Canadian Imams and Muslim scholars have issued a 'fatwa' against the Islamic State group condemning the jihadist group's activities.
Canadian Imams and Muslim scholars have issued a 'fatwa' against the Islamic State group condemning the jihadist group's activities.Reuters

There is nothing Islamic about Islamic State (Isis), rather its actions are 'pure terrorism', according to a 'fatwa' issued by Canadian Imams and Muslim scholars.

In the fatwa signed by 38 scholars and posted online, they said the Islamic State militants are "outsiders" to Islam and violating Muslim law. According to them, the Isis members or supporters are neither Muslims nor worthy of being trusted by fellow Muslims. 

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"They have been excommunicated from the Muslim community and those who will join them — they should be excommunicated from the Muslim community and they cannot be considered as Muslims at all," Imam Syed Soharwardy, who is the founder of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada and among the scholars who issued the fatwa said, according to The Canadian Press.

Soharwardy and the rest of the members are from various Canadian cities such as Vancouver, Montreal, Edmonton and Toronto and also represent different sects within Islam.

"It's significant for those individuals who understand the opinions of the scholars need to be followed and because our fatwa is based on the teachings of the holy Qur'an and the teachings of the Prophet," said Soharwardy.

"With evidence what kind of violations ISIL and ISIS has committed, that will put a lot of weight for people to be convinced that ISIL and ISIS is the wrong way to go," he added.

He also condemned Canadian and US policies in the Middle East as "unjust" and based on Islamophobia, but urged young Muslims not to be influenced by Isis, adding the group had violated Islamic law "in the most horrific and inhumane way."

"Their struggle cannot be an Islamic struggle and their war cannot be called 'Jihad'. Rather, it is pure terrorism and HARAAM (forbidden)," he said, according to AFP.

"We strongly urge every Muslim, especially the youth, not to be influenced by the speeches, songs and the literature available on the Internet or on social media produced by the impostors pretending to be Muslim," he concluded. "This is a trap for young Muslims," said Soharwardy.