Pakistan Muslim Scholars Declare Attack On Minor Girl Un-Islamic

Islamabad, Oct 13, IRNA – A group of Pakistani religious scholars have declared as un-Islamic Taliban’s attack on children’s rights activist Malala Yousafzai. A total of 50 scholars issued a ‘fatwa’ or religious decree in the eastern city of Lahore which said that the Taliban’s interpretation of Islam was incorrect and was deviant from the actual interpretation of the Islamic Shariah. The edict said that Taliban were misguided and their mindset was driven by ignorance. “Islam does not stop women from acquiring education and by attacking Malala the Taliban have crossed the limits of Islam,” the fatwa added. “Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) had regarded the sanctity of Muslim’s life and property more important than the sanctity of the ‘Kaaba’ (sacred Muslim place),” the fatwa stated, adding that “Murder of one innocent human being is equivalent to murder of entire humanity.” The Islamic ruling added that United States is the enemy of Islam and Pakistan; any kind of cooperation with the U.S. is not in compliance with the Shariah. In response to Taliban’s interpretation of killing females for the greater good of the religion, the scholars said that Islam discourages killing of the females. Adding that, they said, “Even apostate women are not allowed to be killed in Islam.” The assassination attempt on the life of the young National Peace Award winner has prompted widespread condemnation from the government, political parties and civil society groups, terming it a bid to silent voice for peace and education. Pakistani Taliban had claimed responsibility for the attack and said Malala had been involved in what they called anti-Islam and anti-Taliban campaign. TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan had argued that it is “not just allowed … but obligatory in Islam” to kill such a person involved “in leading a campaign against Shariah and (who) tries to involve whole community in such campaign, and that personality becomes a symbol of anti-Shariah campaign.” Malala had received appreciation world over for her courage to write on another name against the Taliban excesses in her Swat valley until the security forces killed and expelled many of them during an operation in 2009./end