Source: Jihad Watch, By Robert Spencer, March 1, 2026
When Shirazi says that “revenge is the religious duty of all Muslims worldwide,” he is reflecting Islamic theology. His statement recalls the classic Islamic theological distinction that jihad is an obligation on the community as a whole (fard kifaya), and an individual is released from it if others are taking it up, but can only be called by the caliph. When, however, a non-Muslim force attacks a Muslim land, so-called defensive jihad becomes the individual obligation of every Muslim (fard ‘ayn), rather than a collective obligation of the entire umma, and need not be declared by anyone.
“Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi declares jihad against US and Israel,” News.am, March 1, 2026:
Prominent Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi has declared jihad against the United States and Israel following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mehr News Agency reports.
“Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi stated that avenging the blood of the martyred leader is a religious duty for Muslims around the world,” the Iranian outlet wrote….
“Iran declares jihad against US, Israel,” by Khagan Isayev, Caliber, March 1, 2026:
…“The people of Iran and the Islamic world thirst for revenge for the blood of the innocent slain leader of the revolution,” Tasnim news agency quotes him as saying.
“The main perpetrators of this crime are the arrogant U.S. government and the malicious Zionist regime, and revenge is the religious duty of all Muslims worldwide to eradicate the evil of these criminals from the world,” Shirazi said.
