Fatwa council blacklists Isis, says those killed not martyrs
The National Fatwa Council has blacklisted the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (Isis) militant group in a bid to stop Malaysians from joining the war in Syria and Iraq.
Its chairman, Tan Sri Dr Abd Shukor Hussin (pic, right), said the move was aimed at preventing Malaysian Muslims from being influenced by the terrorist organisation, which claims to be fighting under the banner of jihad, or holy war.
“We will discuss further (the steps to blacklist the militants). Our focus right now is to arrest, to discourage and to issue a fatwa making it haram (prohibited) to join Isis militants,” he was quoted as saying by Malay-language newspaper Berita Harian today.
“Muslims are advised not to be influenced by Isis because the move spreads chaos in the country and among Muslims. This is because those who are killing and being killed are Muslims."
Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said those who were killed in the war in Syria and Iraq were not martyred.
“After discussing this and bringing forward research findings as well as arguments based on clerics’ decrees, we have concluded that (deaths in) Isis’s battle in the name of jihad are futile and those killed will not be called martyrs,” said Jamil Khir.
He said it was inaccurate to say that they were fighting for jihad, adding that such deaths were a waste.
“In the name of jihad, people are influenced and willing to die because they think they will become martyred, when in fact their deaths are futile,” he said.
On September 14, former PAS member Lotfi Ariffin died in Syria from injuries suffered while fighting alongside Isis forces.
Lotfi had reportedly been with a group of Malaysian Isis fighters when they were caught in an ambush by forces loyal to Syrian President, Bashar Al-Assad.
Several PAS leaders have regarded Lotfi as martyr.
Perak PAS's Ulama wing paid tribute to Lotfi during the party’s annual muktamar, while PAS central committee member Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz declared Lotfi a martyr who had sacrificed his life for Isis.
Bukit Aman’s Counter-Terrorism Division has so far arrested 22 suspected Malaysian militants since April 28.
Putrajaya had also announced it would fight Isis and prevent Malaysians from joining its ranks. – October 24, 2014.
