Are Suicide Bombings OK?

I present excerpts from the Fatwas of some of the most prominent Islamic scholars who were/are among the senior scholars of Saudi Arabia.

Sheikh Bin Baz:

"As for someone killing himself by booby-trapping his body with explosives, thereby killing others and himself, this is wrong and completely impermissible. Rather, he should fight alongside the Muslims only when fighting is legitimately legislated. As for the actions of (some of) the Palestinians (and others today), they are wrong and produce no benefit. Instead, they must call to Allah by teaching, guiding, and advising and not by such actions as these."

Source: Taken from the cassette Fatawaa Al-'Ulamaa Fil-Jihad.

Sheikh Saleh Al-Uthaymeen:

"My opinion on this is that it is nothing but suicide and that such a person could be punished in Hell just as has been authentically reported from the Prophet... I believe there's no excuse for someone to commit a crime like this during our time because it's a disreputable, modern-day form of suicide that's become widespread among people... And most of these people want nothing more than revenge on their enemies no matter how they achieve it – whether by permissible or forbidden means. They want nothing but to relieve their thirst for revenge."

– Taken from Ad-Da'wah magazine (issue no. 1598, 2/28/1418 Hijrah which corresponds to 7/3/1997). Translated by Abu Az-Zubayr Harrison

Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan:

"Those people who carry out these kinds of acts assuming they are calling to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, they themselves are in need of being called back to (Islam and need to be educated about it)! How could someone be promoting Islam among people while at the same time carrying out explosions and acts of destruction? This is not calling to Islam and propagation. Instead, it's deterrence and repelling (people from Islam).

Did the Prophet propagate the religion this way? When he was in Makkah, was there even a single day that he or his companions destroyed anything or carried out any act of devastation? Of course not, he did the very opposite; he used to call (people)to his Lord with wisdom and good preaching, requesting the people to join and assist him in this. He never carried out any destructive acts among people because this harms the Muslims the most."

Source: From the cassette Fatawa of Ulama on the happenings that took place in the east of Riyadh - (1424 Hijrah / 2004 CE)

Sheikh Abdul Muhsin Al-Obaykan:

"Referring to these types of acts as 'martyrdom' is an untruth and totally incorrect. What is correct is that they're nothing but acts of suicide and of murdering people without rightful cause."

Source: From a recorded meeting with the Sheikh prepared by Muhammad Al-Husayn.

Source: Islamic_Group