RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s top religious body on Wednesday warned Muslims against joining militant groups, saying their “deviant doctrine” has no place in Islam.
The Council of Senior Ulema, a group of top Muslim scholars, said it was prohibited under Islamic sharia law to join the fighting.
It called for the prosecution of “inciters” involved in recruiting militants to join the conflicts in Iraq and Syria.
“Terrorism... has nothing to do with jihad (holy war) in the name of Allah. Islam has nothing to do with this deviant doctrine,” the council said in a statement. The council’s head, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz al Sheikh, last month branded al Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) extremist group “enemy number one” of Islam.
The religious council’s stance reflects the Saudi clerical community’s hostility towards IS militants, known for their brutality. IS fighters - already well established in Syria - have seized vast swathes of territory in neighbouring Iraq since June.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 18th, 2014.
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Never too late to mend as long as it is done with conviction and in a practical way;otherwise it is just a mouthful of empty words.
@Iron hand: "Should have made this statement 13 years ago."
Why 13 - why not 25 - in 1989 when jihadis were being pushed to India
Why is that Muslim clerics all over the world wake up very very late. We are sufferring terrorism for last 14-15 years and today Clerics realised it.
Secondly, by just simply saying and making dua is of no good. They need to do a lot more to remove extremism and terrorism from the society.
@Aziz: "When Saudi start feeling heat in its backyard, its Ulema call for the prosecution of “inciters” involved in recruiting militants to join the conflicts in Iraq and Syria saying their “deviant doctrine” has no place in Islam." Very well said Aziz. The biggest exporters of deviant doctrine and terror world over have sudden change of heart you know why? Reason is plain and simple it is the emergence of ISIS (Islamic State) and the emergence of Caliph that has shaken their slumber. Once the shadows are growing over Kingship see how the philosophy has changed. First thing they must stop pumping money for what they are doing in other countries.
Saudi Clerk needs to condemn those Saudi's who have funded the Madrassas and other hate factories around the World.
Females are very much capable of that. 50% of Pakistan population is consist of female. We can also use this potential.
Should have made this statement 13 years ago.
Too Late. Now they are left with no option but to join the fight against them. The reason: their Kingdoms Or rather Rule is threatened !!!.
When Saudi start feeling heat in its backyard, its Ulema call for the prosecution of “inciters” involved in recruiting militants to join the conflicts in Iraq and Syria saying their “deviant doctrine” has no place in Islam. But when its in somebody else's backyard like Pakistan or Afghanistan it becomes ''Halal'' and they finance it. Its nothing but duplicity.
A Saudi cleric saying that.........this should be a good one for all stand up comedians.
A Saudi cleric saying that.........this should a good one for all stand up comedians.
Western world and advanced European countries need to know about it because they consider Islam a terrorist religion by seeing the handful extremists' most especially importantly Taliban's apparent attitude based on extremism.Majority of the world's muslims know it very well and strongly believe that Islam is a peaceful religion but the advanced and Western countries see the muslims don't read Islam.....
Since when did you come to know - the whole world has already become a victim of Saudi sponsor terrorism.