Dr. Salman al-Dayah, a well-known Salafi sheikh from Gaza, criticizes the October 7 Hamas attack in a fatwa
Dr. Salman al-Dayah, a conservative cleric who belongs to the quietist branch of Salafism, and former dean of the Faculty of Islamic Law at the Islamic University of Gaza, issued a harsh fatwa against Hamas for violating Islamic precepts during the October 7 attack, known as “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.” In this legal opinion, al-Dayah published by the BBC website, Dr Salman al-Dayah accuses Hamas of having launched an operation doomed to failure, endangering the lives of Palestinian civilians.
Al-Dayah recalls that Islam imposes strict conditions on jihad, including the obligation not to launch a military operation if it is likely to result in massive and unnecessary losses. According to him, the Israeli forces, much superior in number and equipment, make armed resistance unsuitable in a territory as exposed as Gaza. The religious scholar also criticizes Hamas for denouncing Palestinians who oppose violence, emphasizing that those suffering the repercussions of this conflict deserve neither contempt nor accusations of treason.
Sheikh Ashraf Ahmed, a former student of Dr Dayah, told the BBC that his mentor had chosen to stay in his home in northern Gaza, despite threats of Israeli strikes.
Dr al-Dayah calls for deep reflection on the way forward, advocating an approach rooted in the protection of life and faith. His fatwa highlights the need for a strategy that takes into account realities on the ground and Islamic teachings, a criticism that could fuel internal debates on the future of the armed struggle in Gaza.
