‘Sept.11 has done nothing but harm to Islam’

July 1 issue - The blind Egyptian Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman is serving a life sentence in the United States for his conviction in the first attack on the World Trade Center in 1993. His son, Sheik Abdullah Abdel Rahman, who lives in Egypt, insists his father is innocent and argues that the place for legitimate jihad is only “in the countries where Muslims have been attacked.” At 27, Rahman has studied at Al Azhar university, the ancient center of Islamic scholarship, for more than 10 years. NEWSWEEK’s Gretel C. Kovach spoke with Sheik Abdullah in his Cairo homeabout why he opposes the jihads of Osama bin Laden and other Islamic militants. Excerpts:

NEWSWEEK: Does Islam ever support the killing of unarmed civilians, such as the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center or the 1997 tourist massacre at Egypt’s Luxor Temple?

SHEIK ABDULLAH ABDEL RAHMAN: These were not Islamic acts. All the Muslim scholars have agreed that jihad is only in one case—in defense after a direct attack. Killing unarmed civilians—this is bad for the religion. What happened to America on September 11 has done nothing but harm to Islam, nothing but harm.

How is Osama bin Laden different from your father, Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman?

[Bin Laden] calls for the Islamic people to wake up for jihad. Now, jihad in the countries where Muslims have been attacked—in Chechnya and Palestine—is in keeping with Omar Abdel Rahman’s way. But Osama bin Laden says that the United States is the first enemy of the Muslim people and must be destroyed. What makes Osama bin Laden think this way, whether he is right or wrong, is America’s support for Israel.

Do you believe that America has effectively destroyed Al Qaeda?

Osama bin Laden is still alive, he has hands everywhere. But as far as this war between Al Qaeda and America, I call for Osama bin Laden to understand that the war is not against America. If he wants to fight for the Palestinians, he has to fight in Palestine.

If America supported the creation of a Palestinian state, would that decrease the amount of hostility from al Qaeda and other Muslim groups?

In a big way.

By all accounts the war between the Egyptian government and Gamaa Islamiyya, the Islamic group once headed by your father, is over. So why was Saleh Hashem, the founder of Gamaa Islamiyya, arrested last week?

It was a total shock to us. The relations between the Egyptian government and the Gamaa Islamiyya have been improving for some time. Many leaders have been released from prison, the Gamaa Islamiyya members are being treated better. So we do not know why this happened.

Why are the Egyptian Islamist groups becoming more peaceful and mainstream while Hamas, Al Qaeda and the Pakistani groups are becoming more violent?

We are all Muslims, so fighting each other is not allowed. But some members of the Gamaa Islamiyya were not listening to their leaders, some people moved from Sharia [Islamic law] to revenge. As for Palestine, the situation there is completely different. Our brothers in Palestine are doing the best they can to defend their souls, and their children, and their women. In this case there is clearly aggression against the Palestinians. Islam is a peaceful religion, but it takes a strong stand if it’s been attacked. Then jihad is a duty for every Muslim, just like praying. My hope from God is that the Islamic countries allow their people to fight for Palestine.

Are we entering a period in world history where there will be a clash of civilizations between Islam and the West?

I do not support this idea of a clash of civilizations.

Why have some Egyptians like [bin Laden chief deputy] Ayman al-Zawahiri followed bin Laden’s path?

He has a strong way of convincing people of his ideas. For instance, that the United States is interfering in the Gulf and [Saudi Arabia.] But if Zawahiri truly understands his religion, he will face up to Osama Bin Laden.

Is it possible to have a society that is both Islamic and democratic?

Yes, Afghanistan under the Taliban was the closest so far. They were in a transition to democracy, but once Osama bin Laden arrived, everything was put on hold. He called for new ideas, a new organization. My older brother was arrested in Afghanistan recently and imprisoned in Cuba. He is accused of being a supporter of Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda, but he hates Osama bin Laden.

Osama bin Laden and others have threatened the United States with retaliation if Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman dies in jail. Is your father’s health so poor that he is in danger of dying soon?

This is God’s decision.... America cannot control his life, God does.

Had you ever heard of Jose Padilla, the man who was allegedly planning to detonate a dirty bomb in the U.S?

I read about this man in the newspapers, an American who was [said to be] trying to bomb America. I had never heard of him before.

You never met him at Al Azhar university?

No. Gamaa Islamiyya and Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman do not support any violent action. Omar Abdel Rahman is a peaceful man. The big difference is between someone who calls for the truth and someone who calls for violence or destruction—that absolutely contradicts what the Sharia calls for.

Some say you will be the leader of the new Gamaa Islamiyya.

I don’t hope to be a leader. It is my honor to be a Muslim.

© 2003 Newsweek, Inc.