One of Iran&rsquo;s most influential Shia clerics, Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, has issued a fatwa declaring former US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as "enemies of God," calling on Muslims worldwide to unite against them.
The religious edict, reported by Iranian media, accuses both leaders of endangering the Islamic Republic's leadership and sanctities, warning of divine punishment for their actions. "Any threat to the pillars of the Islamic system, including the Marja&rsquo;iyyat (religious authority) and the Supreme Leader, is strictly forbidden," Shirazi declared in his statement. "Defending them is not only a duty but violating this sanctity ranks among the gravest sins."
The fatwa further stated that any cooperation or assistance offered by Muslims or Islamic nations to Trump, Netanyahu, or their governments is considered "haram"&mdash;religiously forbidden. Shirazi urged Muslims to resist such "enemies" and ensure they "regret their words and actions."
The decree comes in the wake of escalating violence between Iran, Israel, and the United States. The latest conflict erupted on 13 June, after Israel launched a bombing campaign targeting Iranian military commanders and scientists allegedly linked to Tehran&rsquo;s nuclear programme&mdash;a charge Iran has consistently denied.
In retaliation, Iran fired ballistic missiles at Israeli cities. The hostilities intensified when the US joined Israeli forces to strike three Iranian nuclear sites, prompting Iran to retaliate with missile attacks on a US military base in Qatar.
Shirazi&rsquo;s fatwa brands any individual or regime that threatens Iran&rsquo;s Supreme Leader or religious authorities as a mohareb&mdash;a term used in Islamic law to describe those who "wage war against God." Under Iran&rsquo;s Islamic Penal Code, proven moharebs face severe punishments, including execution, crucifixion, limb amputation, or exile.
The cleric&rsquo;s statement added that Muslims who suffer losses while resisting such adversaries will be rewarded as mujahid fi sabilillah&mdash;fighters in the path of God. He also prayed for divine protection over the Islamic community and the hastening of the reappearance of the Mahdi, the prophesied redeemer in Shia Islam.
Fatwas calling for violence are not unprecedented in Iran. In 1989, the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a notorious decree against British author Salman Rushdie over his novel The Satanic Verses, deemed blasphemous by many Muslims. That fatwa forced Rushdie into hiding for years and was linked to several attacks, including the murder of his Japanese translator and assaults on the book&rsquo;s publishers.
A fatwa is a legal or religious ruling in Islam, typically issued by a Marja&mdash;the highest-ranking cleric in Twelver Shia Islam. Such decrees are considered binding for followers and often carry significant political and social weight within the Islamic world.

The fatwa declares any Muslim support for Trump, Netanyahu as haram (File Photo)

Grand Ayatollah’s decree urges global Muslim unity against US and Israeli leaders

Iran Issues Fatwa Naming Trump, Netanyahu ‘Enemies of God’

Grand Ayatollah’s decree urges global Muslim unity against US and Israeli leaders

June 30, 2025 | 14:20 IST