Muslim cleric in Kerala issues fatwa against ISIS

A noted Muslim cleric in Kerala on Saturday issued a fatwa asking his community members to boycott the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and other terrorist organisations.

In his religious decree, general secretary of the All India Sunni Jam-e-yyathul Ulema Shaikh Abu Bakr Ahmad said favouring the extremist organisations was antithetical to the Islamic Shariah.

Harm to Islam

“The Muslim world is in dire need to take cognisance of the threats posed by the anti-Islamic outfits. The militant groups among Muslims are causing harm to Islam in the false garb of Islamists. Any support or endorsement to the extremist and terrorist organisations goes completely against the Islamic Shariah,” the Sunni-Sufi Islamic scholar said.

Stating that the ISIS or its self-proclaimed Khalifates do not represent Islam by any means, the fatwa said, “They are not just anti-Islamic but are enemies of humanity as well.”

“Their ruthless activities against people in Iraq and Syria are not meant for helping Muslims but to defame Islam. Their anti-Western interpretation of Islam is only aimed to serve their political agendas in the wider Muslim world.

“Supporting their activities through any means is forbidden according to the basic principles of Islam. I urge all the Muslims to condemn their activities and to pray for the people who suffer from their merciless activities,” it said.