Islam's Stance on Violence and Terrorism: The CSO Position

Morocco's Supreme Council of Scholars (Conseil Supérieur des Oulémas) has consistently affirmed that Islam is a religion of peace and moderation, and that aggression against innocents, the taking of non-combatant life, and the spread of corruption on earth are strictly forbidden. This position reflects both the Quranic text and the Moroccan religious tradition grounded in Maliki fiqh and the Ash'ari creed.

This article summarizes the Council's well-documented stance. For the authoritative wording, refer to the official source.

The Foundational Verse

The Council's ruling rests on a verse that sets the entire ethical framework for the use of force in Islam:

“And fight in the way of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not like the transgressors.”

— Quran 2:190

Two principles are established here:

1. Legitimate defense only. Fighting is permitted against those who fight you, i.e., in a lawful context of defense against aggression, not against innocents.
2. No transgression. Even in a lawful context, exceeding the limits (killing non-combatants, destroying property, spreading fear) is condemned by God.

The Sanctity of Innocent Life

The Quran equates the unjust killing of a single innocent person with the killing of all of humanity:

“Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land, it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one, it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.”

— Quran 5:32

This is the basis on which the Council and the consensus of mainstream scholars (ijma') hold that terrorist attacks targeting civilians are among the gravest of major sins.

Morocco's Religious Constants

The Moroccan religious reference is built on three pillars that together inoculate against extremist ideology:

• Commandery of the Faithful (Imarat al-Mouminine), religious authority is centralized and disciplined, denying extremist groups the religious legitimacy they seek.
• The Ash'ari creed (al-'aqida al-ash'ariyya), a theology of moderation that rejects both literalist excess and ideological violence.
• The Maliki school of jurisprudence and Junaydi Sufism, emphasizing the middle way (wasatiyya) between rigidity and laxity.

Extremism (ghuluw) Is Condemned

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) explicitly warned against religious extremism:

"Beware of extremism in religion, for those before you were destroyed by extremism in religion." — (Bukhari & Muslim)

On this basis, the Council holds that the ideology of groups which declare Muslims and non-Muslims to be disbelievers (takfir) and justify bloodshed is a deviation from Islam, not a representation of it.

What This Means in Practice

• Reporting incitement. Muslims have a duty to reject calls to violence and to cooperate with authorities in protecting life.
• Sound religious education. The antidote to extremism is correct knowledge, which is why Morocco has invested in structured religious training and the supervision of mosques.
• Civic peace. Living as a peaceful, contributing citizen (muwatana) is itself a religious obligation.

Official sources

For the authoritative text of the Council's position, consult the official publications below. This article is an educational summary and was not issued by the Council.