CALGARY – A Calgary imam is leading the charge to create the world’s first formal Islamic edict condemning Islamic State militants.
Imam Syed Soharwardy, the head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada, created the edict which condemns radicalization and recruitment for ISIS.
Muslims around the world have long been condemning ISIS, but this is the first time there will be an official fatwa – or collective document – stating so.
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A total of 38 imams and Islamic scholars from across Canada have signed it.
Soharwardy has been a vocal critic of terrorist groups like ISIS that have recruited Canadians.
He says the fatwa is important to show that Muslims are taking a stand against terrorism.
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“There are very clearly defined criteria in Islam that any individual or group of individuals cannot do certain things,” explained Soharwardy. “We have provided evidence that ISIL and ISIS have done those things, which is completely forbidden and conceded as major sin.”
“Their war is not jihad, it is pure terrorism and it’s a crime in the eyes of Islam and it’s crime in the eyes of the law of the world.”
The Islamic State, or ISIS, is fighting in Iraq and Syria to establish an extremist version of a Muslim state.
Soharwardy says there were two imams who didn’t sign the edict, not because they didn’t support it, but because they fear for their safety.
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