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Sunday, 07 September 2014 00:00
The Grand Mufti warned all people, particularly youth, from heeding the calls issued by the group.
CAIRO – After branding the so-called Islamic State as enemy number one of Islam, Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Sheikh has urged Muslims to take up arms against the militant group’s members as aggressors who abuse people’s lives, possessions and honor.
“This group is wrong, not right, and if they fight Muslims, it is the duty of Muslims to fight them back to ward off their evil and keep it away from religion and people,” the Grand Mufti was quoted Saudi daily Al Eqtisadiya on Sunday, September 7.
“They are evil and they have been killing people in a horribly gruesome manner. Through their macabre and repugnant acts, they have tarnished the image of Islam,” he said as he answered a question on the religious significance of taking up arms against the movement.
Militants from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) have been widely condemned by Muslims worldwide who staged several protests to express anger against the terrorist group.
The bitter condemnation followed the release of a video on Tuesday purportedly showing American journalist Steven Sotloff beheaded by the militants.
It was the second such beheading in the past week, following that of the British journalist James Foley by the same group.
The Grand Mufti warned all people, particularly youth, from heeding the calls issued by the group.
“Anyone who incites you to hate your country or to target your people and leaders is cheating you and wants to debase you, not to help you,” he said.
Sheikh Abdul Aziz added that the young Saudi men were particularly targeted.
“We need to protect our youth as well as their minds from evil corruption and blight that no Muslim would tolerate,” he said.
A few days ago, Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh condemned Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State jihadists as “enemy number one” of Islam.
Earlier this month, Egypt’s Grand Mufti Shawqi Allam had condemned the militants for atrocities they have been perpetrating in the countries and their violation of principles and teachings preached by Islam.
India Sunni and Shiite Muslims have united against the rise of ISIL, asserting that the actions of destroying holy sites, supporting sectarianism and divisions between Muslim groups cannot be attributed to a true Islamic state.
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia’s largest Islamic group has condemned ISIL, urging the government to take firmer action against the possible spread of the movement in Indonesia.
The Islamic Student Union (HMI) has also condemned Indonesian Muslims condoning and adhering to ISIL’s ideology.
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