PETALING JAYA: The Fatwa Committee of the National Council for Islamic Affairs has declared the ideology being preached by the Islamic State (IS) as contradicting Islam, saying that those who join the terrorist organisation are “fighting in vain”.
The council said that the tendency of some Muslims to fight for IS in Syria stemmed from confusion and a lack of understanding on the concept of jihad and martyrdom.
“The call of jihad held by IS contradicts Islam and can lead to kufr (disbelief) because they permit the killing of fellow Muslims.
“Therefore, the council stresses that the actions of Muslims in Malaysia who have or wish to join IS in the name of jihad are fighting in vain as their struggle is not classified as jihad nor are their deaths categorised as martyrdom under Islamic law,” the committee said in a statement on the e-Fatwa portal on Sunday.
It advise Malaysians to seek awareness and not be easily influenced by the IS propaganda.
“Most Sunni scholars worldwide have reminded Muslims not to be influenced by IS due to their violent tendencies and their practice of apostatising those who do not share their beliefs, as well as permitting the shedding of their blood.
“They kill innocent people and drove the Christians and Yazidis from their land with so much brutality,” it added.
The committee made the ruling after convening for its 106th conference in October, where it discussed the issue of Malaysian Muslims fighting for IS in the Middle East.
Source: www.thestar.com.my
