Fatwa against Hafiz Saeed, declaring him anti-Islamic

Bareilly (UP), Aug 18 (PTI) Islamic seminary of Barelvisect today issued a ‘fatwa’ (edict) against Mumbai terrorattacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed declaring him anti-Islamic. The ‘fatwa’ was issued against the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD)chief by Mufti Mohammed Saleem Barelvi, an Islamic seminary inBareilly in Uttar Pradesh. It dubbed Saeed, founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba whocarries a USD 10 million bounty on his head, as "outcast" fromIslam and declared those following him or considering asMuslim as "illegal". A ‘fatwa’ is a legal pronouncement in Islam which is givenby a mufti, a Muslim scholar of a recognised authority, who isan interpreter or expounder of Islamic law. The ruling came close on the heels of Saeed askingPakistan Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif to send troops toKashmir to "obey" the pending order of Pakistan founder M AJinnah. The ‘fatwa’ was issued by Manzar-e-Islam Saudagaran, aninstitution associated with Dargah Ala Hazrat, in a reply to aquestion asked by Mohd Moinuddin of Jaipur. It said Saeed has no connection with Islam. Moinuddin had mentioned in his query that Saeed consideredthose writing against Allah and Prophet Mohammad as Muslims.Besides, he publicised anti-religious ideology and points ofview and provoked people to create terror. He asked whether such a person should be considered asMuslim. In his ‘fatwa’, Mufti Saleem said that having any type ofconnection with persons working against the dignity of Allahand the Prophet was illegal and ‘haraam’, an act that isforbidden by Allah. It said since Saeed was having contacts with such persons,he has been outcast from Islam. It said that considering him as Muslim and listening tohis words was also illegal and prohibited. As per the fatwa, Saeed was a man with terrorist ideology,who with his acts has brought infamy to Islam and Muslimsacross the world. Therefore, it was compulsory for everyMuslim not to follow him and keep away from his ideology. Addressing a rally held under the banner of ‘DefenceCouncil of Pakistan’ in Karachi on Sunday, Saeed had claimed,"Kashmiris had announced before the partition that they wantedto remain with Pakistan. But after the partition, Indiaforcibly sent Army to Jammu and Kashmir. "On this Quaid-e-Azam, Mohammad Ali Jinnah ordered hiscommander-in-chief to respond by sending troops but he refused(to obey his orders). Now, I ask Gen Raheel Sharif to sendtroops in (Jammu and) Kashmir as Quaid-e-Azam’s order ispending," Saeed said. He said he was not asking for a war with India but they(Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Raheel) must form a strategyregarding the Kashmir issue. PTI COR AVA SMIZMN