Attacking Foreigners and Tourists: What Does the Sharia Say?

Every now and then, news outlets report attacks against tourists and foreigners in Muslim or non-Muslim countries.

What does Islam say about such attacks? Is it Islamically acceptable to target non-Muslim tourists and visitors of Muslim countries? What responsibilities do entry visas that are issued by Muslim countries embassies include? Do they effect protection of life and property? And what about the claims that the current Muslim rulers do not represent Muslims or respect Islam and accordingly they have no authority to issue such visas?

Muslim scholars repeatedly have often discussed the Islamic view on such attacks. They have refuted all the arguments advanced by the perpetrators of the crimes and have made it clear that such bombings would never be permitted in Islam. Rather, they are considered to be heinous crimes and flagrant violation to the pledge of security — given in the form of modern-day visas — granted to foreigners who enter Muslim countries.