IS’ cause is barbarism, not jihad, says Jakim

Last Friday's sermon called on Malaysians to reject the militant group and to work for peace.

KUALA LUMPUR: The jihad being carried out by the Islamic State (IS) extremists is barbaric murder, said the Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) in the sermon it prepared for last Friday.

This came in the wake of the government’s official condemnation of the war being carried out by IS militants in Syria and Iraq.

The sermon called on Muslims to be careful of falling into the same trap of misinterpreting the meaning of jihad the way the IS militants had.

“We must not become Muslims who bring onto Islam a bad name,” it said.

“What is certain is that Islam condemns all forms of excesses in war and is geared towards peace and universalism.”

The sermon emphasized the importance of tolerance towards differences in religion, culture, race, politics, ideology, and so on.

“One of the most important things that will contribute to this situation is the upholding of peace,” it said.
Prime Minister Najib Razak has previously in a statement already condemned IS actions in the Middle East, saying that the militants’ actions ran counter to the Islamic faith and culture.

“They are against the teachings of the Prophet, a man of peace and of moderation,” he said.

“We do not recognise the vision of our faith being forced over innocent civilians, whether Sunni, Shia or Christian, over the barrel of a gun.”

A number of Malaysians have left the country to join IS as jihadists fighting the Syrian forces of President Bashar al-Assad, with six Malaysians so far being reported to have died in the conflict.

The latest to have fallen in battle is militant Abdul Samad Shukry Mohamad, 55, also known as Abu Aisyah, who died after sustaining injuries five months ago in a bombing attack by Assad forces.

Police recently arrested a 14-year-old girl from Muar who intended to join the IS movement in Syria, along with the man who funded her trip.

The girl is the youngest IS suspect held by police so far. She was found with a passport and a Cairo-bound one-way ticket, having planned to fly to Egypt before slipping into Syria.