Da’ish is part of Israeli army, says grand mufti

The grand mufti of Saudi Arabia has dubbed the Islamic States, also known by its Arabic acronym Da’ish, is part of the Israeli army, scoffing at self-styled caliph Abu Bakr al Baghdadi’s recent threat against Israel as ‘a simple lie’.

Baghdadi threatening Israel in a voice recording released on Saturday had said: “Palestine will not be your land or your home, but it will be a graveyard for you."

In a telephonic interview with the Saudi Gazette, Sheikh Abdul Aziz al Sheikh said the newly formed 34-nation Islamic military alliance would defeat Da’ish.

“Da’ish fighters are doing a great disservice to Islam and Muslims,” he added.

“They cannot be considered as followers of Islam. They are rather an extension of the Kharijites, who revolted against the Islamic caliphate for the first time by labelling Muslims as infidels and permitting their bloodletting,” added the grand mufti, who also chairs the Senior Scholars’ Commission and Ifta Council.

Da’ish has established a self-styled caliphate over large swathes of land in Iraq and Syria.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2015.