DIOCESAN SYNOD - 15.11.14

A Mainstream Islamic response to the beliefs and pracces of Islamic State

Imam Monawar Hussain Muslim Tutor, Eton College Founder, The Oxford Foundaon www.theoxfordfoundaon.com

Aims

• What is Mainstream ? • What is extremist theology? Al-Qaeda, Al— Shabab, IS, ISIL, 9/11,7/7, Pakistani/Afghani Taliban share the same theology. We can only defeat these groups if we can defeat the theology that underpins them. • Mainstream responses Qur’an Hadith

Primary Sources of Islam

© Monawar Hussain Linguisc

Sufi / Understanding Tradionalist Esoteric the Qur’an

Tradionalist & Raonalist

©Imam Monawar Hussain Islam

Hadith of Jibril Iman Ihsan

©Imam Monawar Hussain Shahada

Hajj Salah Islam

Zakah Sawm

©Imam Monawar Hussain Belief in Allah

Desny, both the His Angels good and evil Iman

Day of His Revealed Judgement Books

His Messengers

©Imam Monawar Hussain Doing that Perfecon which is of Faith beauful

Ihsan

©Imam Monawar Hussain Historical unfolding of the dimension ‘Islam’

Usul al- / Principles of Jurisprudence

Fiqh (Understanding) / Orthopraxis

Sunni Schools of Law /Shi’i Schools of Law

©Imam Monawar Hussain Iman AH / 936 CE) School of al- Ilm Theology Khawarij 333 AH / 944 CE) School of al- al- Kalam ©Imam Monawar Hussain (late 7 Ashari

th century) (d. 324 (d. Ihsan Mevlevi Shadhali Chish Qadari Naqshbandi Numerous Spiritual Orders Sufism

©Imam Monawar Hussain

Extremist Theology

• Interprets the Qur‘ān literally. • They are selecve in the hadīth they use. • Arbitrarily declare non-Muslim (Takr) and therefore jusfy killing civilians. • Jusfy rebellion against central Authority. • A Theology of Separateness - Separate themselves from the community of Muslims. • Khawarij (7th Century) were responsible for the murder of Caliph ‘Alī. Mainstream responses Message

• “The Amman Message started as a detailed statement released on the eve of the 27th of 1425 AH / 9th November 2004 CE by H.M. King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein in Amman, . It sought to declare what Islam is and what it is not, and what acons represent it and what acons do not. Its goal was to clarify to the modern world the true nature of Islam”.

©Imam Monawar Hussain Amman Message - Three Quesons

• (1) Who is a Muslim?

• (2) Is it permissible to declare someone an apostate (takfir)?

• (3) Who has the right to undertake issuing fatwas (legal rulings)?

©Imam Monawar Hussain Amman Message – Scholarly Consensus

• In 2005, 200 Islamic scholars from 50 countries came to the following consensus: • They specifically recognized the validity of all 8 Mathhabs (legal schools) of Sunni, Shi'a and Ibadhi Islam; of tradional Islamic Theology (Ash'arism); of Islamic Myscism (Sufism), and of true Salafi thought, and came to a precise definion of who is a Muslim. • Based upon this definion they forbade takfir (declaraons of apostasy) between Muslims. • Based upon the Mathahib they set forth the subjecve and objecve precondions for the issuing of fatwas, thereby exposing ignorant and illegimate edicts in the name of Islam. ©Imam Monawar Hussain Counter Narrave

• OMPEP – Equipping young people with the arguments against extremist theology • The Open Leer to IS Execuve Summary

• 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 poron 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 maer. In other words, there are strict subjecve and objecve prerequisites for fatwas, and one cannot ‘cherry- pick’ Qur’anic verses for legal arguments without considering the enre Qur’an and Hadith. Execuve Summary I. It is forbidden in Islam to ignore the reality of contemporary mes when deriving legal rulings. II. It is forbidden in Islam to kill the innocent. III. It is forbidden in Islam to kill emissaries, ambassadors, and diplomats; hence it is forbidden to kill journalists and aid workers. IV. It is forbidden in Islam to mistreat or harm- in any way - Chrisans or any ‘People of the Book.’ Execuve Summary

• It is obligatory to consider Yazidis as People of the Scripture. • The re-introducon of slavery is forbidden in Islam. It was abolished by universal consensus. • It is forbidden in Islam to force people to convert. • It is forbidden in Islam to deny women their rights. • It is forbidden in Islam to deny children their rights. Execuve Summary

• It is forbidden in Islam to declare a caliphate without consensus from all Muslims.