Indian Muslims against ISIS: After fatwas against terror, Muslims take to streets, launch major campaign

First, there were fatwas against terrorism and ISIS.

Now, Indian Muslims have taken to the streets, to raise their voice against the outfit.

The photograph on the left, shows Muslim girls raising slogans against self-styled 'Islamic State'.

This is not a lone protest. It is part of a campaign. The reason is that many Muslims now increasingly feel that just condemning ISIS is not enough, but there is need to go to the street and say it, strongly, so that the message goes out.

Specially, in the wake of arrests of Muslim youths on suspicion of links with extremist groups, the Muslim community has decided to come out strongly and raise their voice.

Muslims in general are disgusted by the acts of groups like 'Islamic State', which is also known as 'Daaesh', ISIS or ISIL. Also, with media reports continuously giving wide coverage to inhuman acts of ISIS, community is deeply concerned.

The complexities of the situation in Syria and other countries of Middle East aren't clear to everyone.

However, the manner in which ISIS has been executing people and using Islamic symbols, distorting the message of the religion, has disturbed Muslims.

Earlier, over 1,000 Muslim religious heads, clerics and scholars had issued a joint fatwa, denouncing ISIS.

It termed the activities of the militia is inhuman and against the teachings of Islam. A copy of the text was sent to United Nations (UNO) too.

READ: 1,050 Muslim scholars' fatwa against ISIS

Now, a big campaign has been launched. It will mostly focus in Western part of India, where there are reports of many Muslim youths getting indoctrinated and affected by ISIS' propaganda.

Mumbai-based Sahas Foundation and Urdu Markaz are jointly organising the campaign. The aim is that parents also take care that the children don't get astray. A report about this campaign is published in Times of India (link below).

READ: 'Muslims against ISIS' campaign in India

1,050 Muslim clerics' fatwa against ISIS: Indian Muslims' religious leaders had taken stand, condemned ISIS much before Paris attacks

Though acts of self-styled Islamic State [or ISIS] have been termed un-Islamic and repeatedly condemned by majority of Muslims, the Paris attacks have once again brought focus on IS.

On social media, Muslims have been clearly saying that ISIS doesn't represent Islam, at all.

There is also a feeling that Muslims should come out and condemn, though the fact is that Muslims are not just condemning ISIS, but on ground too it is large number of Muslims who are fighting it.

Also, Muslims are also the biggest victims of ISIS' atrocities, not just in Syria, Iraq and adjoining countries but also because of the Islamophobia that is generated by these acts. But these aspects don't get as much publicity.

In fact, much before the recent terrorist attack in France, Indian Muslim clerics had taken the unprecedented step, and 1,050 Muslim clerics had issued a fatwa, collectively, against the ISIS and had termed its acts as un-Islamic.

These 1,050 Muslim clergymen include Muftis, Qazis, Imams, Maulanas and Religious scholars. They included Jama Masjid heads, representatives of leading Islamic seminaries, institutions, organisations, sajjada-nasheens and influential Sufi shrines.

They had jointly signed this fatwa against ISIS, its leader and its fighters. It was a huge fatwa that tackled the issue point wise and exhaustively. One wished that it had got the due attention, it deserved, across the world. 

The Ulama had said that ISIS was an enemy of Islam. It was sent to United Nations (UN) general secretary Ban Ki Moon. The document's text said that ISIS actions were inhuman, it was involved in mass killings and was absolutely against the basic tenets of Islam.

See links

*1,000 Muslim clerics sign fatwa against ISIS. Huffington post report
*Over 1,000 Muslim clerics issue biggest fatwa against ISIS. New Indian Express
*Indian Muslims fatwa against ISIS' fanaticism, religious extremism. Wall Street Journal
*US welcomes Indian clerics' fatwa against ISIS. Read
*Muslim leaders issue fatwa against ISIS. Read

*Video report about Indian Muslim clergy against ISIS. Report

[Also, see post on why Islamic clergy across the world should call ISIS' bluff and its claims about being Islamic, need to declare it outside the pale of Islam. READ]

Paris attacks: Islamic clergy must loudly denounce ISIS, clearly say that IS acts are outside the pale of Islam

Self-styled 'Islamic State' or ISIS has struck once again--killing nearly 140 persons in Paris.

The attacks have outraged the world. Muslims across the globe are are also angry.

ISIS is not just involved in terrorism, wanton killings and bloodshed but it is also defaming Islam and Muslims.

Most Muslims were clearly shocked at the terror attacks in France and condemned ISIS' acts. 

However, there were some tweets and Facebook status messages about how 'killings by ISIS in Beirut and Baghdad this week were not splashed in the media".

There were messages like how the cycle of violence has been going on--West intrudes in Middle East and forces regime changes and in process these countries are forced into civil war in which thousands are killed.

Also, about how extremist groups get help from Western countries. The conversation goes to 'oil'، the great game and even how, media gives disproportionate coverage to events in Paris or England, compared to Africa, Asia or Middle East.

1. ...a lot of it may be correct, but the harsh reality is that ISIS or ISIL or 'Islamic State' is involved in evil acts, genocide, mass killings and acts of terror. And, unfortunately, the 'i' in IS stands for 'Islamic'. We can't erase it.

2. Saying things like, 'When X doesn't condemn for act by Y, why should I do it?', are fine for sake of arguments. The reality is that a very wrong message is going to the world, especially, the ordinary people.

3. We may say that it has nothing to do with Islam and talk of who made it and what it does, but the fact is that it operates in Islamic regions, runs a state, claims to have a Caliphate, raises 'Islamic flag', claims to give punishments to people as per 'Sharia laws'.

4. ISIS claims to be Muslim and hence we must loudly say, that they are NOT. Some Muslims are in a habit of saying that particular countries in the West support(ed) these groups or go about propounding theories about Zionists leading them but the conspiracy theories are to delude themselves. There are definitely Muslims in extremist groups and they are all  hurting Islam terribly.

Even if you believe [like some more knowledgeable friends] that it was US attack on Iraq-Afghanistan which led to this cycle of violence and media doesn't show lakhs dead in these countries and it is 'biased media coverage', even then what are you doing it to tackle the situation, smartly, or show that Muslim world is the real sufferer? At least, do something worthwhile to change the image. If innocents are killed at one place, it doesn't mean innocents can be killed elsewhere as revenge. There is no justification to killing in our faith. It is terrorism, which is against Islamic teachings. So why not a collective fatwa against ISIS! 

5. Either it is the ISIS than can erase this 'i' in their name, else, the Islamic world must strongly denounce this organisation. Muslim clergy must unitedly condemn and clearly say that ISIS is un-Islamic and its acts make it outside the pale of Islam.

6. The clerics of Saudi Arabia and Islamic countries must say it loud and clear. It should be said strongly, so that there is no doubt left in the minds of anyone and those who are its supporters on the ground, should realise that it is not Islamic and is an organisation contrary to teachings of our religion and a group which is destroying Islamic societies and defaming the faith.

7. When terror attacks were going on in India on a regular basis, Indian Muslim clerics strongly issued 'fatwas', hired an entire train and held huge public conferences to declare that 'Terrorism is un-Islamic'.

8. Indian Muslims had even refused to give place to Ajmal Amir Kasab for burial in any graveyard in Mumbai. It is an age of mass media and the message needs to be sent across. Saying it in mosques is not sufficient, you must inform non-Muslims too that ISIS doesn't represent us.

9. Fortunately, India, despite a huge Muslim population, has seen less radicalisation and the country has come out of the phase. Such incidents are now history.

10. ISIS, Al Qaeda and other such groups have done incalculable harm to Muslims. Time for Muslim clerics the world over to stand up, take a very strong stand, and issue a 'fatwa' unitedly, declaring ISIS as a bunch of criminals, terrorists and imposters, who are NOT MUSLIMS.

Down with you ISIS.