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Islamic Scholars Present An Open Letter To ISIS Leader Al-Baghdadi

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi
Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi

A consortium of one hundred and twenty Islamic Scholars have placed onto the internet an Open Letter to Islamic State (ISIS) leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi denouncing the organization’s violent and extremist actions in the Middle East. The letter, in the form of an interactive website, provides the world with an opportunity to read a perspective of the Islamic State’s affront to civilization from an academic analysis by scholars. The letter addresses the fundamental and basis in canon for disputing the claims of Al-Baghdadi that his is the only pure and legitimate form of Islam–refuting his claims of divine assent.

The original, in the Arabic, is presently being translated into other languages. The English is presently available.

There has been unfortunately much misconception in the Western World that there lacks true dissent to the terrorist outrages in the Muslim World.  This letter can serve a secondary goal to educate those in other cultures having concerns.

Here follows the contents of the Open Letter:

Executive Summary

  1. It is forbidden in Islam to issue fatwas without all the necessary learning requirements. Even then fatwas must follow Islamic legal theory as defined in the Classical texts. It is also forbidden to cite a portion of a verse from the Qur’an—or part of a verse—to derive a ruling without looking at everything that the Qur’an and Hadith teach related to that matter. In other words, there are strict subjective and objective prerequisites for fatwas,and one cannot ‘cherry-pick’ Qur’anic verses for legal arguments without considering the entire Qur’an and Hadith.
  2. It is forbidden in Islam to issue legal rulings about anything without mastery of the Arabic language.
  3. It is forbidden in Islam to oversimplify Shari’ah matters and ignore established Islamic sciences.
  4. It is permissible in Islam [for scholars] to differ on any matter, except those fundamentals of religion that all Muslims must know.
  5. It is forbidden in Islam to ignore the reality of contemporary times when deriving legal rulings.
  6. It is forbidden in Islam to kill the innocent.
  7. It is forbidden in Islam to kill emissaries, ambassadors, and diplomats; hence it is forbidden to kill journalists and aid workers.
  8. Jihad in Islam is defensive war. It is not permissible without the right cause, the right purpose and without the right rules of conduct.
  9. It is forbidden in Islam to declare people non-Muslim unless he (or she) openly declares disbelief.
  10. It is forbidden in Islam to harm or mistreat—in any way—Christians or any ‘People of the Scripture’.
  11. It is obligatory to consider Yazidis as People of the Scripture.
  12. The re-introduction of slavery is forbidden in Islam. It was abolished by universal consensus.
  13. It is forbidden in Islam to force people to convert.
  14. It is forbidden in Islam to deny women their rights.
  15. It is forbidden in Islam to deny children their rights.
  16. It is forbidden in Islam to enact legal punishments (hudud ) without following the correct procedures that ensure justice and mercy.
  17. It is forbidden in Islam to torture people.
  18. It is forbidden in Islam to disfigure the dead.
  19. It is forbidden in Islam to attribute evil acts to God.
  20. It is forbidden in Islam to destroy the graves and shrines of Prophets and Companions.
  21. Armed insurrection is forbidden in Islam for any reason other than clear disbelief by the ruler and not allowing people to pray.
  22. It is forbidden in Islam to declare a caliphate without consensus from all Muslims.
  23. Loyalty to one’s nation is permissible in Islam.
  24. After the death of the Prophet, Islam does not require anyone to emigrate anywhere.

You are invited to read the letter in its entirety. It may be found below. As an aid in navigation, click on the link for [Read The Letter] followed by page turning navigation arrows at the upper left of the screen.

http://www.lettertobaghdadi.com/

So far, the Facebook Page has over 103,000 Likes and growing–a welcome start.

By Darren Smith

The views expressed in this posting are the author’s alone and not those of the blog, the host, or other weekend bloggers. As an open forum, weekend bloggers post independently without pre-approval or review. Content and any displays or art are solely their decision and responsibility.

87 thoughts on “Islamic Scholars Present An Open Letter To ISIS Leader Al-Baghdadi”

  1. Jack,
    I’m sure the vilification the Middle East has had over the last Century hasn’t helped. Going on 14 years soon of perpetual war there… with a possible three year extension.
    Here’s a brief (cough) film explaining this history of misalignment by the film industry (aka Librul Hollywood). Multiply this effect by Hollywood by factors of Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Facebook, etc. coupled with late 20th Century ‘mass media’ (ABCNNBCBS&FOXNews) you get an array of ideas. So, the question I naturally have is this, How does the meme ‘Muslim terrorist’ gain traction with all those ideas being freely exchanged? Anyway, the film…

  2. Interesting p, sounds good at first blush but read more deeply. I actually don’t see a clear repudiation of ISIS.

    I look forward to seeing the entire letter. I will withhold my praise until I see actions to follow the words.

  3. This is wonderful. The best way to stop extremism is from within the Muslim community. Jordan was finally enraged and pledged death to ISIS when it tortured to death one of its own.

    If the Muslim nations in the Middle East firmly quashes extremism, and stands united with the rest of the world, the movement will not have the scope to run amuck. If they give tacit approval with their own “Death to America! Death to Israel!” chants, begun in elementary school, then such violent extremism rises.

    Look at how moving it is when the Muslim community stands up for peace. So much good can be done with a united front:

    http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/02/22/1000-people-join-in-muslim-ring-peace-outside-norway-synagogue/?intcmp=latestnews

  5. It is not enough that some scholars refute misinterpretations of the Koran. Muslims must take action to control their own. It is not our place to have to do so – it is theirs. I suggest the people of the US will be less skeptical when appropriate action is taken by those who do wrong in the name of their religion. We would.

  6. Where were these so-called scholars a dozen years ago?

    There is no “misconception” in the West that there has been a lack of “true dissent to the terrorist outrages” in the Muslim world. These “scholars” have simply been unwilling to translate and disseminate their message.

  8. po was kind enough to post this earlier today. My response is the same. Since ISIS wants to re-establish the caliphate, it is scaring the s**t out of the countries who are on the hit list.

  10. Hopefully all here know the letter is fine, but Muslims are going to have to pick up guns and bayonets and kill these ISIS savages.

  11. Nick,
    I too have posted such comments by Islamic Leaders and communities denouncing ISIS/IL. These voices are out there. We shouldn’t be asking where are they or why are they silent, we should be asking why are they being silenced, why are they being shuttered away.

    omanuel,
    Nicely put: Leaders inciting racial or religious violence in an order to maintain their delusion of control of the world. I’ve often opposed the mixing of Islam with terrorism, too. And have long questioned our “buy into” the appeal by our Western leaders that it is about Muslims around the world… President Obama’s speech the other day helped, I thought.

  12. “a welcome start”

    If people have the slightest self-awareness, Graham Fuller’s writings and comments should also be of note. ISIS didn’t spring from nothing.

  16. What century would that put them in? How long before they reach the Age of Enlightenment? Who knows, perhaps this entire process has a greater purpose to introduce/reintroduce inalienable rights as something worth securing.

  18. Damn! About time. Was this so freakin’ hard? But, the phrase “A day late and a dollar short” comes to mind. But, kudos to those involved in this letter. Hopefully they aren’t beheaded for it.

  19. http://judithcurry.com/2015/02/21/week-in-review-44/#comment-676778

    Fred Hoyle and Paul K. Kuroda left hints about the mysterious ending of WWII, and the birth of false models of energy in, and physical structure of neutron-rich cores of

    1. Heavy atoms like Uranium
    2. Gaseous planets like Jupiter
    3. Ordinary stars like the Sun
    4. Galaxies like the Milky Way

    https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/10640850/Solar_Energy_For_Review.pdf

    These errors obscured the force of creation – NEUTRON REPULSION – with unfounded claims:

    1. Science Disproves Religion
    2. A Standard Nuclear Model
    3. A Standard Climate Model
    4. A Standard Solar Model &
    5. Big Bang Cosmology . . .

    Conclusion: The AGW debate is over. The greatest threat to society’s now is arrogant scientists and politicians who cannot explain the data and will not admit they were wrong. The Sun made and sustains every atom, life and world in the entire solar system, including the climate of each planet and the heart-beat of every scientist and politician.

    May world leaders not be tempted to incite religious hatred or a “false flag” nuclear war to retain their delusion of control over the world!

  20. Thank you for your effort to prevent world leaders from inciting racial or religious violence in order to maintain their delusion of control of the world.

    I will try to find and post how falsehoods were used after 1945 to try to gain totalitarian control of the whole world.

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