India’s first Sunni seminary issues fatwa against Islamic State

In response, the seminary issued a fatwa signed by its rector Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahli, Maulana Naeemur Rehman Siddiqui, apart from Maulana Mohammad Mushtaq and Maulana Mohammad Nasrullah.

The fatwa states that Islam does not permit killing of any innocent person. “Holy Quran mentions that killing of any person without reason is against humanity. It mentions that Allah dislikes war on land,” the fatwa says. It states that Prophet Mohammad too has appreciated those who pardon others and even Prophet’s companions, who took part in wars, always protected the religious places of others.

[related-post]

“In the light of the above teachings, there is no place for unholy acts of IS of killing innocents. It is totally un-Islamic,” said Mahli, who is also a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board.

“Those who commit atrocities do not get place in ‘jannat’ (heaven). I appeal to Indian Muslim youth not to join IS by getting impressed by its false propaganda,” Mahali said, adding that the fatwa will clear misconceptions about IS among Muslims.

Darul Uloom Nizamia Farangi Mahal is said to be founded nearly 300 years ago by Allama Nizamuddin Farangi Mahal who conceptualised the syllabus for madrasas in the country. The pattern of syllabus is still followed in leading seminaries including India’s biggest Darul Uloom, Deoband.

The fatwa comes after more than 1,000 Muslims clerics across country ratified and backed Mumbai-based cleric Mufti Manzar Hasan Khan Ashrafi Misbahi’s fatwa against the IS.