AL-QAIDA PAPERS: AL-QAIDA CHANGES POLICY TO AVOID MUSLIM CASUALTIES When fighters from al-Qaidaʼs branch in East Africa, al-Shabab, attacked an upscale mall in Nairobi on Sept. 21, 2013, they used a set of questions to weed out Muslims from non-Muslims. Those who answered the questions correctly were allowed to live. The evolution of Shabab -- from a terror group that previously killed Muslims indiscriminately to one that is trying to give the appearance of sparing Muslims – can be traced through three documents found in Timbuktu, all recovered inside the Ministry of Financeʼs Audit Control Building.

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In the Name of Allah the Most Gracious the Most Merciful

Final Statement of the Conference of Islamic State Scholars in Somalia

Date 8 Muharram 1433 (December 3, 2011)

Praise Allah, who in each epoch, created a group of messenger scholars, who led those who had gone astray back to the right path and protected them from harm. They revived the dead with the help of the book of Allah, and with the light of Allah, they helped the blind see again. They brought back to life many of those who were killed by democracy, and many lost souls, who they led back to the true religion.

So good was their effect on people, and so bad was people’s response to them. They rejected the ideas in the book of Allah, by distorting its facts, and through people who exaggerated, and the false claims of slanderers, and the explanations of the ignorant. To discover their honor, the great responsibility they bear, and the importance of their role, it suffices to see how Allah described them in some parts of his book, as fearful of him and honorable, and asked the people that they heed them. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said they are the heirs of prophets, and alone are worthy of this status. The Almighty said: “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" Only they will remember who are the people that understand.” (Surat Az-Zumar: 9).

The Conference of Islamic State Scholars was held in Somalia, where

85 scholars convened from 3 Muharram 1433 till 8 Muharram 1433 (Nov. 28, 2011 to Dec. 3, 2011) in Baidoa, capital of the Islamic Bay and Bakool region.

They discussed the following issues:

1- Instructions in religious policy.

2- The role of scholars in defending Islam.

3- Evangelistic entities and the danger they pose to the Islamic nation.

4- Reviving religious sciences in Islamic states.

5- Economic development and social solidarity.

6- Loyalty and innocence in Islam.

7- The history of jihad in Somalia.

8- Ethiopian interest in Somalia.

9- The issues of names and rules.

They discussed the above issues and others in a heated debate and a calm atmosphere, exchanging opinions and advice. They issued a statement divided into the following chapters:

1- Fatwas

2- Advice

3- Recommendations

4- General Proclamation.

Chapter One: Fatwas

a) Islamic states are the religious authority in Somalia. Before we mention the proof, let us remember the state of the country: Before the creation of the Islamic states, the country was in chaos, following the fall of the infidel communist regime. The country became an easy prey for the enemy. So the Mujahideen forced the enemy out, reformed the country and the people, and restored security and stability by applying Sharia Law. Hence, they established the Islamic states, and Muslim Somalis welcomed that.

As for religious evidence, it’s as follows: The Almighty said: “[And they are] those who, when we give them authority in the land, began praying and gave zakat and insisted on what is right, and forbade what is wrong. And to Allah belongs the outcome of [all] matters.” He also said: “And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.” He said: “And whoever denies the faith, his work becomes worthless, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers (85).”

From the Sunna, the Hadith of Al Irbad ibn Sariyah (May Allah be pleased with him) states: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave us an eloquent sermon one day. We said, ‘Oh Messenger of Allah, it is as if this is a farewell sermon, so what advice do you give us?” He said, “I advise you, with the fear of Allah, to hear and obey your leaders even if a slave were to rule over you.” This was narrated by Abu Daoud and declared good by Attirmidhee.

b) The so-called federal government is not even legal because it was formed by global Crusader countries, and neighboring hostile nations. It is loyal to the enemies of Muslims. Its members are warlords who

corrupted the country, and secularists who were raised among the enemies of Islam, and Islamists who forsook their religion. Therefore, all agreements signed by this group of people, from bringing in disbelievers, to selling land, using ports and airports, and all other acts are void and illegal.

Based on Islamic Sharia, the government is apostate for the following reasons:

1- Its loyalty to disbelievers and its enmity toward Muslims. Allah said: “Let not believers take disbelievers as allies, rather than believers. And whoever of you does that has nothing to do with Allah, except when taking precautions against them in prudence. And Allah warns you of Himself, and to Allah is the final destination.”

Ibn Jarir said: “Believers, do not take disbelievers as supporters and allies and follow their religion. Do not help them against Muslims and show them their weaknesses. He who does that bears no relation to Allah, meaning that he forsook Allah and Allah forsook him, for disbelieving and turning into apostasy.”

Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Shaker, in his book Kalimat Al Haqq (130-131) (The True Word), Al Sunna Library publishing said: “Cooperating with the English, in whatever form, be it occasionally or frequently, is apostasy in its extreme, and is explicit infidelity. It is inexcusable, no explanation is acceptable, and it will surely lead to foolish fanaticism, stupid politics and hypocrisy, whether at the level of individuals or governments or leaders, as they are all equal in apostasy and infidelity, except those who didn’t know and committed a mistake, but then realized the wrong and repented to become a believer again. May Allah forgive those who were faithful to Allah, not to people or

politics.”

I think I have made it clear from the ruling for fighting the English and for cooperating with them, in any form of cooperation or dealing, that for every Muslim who knows Arabic, from every social class and every corner on this earth, and every reader, it’s self-evident and requires no further statement or evidence that the same applies to the French. The enmity of the French toward Muslims, and their wild obsession with wiping out Islam, and their war on Islam is many times greater than that of the English. They are indeed foolish in their fanaticism and enmity, killing fellow Muslims in every Islamic country where they have authority or influence, committing crimes and horrors that make the English look tame. The French and the English are to be treated equally: Their blood and their money are halal wherever they may be. No Muslim in any part of the world may cooperate with them in any way. Cooperating with the French is the same as cooperating with the English: It leads to apostasy and expulsion from Islam, regardless of the nationality and identity of the conspirer.

Accordingly, Ethiopians, Kenyans, Ugandans and Burundians are just like the English and the French because they have invaded the Islamic country of Somalia and launched war Islam and Muslims.

2. Adopting man-made laws as a legal system:

The Almighty Allah said, "Is it then, the judgment of ignorance that they seek? Yet who renders a fairer judgment than Allah to a people who would have certainty [of faith]?" Ibn Katheer said: "His saying ‘Is it then, the judgment of ignorance that they seek? Yet who renders a fairer judgment than Allah to a people who would have certainty [of faith]?" denounces those who abandon the perfect rules of Allah, which include all that is good and forbade all that is evil; turning to other opinions, desires and terminologies laid down by men without any basis in

Shariah; just as the people of the pre-Islamic period of ignorance ruled based on false and ignorant traditions, laid down according to their whims and opinions; and as the Tatars rule based on royal policies taken from their king Genghis Khan who laid down for them the Yasiq, which is a book containing a collection of rules quoted from different laws that refer to Judaism, Christianity and Islam in addition to many other rules that are based on his own opinions and whims, and thus it has become a source of legislation for his children and they have given it preference over the Book of Allah and the traditions of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).

Hence, any one of them who does this becomes a disbeliever and must be fought until he returns to the rule of Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and judges based on nothing else not in the least.

3. Replacing the application of the Islamic Shariah and its rituals with atheistic democracy.

The Almighty Allah said, "He has laid down for you, whatever He has already revealed to you, O Muhammad- all the tenets of religion, the likes of which He had first enjoined upon Noah, and that which He had thereafter enjoined upon Abraham, and upon Moses and upon Jesus. Namely, you shall be steadfast in establishing the religion of Allah. And you shall not divide therein! As to those who associate gods with Allah, that to which you call them, is a great burden upon them."

4. Their sitting with those who mock the religion.

The Almighty Allah said, "Moreover, recall that He has already sent down to you a commandment in the Book that when you hear the verses of Allah being belied and mocked, then do not sit with the people who did this until they adopt another discourse. For indeed, you would

then be like them. Indeed, Allah shall gather the hypocrites and the disbelievers in Hellfire, all together." In his book Fath al-Bari (13/61, Hadith No. 6691), Ibn Hajar commented: "Then do not sit with them until they take up some other discourse. For indeed, you would then be like them" indicates the legitimacy of running away from the gatherings of the disbelievers and the transgressors because keeping company with them is akin to plunging oneself into ruin. This is the rule if one does not help them or is not pleased with their deeds. If he helps them or is pleased with their deeds, he is considered to be one of them."

c) The crusading and Jewish invasion aims to extinguish the light of Allah, to occupy Muslim lands, and to exploit their wealth. Therefore, according to Shariah law, it’s obligatory upon all Muslims to fight this crusading aggression with their souls and precious possessions.

The Almighty Allah said, "Fight the idolaters, all together just as all of them fight you. And know that Allah is with the God-fearing," and said, "So fight in the path of Allah. You are not accountable, for other than yourself. Yet urge the believers on. It may be that Allah will hold back the mighty power of those who have disbelieved. For Allah is far greater in mighty power and far greater in chastisement," and said, "You must go forth, and strive with your wealth and your own persons in the path of Allah. That is best for you, if only you were to know."

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "If you are commanded to go forth, then go forth." [Reported by al-Bkhary]

Anas narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Strive against the polytheists with your wealth, your souls, and your tongues." [Reported by Abu Dawoud and judged as authentic by al-Albani]

d) Fighting between Muslims and the enemies of Islam all over the world

is a sort of jihad. Thus whoever helps the warring disbelievers with a word, a deed, or a fatwa, be he a man or a woman, a scholar or a lay person, the same rules applied to warring disbelievers applies to him.

There is a lot of evidence supporting this conclusion:

1. The Almighty Allah said, "O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are allies to one another. And whoever among you takes them as allies, then he is of them. Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people who are godless in heart," [5:51] and said, "O you who believe! You shall never take my enemy, and your enemy, as allies. You offer genuine love to them."

2. From the Sunnah: Abdurrahman ibn Abu Bakrah reported from his father that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: A group from among my nation will come to a land called Basra where their number and palm-trees will increase. Then there will come Banu Qantura' (the Turkish) with their wide faces and narrow eyes, until they will reach a bridge named Tigris. Then Muslims will divide into three factions: One will hold to the tails of camels and resort to the desert, and this one thus will be doomed. The second faction will take a pledge of safety, turning thus into disbelievers -- both these two factions are the same. The third faction will place their children behind their backs and fight. Those killed among them will be martyrs and Allah will grant victory to the rest of them." [Reported By Ahmad, Abu Dawoud, and Ibn Hibban and declared as authentic by al-Albani].

3. The consensus of scholars.

The erudite scholars Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy with him) said in al-Muhalla (11/138): "And whoever among you takes them as allies, then he is of them" retains its apparent meaning that such a person becomes a one of the disbelievers. This is a true fact that no two Muslims should

differ over.

After he mentioned the obligation of declaring enmity to the disbelievers and denouncing them, Sheikh Abdullateef ibn Abdurrahman ibn Hasan Aal al-Sheikh (may Allah have mercy for him) said (al-Durar 8/326): How then will be the case with the one who helps them, or brings them into Muslim lands or praises them or gives them preference over Muslims as being more just or prefers their lands and dwellings and being in alliance with them and loves them to be superior?!! This is unanimously a clear manifestation of apostasy. The Almighty Allah said, "Yet whoever hides his faith in Allah, his work shall assuredly be rendered utterly futile. And he shall be, in the Hereafter, among the losers [of an everlasting Paradise]."

Sheikh Abdullah ibn Humayd (may Allah have mercy with him) (al-Durar 15/479) said: "To honor them or praise them or help and support them against Muslims, or associate with them, and not to denounce them apparently is a manifestation of apostasy from its doer and the rules of the apostates must be applied to him as indicated by the Book, the Sunnah, and the consensus of Muslims leading scholars."

Sheikh Abdulazeez ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy with him) said in his fatwa (1/274):

"Muslim Scholars have unanimously agreed that whoever supports the disbelievers against Muslims, and helps them in any way, becomes a disbeliever like them. The Almighty Allah said, 'O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are allies one to another. And whoever among you takes them as allies, then he is of them. Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people who are godless in heart [5:51].”

It is well known in the Shariah that drugs have grave consequences on

one's religion, soul, wealth, mind, and behavior, in addition to its being a sort of support for the enemies. These drugs include the most dangerous kinds of khat, cigarettes, cannabis as well as other kinds of drugs. Therefore, scholars of this conference have agreed on the prohibition of selling, consuming and dealing in them and Islamic states have to stop all these activities.

The Almighty Allah said, "And prohibiting for them impure things" and said, "But you shall not squander resources, even with the slightest squandering. Indeed, the squanderers are the brethren of Satan. And Satan has been most ungrateful to his Lord." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Every intoxicant is just like wine and every intoxicant is prohibited." [Reported by Abu Dawoud and judged as authentic by al-Albani]

The Second Aspect: Advice

General advice: We advise all Muslims to fear Allah, to hold fast to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet, to repent to Allah from all sins and wrongdoings, to unite on the word of truth, to beware against inclining toward disbelievers, apostates, and disbelieving organizations, and to stay away from the places of the disbelievers and the assemblies and gatherings of the apostates and keep away from dealing with them, since the mujahideen target such enemies.

The Almighty Allah said, "As for those whose souls the angels take while they are wronging themselves, the angels will say to them: In what state of faith were you during your life? They will say: We were utterly helpless in the land. The angels will say: ‘Was Allah’s earth not spacious enough for you to migrate in and move away from unbelief? It is these, then, whose final abode shall be hell -- and what an evil destination it is!

Exempted are the truly helpless among the men and women and children, who have no means to avoid their oppression, and no means to find a way out," and said, "Nor shall you incline to those who do wrong, for then the fire of hell shall consume you. Moreover, you shall not have apart from Allah any patron, for then you will not be helped by Allah."

Aisha is reported to have said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "An army will attempt to invade the Kabah. When they come to a wilderness, the earth will be caused to sink with the first and last of them." She said, "I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, how will the earth be caused to sink with the first and the last of them, though there will be among them those who do not belong to them?!" He said: "The earth will be caused to sink with the first and the last of them and then they will be resurrected in accordance with their intentions." [Reported by al-Bukhary and Muslims and others]

Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: The Almighty Allah will destroy the army, including those coerced and those who are not, that intended to violate His sacred house, though He is able to distinguish between them; then He will resurrect them in accordance with their intention. How then can it be obligatory of a believer to distinguish between those who are coerced and those who are not, though they cannot know this?! Rather, if one claims that he was coerced to go forth, this mere claim does not benefit him. Al-Abbas ibn Abdulmuttablib is reported to have said to the Prophet when Muslims took him as prisoner of war in the Battle of Badr, "O Messenger of Allah, I was forced to go forth." He said, "Apparently you were against us, but your intention is known to Allah." Even if they happen to include righteous persons of the best people and they cannot be fought except through killing these persons, they may be killed as well." [Majmu` al-Fatawa 28/536]

We warn the lay people against being deceived by the fatwas issued by wicked scholars, who give fatwas in favor of the enemies.

Special advice: We advise the leadership of the Muslim fighters who strive in the cause of Allah to fear the Almighty Allah, and to stay away from committing large sins, and from constantly committing minor sins, and from such worldly interests and personal desires that weakened some Islamic groups before them. We also advise them to fear Allah with regard to their subjects, to be lenient with them, and to be keen to achieve what benefits them and keep away what causes harm to them in both their worldly and Hereafter affairs.

We also warn against all that may open door for criticism and spread doubts.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "No man becomes in charge of ten or more persons except that he will come to the Almighty Allah on the Day of Resurrection with hands yoked to his neck. His righteousness will release him and his sinfulness will ruin him. Thus its leadership's beginning is full of blame, its middle is sorrowful, and its end is disgraceful on the Day of Resurrection." [Reported Ahmad and judged as authentic by al-Albani]

We advise our brothers, the eminent scholars, to fear Allah in secret as well as in public; to fulfill their obligation and play their role in saving the nation; to uphold the truth and support it and give advice in its cause; to encourage the nation to spend charitably and fight in the cause of Allah; to reply to the doubts raised concerning jihad and mujahideen; and to take the stances of a true scholar at times of turmoil.

We also give special advice to those scholars who were deceived by the enemies of Muslim nations to fear Allah, and return to the guided way, to wake up from their unmindfulness, and not to sell the covenant

of Allah for a small price.

The Almighty Allah said, "As for those who sell the covenant of Allah and their oaths for a small price, they shall not have any share [of Paradise] in the Hereafter. Nor shall Allah speak to them! Nor shall He [even] look at them on the Day of Resurrection! Nor shall He purify them [of their sins]! Rather, there shall be for them a most painful torment awaiting" [2:77] and said, "As to those who suppress the clear evidences [of divine revelation] and its guidance that we have sent down in the Scripture, after we had made it clear for all people - it is they whom Allah shall curse, and who shall be cursed by whoever is entitled to curse - except for those of them who repent, and set things right, and make evident [what they had formerly suppressed]. It is to these that I grant repentance; for I alone am the All-Relenting, the Mercy-Giving." [2:159-60]

The Third Aspect: Suggestions

1. We suggest the establishment of a scholarly committee to shoulder the responsibility of issuing fatwas, and correcting the mistakes that took place.

2. We advise that measures need to be taken to prevent the desertification caused by deforestation.

3. Paying attention to the dangerous effect of sorcerers, fortune tellers and warlocks

4. We suggest changing the name of the Mujahedeen Youth Movement (al-Shabab) to be the Islamic Emirate.

Finally: Public Call

Scholars call upon all Muslims, wherever they may be, to provide help for their Muslim brothers in Somalia, whose lands were invaded by the aggressive crusading enemies including Ethiopians, Kenyans, Ugandans, Burundians, and others who helped, funded, and armed them. We call upon all the Somali people in particular to rise up to defend their religion, their country and their honor against the crusaders and their supporters.

The Almighty Allah said, "But if they seek your help [against persecution] in religion, then help is incumbent upon you, except against a people wherein there is a covenant between them and you. And Allah is all-seeing of all that you do." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "The likeness of the believers in their mutual love, mercy and compassion is that of the body. When one part of it is in pain, the rest of the body responds to it through restlessness and fever." [Reported by al-Bukhary and Muslim]

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says, "There is no one who lets a Muslim down in a situation where his honor is violated, and his rights are violated, but Allah will let him down in a situation where he would love to have His help; and there is no one who helps a Muslim in a situation where his honor and his rights are violated but Allah will support him in a situation where he would love to have His help." [Sheikh al-Albani judged it as quite authentic; see hadith no.5690 in Saheeh al-Jami` ]

Names of the Scholars Who Participated in the Conference

No. Name of the Sheikh Region1 Sheikh Abdul Qadir Muhammad Abdullah Lower

Shabelle2 Sheikh Ahmad Nour Ahmad Lower

Shabelle3 Sheikh Nour Ishaq Abdurrahman Lower

Shabelle4 Sheikh Ali Sheikh Hasan Muhammad Lower

Shabelle5 Sheikh Faysal Jami` Mahmoud Lower

Shabelle6 Sheikh Abdullah Abd Ibraheem Lower

Shabelle7 Amdam Muhammad Ali al-Sheikh Lower

Shabelle8 Sheikh Muhammad Jamal Sheikh Ieed Lower

Shabelle9 Sheikh Ahmad Umar Aba' Ahmad Lower

Shabelle10 Sheikh Amdam Muhammad Ali Lower

Shabelle11 Shiekh Abdullah Rabi Hasan Lower

Shabelle12 Sheikh Jami` Abdus Salam Warsmi Lower

Shabelle13 Sheikh Hasan Muhammad Takr Lower

Shabelle14 Sheikh Ishaq Mu`allam Hasan Mahmoud Hiiraan

15 Sheikh Yusuf Abd Amen Hiiraan16 Sheikh Umar Ali Abdullah Hiiraan17 Sheikh Nour Nabeel Ibraheem Hiiraan18 Sheikh Adam Abdullah Salah Hiiraan19 Sheikh Abdurrahman Ishaq Abd Hiiraan20 Sheikh Husayn Sheikh Alam Hiiraan21 Sheikh Muhammad Shareef Sheikh Ahmad Hiiraan22 Ahmad Abdullah Hasan al-Sheikh Hiiraan23 Sheikh Hasan Isma`eel Ali Geedo24 Sheikh Abdurrahman Deero Kinan Geedo25 Sheikh Abdurrahman Sheikh Hasan

Amdam Geedo

26 Sheikh Abdullah Ishaq Muhammad Geedo27 Sheikh Muhammad Bashshar Abdul

KareemGeedo

28 Sheikh Muhammad Warsami Murry Geedo29 Abdul Wahed Ishaq Mudy Juba30 Sheikh Muhammad Abd Hasan (Hamad) Juba31 Sheikh Ahmad Sheikh Ahmad (Seero) Juba32 Sheikh Abdul Azeez Hajj Ahmad (Shami) Juba33 Sheikh Abdun Naser Yousuf Abd Juba34 Sheikh Jarad Rabi Ahmad Juba35 Sheikh Abdurrahman Muhammad Husayn

(Firn)Juba

36 Sheikh Abdullah Abd Mahmoud Juba37 Sheikh Muhammad Ahmad Taher (Beli) Juba38 Sheikh Abdurrasheed Muhammad

MahmoudJuba

39 Sheikh Abdullah Nour al-Deen Juba

40 Sheikh Muhammad Bakistan Bay and Bakool

41 Sheikh Muhammad Hasan Husayn Bay and Bakool

42 Sheikh Abdullah Salah Bay and Bakool

43 Sheikh Idrees Muhammad Ibdo Bay and Bakool

44 Sheikh Ishaq Muhammad Ibraheem Bay and Bakool

45 Sheikh Abdullah Muhammad Taqni Bay and Bakool

46 Sheikh Husayn Mu`allim Abd Nour Muhammad

Bay and Bakool

47 Sheikh Ali Muhammad Abdurrahman Bay and Bakool

48 Sheikh Adam Muhammad Nour Bay and Bakool

49 Sheikh Adam Sheikh Sa`eed Bay and Bakool

50 Sheikh Abdullah Ibraheem Nour Bay and Bakool

51 Sheikh Mustafa Sheikh Ishaq Adam Bay and Bakool

52 Sheikh Ahmad Ameen Shaybah Bay and Bakool

53 Sheikh Yousuf Abu Bakr Jeedi Bay and Bakool

54 Sheikh Ya`qoub Mu`llim Muhammad Bay and Bakool

55 Sheikh Hasan Adam Ibraheem Bay and Bakool

56 Sheikh Hasan Abdurrahman Bay and Bakool

57 Sheikh Ibraheem Adam Taher Bay and Bakool

58 Sheikh Muhammad Mu`allim Hasan Bay and Bakool

59 Sheikh Hasan Muhammad Mahmoud Bay and Bakool

60 Sheikh Jamal Abdullah Hasan Bay and Bakool

61 Sheikh Abdullah Mu`allim Muhammad Nour Bay and Bakool

62 Sheikh Abdurrahman Hajj Ali Bay and Bakool

63 Sheikh Ali Mahmoud Bolo Galguduud64 Sheikh Abdul Qadir Ahmad Mahmoud Galguduud65 Sheikh Sa`eed Ahmad Abd Galguduud66 Sheikh Muhammd Butan Hili Galguduud67 Sheikh Muhammad Brou Mahmoud Lafouly 68 Sheikh Abdul Qadir Hasan Warsamah Lafouly69 Sheikh Ali Abdullah Abdel Lafouly70 Sheikh Adam Muallim Abdullah Mahmoud Lafouly71 Sheikh Muhammad Mahmoud Nour

(Ghouls)Lafouly

72 Sheikh Abu Zaynab Muallim Hasan Lafouly73 Sheikh Abdul Qadir Mumen Yousuf Lafouly