Sheikh, the King informed the Mufti that he has seen the decision of the Council of Senior Scholars, which considered the financing of terrorism a capital crime as it contributes to corruption, destabilization of security and is a grave offense against innocent lives, money and public and private properties. “The decision is based on the principles of the holy Quran and the Prophet's (MPBUH) instructions, citing excerpts of the holy book and the prophet's sayings," he noted. Earlier, the Mufti provided the King with the Council's decision adopted at its 20th extraordinary meeting in Riyadh on 25/4/1431 H. The Council reviewed the issue and decided that whoever finances terrorism acts is committing an act of complicity to the acts of terrorism, requesting the King's instructions. The decision stated that terrorism is a crime aiming at destabilizing security, and constitutes a grave offense against innocent people and private and public properties including the destruction of homes, schools, hospitals, factories, bridges, aircraft's hijacking or blowing up, state's public resources like oil and gas pipelines. "Accordingly, financing such activities is considered a form of complicity that leads only to being accessory to them, and to being a conduit for sustaining and spreading such evil acts, noted the Council's decision, citing the holy Quran and Prophet's sayings. According to the decision, financing of terror is prohibited and that whoever commits such a crime intentionally, actually commits a forbidden act, and is subject to punishment for flagrant violation of Shariah law. The Council asserts that criminalizing the financing of terrorism has nothing to do with other means of supporting the benevolent means that are meant for helping the poor and the needy to alleviate their sufferings or pay for their medical treatment or education. --MORE
