Muslim Leaders Condemn Delhi Bomber's Claims: Owaisi States "Suicide Bombing Is Terrorism, Not Martyrdom"

Asaduddin Owaisi has firmly rejected the assertions made by Delhi bomber Umar in a video that has gained significant attention online.

New Delhi:

Hyderabad MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has emphasized that suicide is haram (forbidden) in Islam, and killing innocent people constitutes a "grave sin." This statement comes as a direct response to the viral video where Delhi bomber Umar un-Nabi attempted to equate suicide bombing with "martyrdom."

In his post on X, Owaisi directly addressed the terrorist's claims that suicide bombing is misunderstood: "There is an undated video of Delhi blasts accused Umar Nabi justifying suicide bombing as 'martyrdom,' and that it's 'misunderstood'. Suicide is haram in Islam, and the killing of innocents is a grave sin. Such acts are also against the law of the land. They are not 'misunderstood' in any way. This is terrorism and nothing else."

The AIMIM leader also raised critical questions about the terror module connected to the Delhi blast and the significant explosives discovered near the national capital.

He challenged the government's previous assurances, asking: "During Operation Sindoor and Mahadev (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah had assured Parliament that no local Kashmiri had joined terror groups in the last six months. Where did this group come from then? Who is accountable for the failure to detect this group?"

The now-widespread video shows Umar, who is a doctor by profession, discussing suicide bombing: "One of the very misunderstood concepts is the concept of what has been labelled as suicide bombing. It is a martyrdom operation... known in Islam. Now, there are multiple contradictions; there are multiple arguments that have been brought against it."

On November 10, a Hyundai i20 driven by Umar exploded near the Red Fort Metro station, resulting in 13 fatalities and injuring 20 others. Subsequent investigation revealed Umar's connection to a substantial cache of explosives discovered in Faridabad. He was identified as a member of a new terror cell composed of highly educated professionals, including doctors.

Umar's eloquent English and articulate expression in the video represent what some see as terrorism's evolving face in India: educated, radicalized, and calculating. However, his extremist interpretations and selective application of Islamic teachings have faced strong opposition from within the Muslim community.

Nasir Khuehami, national convener for the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, has stated clearly that suicide bombing contradicts Islamic principles: "When suicide is haram in Islam, then suicide bombing is equally; if not more haram. It involves not only taking one's own life but also harming and killing others. Islam strictly prohibits suicide, and suicide bombing adds to this the killing of innocent people, making it an even greater sin in the eyes of God."

Khuehami further emphasized, "There is no legitimacy or justification for suicide bombing in Islam or in the Qur'an. Islamic teachings do not allow targeting civilians under any circumstance."