor punished those who waged this war, not even the most violent of its murderers, Rumsfeld.

External links

• In The Words of Osama Bin Laden - slideshow by Life magazine