Muslims Should Band Together and Rise Against the Menace of ISIS as One People– Not As Shias and Sunnis, Salafis and Sufis

Jan 17, 2019

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want to discuss two issues in this section of the essay. One, how has Muslim leadership rejected ISIS and revealed its religious and political roots as insufficient. Second, because the ISIS problem has already been well studied, and ISIS allegations have been debunked, what will Kashmir ‘s Muslim leadership do? How best will they react to end the ISIS threat and rise up against the wave of sectarian hate and Islamic abuse, rooted in conventional misunderstandings and misinterpretations? The piece draws from two well-researched primary source papers, a letter from respected Muslim scholars around the world to Baghdadi, and Shaykh Muhammad Al Yaqoubi’s fatwa against ISIS.

There were some religious figures in the early stages of ISIS in 2014 who were enthusiastic about the revival of the Khilafah. An example would be Maulana Salman Nadwi ‘s letter of appreciation, which is causing concern, even in Indian intelligence circles. It must be noted that Imam Salman Nadwi has admitted in less than a year that he was wrong to support a party without knowing anything about them. Upon seeing the ISIS mayhem created in Iraq and Syria he rejected ISIS and its ideology and openly acknowledged that the ISIS terror was breeding is the root cause of the collapse of Muslim unity.

ISIS has been immensely effective in fostering a deep-rooted fear of Islam and Muslims in the world, particularly in the West, generating unparalleled Islamophobia and attacks on Muslims living in the West. Considering the severity of the situation and as a show of international unity against ISIS ‘s affiliation with Islam, a strong rejection of the organization and its ideology was required. This culminated in an open letter to Al Baghdadi, signed by leading Islamic scholars from around the world. This letter is in several languages available online and is open for endorsement. While many Muslims remain unaware of this very important document, it needs to be widely circulated, particularly with those who want to understand why ISIS is a solely anti-Islam base. A public approval of this letter will be the first step for Kashmiri religious leadership.

Al Baghdadi is advised in this letter to abstain from issuing Fatwas, as he does not hold any authority. He was told that his Fatwas are a misrepresentation of the Quran and Hadith which justifies wrong acts and attributes them falsely to Islam. Certain warnings included that the killing of innocents, killing emissaries, ambassadors, negotiators, journalists and relief workers is prohibited in Islam. The letter told the leader of ISIS that war-making in Islam is only appropriate for defensive purposes; it is forbidden in Islam to label people non-Muslims; it is forbidden to mistreat or injure Christians or any “Men of the Book;” it is forbidden to reintroduce slavery; it is forbidden to deny women their rights; it is forbidden to compel people to convert; it is forbidden to enforce legal punishments without following the proper processes that guarantee freedom and fairness. The seventy-six-page dossier addresses all the issues of concern in a thorough manner and clearly states that ISIS is actually on the wrong road and all Muslims will condemn it.

The other very important response came from Shaykh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi in the form of a book called, Refuting ISIS, which he calls as a detailed fatwa of “fighting the Khawarij generally and ISIS specifically.” Shaykh Yaqoubi, one of the world’s influential Muslims, goes so far as to say that for Muslims there is a duty to stand against ISIS and “destroying its religious foundations and proving that it has strayed from Islam and that fighting it is an obligation.” He is also very clear that ISIS in no way represents Sunni Islam and it is important to reject falsely equating ISIS with mainstream Muslim position. In a detailed and systematic way, with lengthy proofs, Shaykh Yaqoubi concludes that “ISIS’ actions are in complete contradiction to the Shariah, that their claims to be a Caliphate are invalid, and that fighting against them is a legal obligation for those in the region in order to dismantle their criminal entity.” This fatwa also condemns the “fanciful notions of Jihad” that delude youth, especially youth who feel oppressed for one reason or another. Such a delusion is rooted in this dream of establishing an Islamic caliphate in every corner of the world, an impracticality rooted in false claims. Every argument presented in this fatwa is from the Quran, the Sunnah, and legal rulings. In his response, the Yaqoubi follows the published proofs of ISIS ideology in their book entitled, Informing Mankind of the Emergence of the Islamic State.

Shaykh Yaqoubi states that one of the primary intentions of the book is to “educate and rescue innocent young men and women who are deceived into travelling from various countries to join ISIS. They come with idealized dreams of an Islamic state that are abruptly shattered when they behold a contemptible gang of criminals.” Since the most vulnerable population in Kashmir prone to fall prey to ISIS’ ideology is the youth, it is important that the youth educate themselves. Kashmir’s religious leaders should use logical Quranic arguments and rulings presented in this fatwa to refute the distortions and misinterpretations that are misleading some Kashmiri youth. Every preacher should be delivering a sermon on this very urgent matter. A copy of the Arabic version of Shaykh Yaqoubi’s book can be found free online and an English version is available for purchase on Amazon. For those who engage in sloganeering or flag-waving without even understanding the real association with the dangerous ideology of ISIS, it is time to pause and rethink. Shaykh Yaqoubi concludes: “Islam disavows ISIS. The Messenger of Allah (saws) disavows ISIS, the scholars disavow ISIS.”

Aside from the religious arguments against ISIS, in Kashmir, as in the rest of the Muslim world, it is necessary to pay attention to the suspicions surrounding this group, its supporters, its alliances, and its objectives. Who is behind ISIS in Kashmir? How hard is it to unmask the masked faces that are hell-bent on destroying the fabric of the community with their Takfiri ideology? Why is it sparking Sunni/Shia divide in Kashmir? There is enough evidence in the recent activities in Kashmir that there are strategists with nefarious designs behind the whole ISIS game. Their aim is to malign the struggle of Kashmiris and to lump it into the worldwide hype of “terrorism.” For the transgressors who participate in this deviant group, Islam is a mere facade. Their main goal is to defame Islam and to tarnish the struggle for justice and freedom in Kashmir, and elsewhere in the world. It is time to wake up and educate, engage and act, against any elements that tear apart the community and sow seeds of hate, and breed violence.

The main victims of the mayhem caused by ISIS have been other Muslims. To end these dirty wars supported by external forces, Muslims must inform themselves and embrace the reality of the ongoing crisis. Muslims should band together and rise against the menace of ISIS as one people– not as Shias and Sunnis, Salafis and Sufis. For those who blame Islam for every act of aggression and violence, it is important to remember what the Quran teaches:

“Whoever kills a person (unjustly)… it is as though he has killed all mankind. And whoever saves a life, it is as though he has saved all mankind- Quran (5:32)

Dr Idrisa Pandit is an interdisciplinary studies scholar who writes on issues of Islam, women, and the Kashmir conflict.

By Idrisa Pandit