Pakistan ulema council condemns IS group
The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) said the IS group, which has declared a "caliphate" in areas it controls in Iraq and Syria, was violating Islamic teaching.
The movement, also known as ISIS, has committed widespread atrocities in territory under its rule, including mass executions, beheadings and forcing women and girls into slavery.
"Islam and Muslims cannot support the killing of innocent people and destruction of their properties at the hands of the ISIS," the PUC said in a statement.
"The PUC... appeals to people and youth in Islamic countries to not cooperate with any violent group whose teachings or actions are against the teachings of Islam and Prophet Muhammad,” it added.
The PUC call comes as fears grow in Pakistan that the violent call of the IS group could find recruits among the country's myriad of militant groups.
Pakistan has suffered years of bloody attacks at the hands of homegrown militants, many linked to al Qaeda.
Leaflets supporting the IS organisation have been seen in some parts of the northwest, the heartland of groups like the Pakistani Taliban.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) vowed earlier this month to send fighters to support IS militants but stopped short of pledging allegiance to the organisation's leader.
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Thus explicit communication from religious heads will indeed sway a lot of people away from such fanaticism . Many more such loud publicized announcements r the need of the hour .
Both of you make good points @Dr.Terwari & @Zaki about Islam but you missed by a great margin why more entities like the PUC are not speaking up. There has to be a ground movement to call out these people who are determined to change the face of Islam as a non tolerant religion. Take the anti-blasphemy law in Pakistan what have we done to correct this unjust law that threatens minorities living in Pakistan. Take that these terror fanatics have a substantial support from many Pakistanis that have allowed their feelings of the West to cloud their thinking. More religious elders need to scream from the rooftops that the true spirit of Isla will not tolerate the wide effort to harm other Muslims. The Shia-Suni conflict needs to have a timeout till then the reign of terror will continue.
@ Zaki......may ALLAH (SWT) bless you brother !!!
@Dr.A.K.Tewari: Sir, you mentioned "outdated religious rituals" so let me tell you that Islam is a religion for all years and none of its ritual can be outdated. Those who link terrorism with Islam are on the wrong track. Islam has no place for terrorism. May be you are talking about the human made rituals which has no link with true Islam.
And yes you are right that efforts are urgently needed to let the world know about true Islam but let me tell you that all Europe and America know very well about Islam/Pakistan otherwise they wouldn't have allowed Muslim/Pakistani visitors, immigrants in their country. And not only allowing them but they are getting good jobs and good reputation in the society.
Infact, more than the rest of the world, Muslims need to learn the true spirit of Islam. Once we start acting upon the teachings of beloved Muhammad S.A.W then we will see a drastic change..... May Allah help us!!
it is said Islam is a religion of peace . This identity of Islam is now far away from the present ground realities Efforts are urgently needed to give a clear image of the religion to the rest of the world . Such declaration on the part of religious personality in this regard could be useful in removing the distoeted image of the religion but enough is still required . Particularly to wipe out some outdated religious rituals that encourages spirit of terrorism .