Several top leaders of radical Islamist platform Hefazat-e-Islam and teachers of its Hathazari Madrasa in Chittagong have signed on to an initiative of 100,000 clerics issuing a fatwa against militancy.
Fatwa committee chief Maulana Md Fariduddin Masud, also the Imam of Sholakia Mosque, said that they had already collected around 15,000 signatures since January 2. He said that they would also collect signatures of scholars engaged with various political parties.
Twelve Hefazat leaders including its Secretary General Junaid Babunagari and some teachers including chief mufti Abdus Salam of Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam, also known as Hathazari Madrasa, signed the fatwa recently, sources said.
The platform’s organising secretary, however, alleged that Maulana Masud had collected their signatures tactfully. Maulana Azizul Huq Islamabadi said that Hefazat had always been vocal against militancy.
“Maulana Masud tactfully collected signatures from the Hefazat leaders during the Ijtema. He did not make it clear that it was part of his campaign,” he alleged.
Qawmi madrasa-based Hefazat came to limelight in 2013 by placing their 13-point demands that include the formulation of anti-blasphemy law after youths launched an unprecedented movement at Shahbagh demanding death penalty for all war criminals, most of who are from Jamaat-e-Islami. Hefazat leaders also termed the incumbent government a patroniser of atheists.
Since the Hefazat movement, over a dozen secular activists, writers, publishers and teachers were attacked – many of them killed – by religious extremists and militant groups.
At a recent Islamic conference in Chittagong, Hefazat chief Shah Ahmed Shafi said they were also against militancy and violence, but that their fight against the atheists would continue.
The anti-militancy fatwa involving 11 questions explains the relevant verses of the Qur’an and the Hadiths to discourage extremism and militant activities in the country.
Some 500 scholars present at Jamia Ikra of Khilgaon signed the fatwa on the inaugural day. The organisers will take signatures from female scholars too.
Maulana Masud hoped that they would be able to complete collecting the signatures by February. They had sent letters to all mosques, madrasas and religion-based political parties urging them sign the fatwa, which would be sent to the president of the state, the prime minister, the chief justice, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the United Nations among others.
Maulana Masud alleged that Jamaat-Shibir had instigated militancy in the country. A seven-member committee is working to collect the signatures.
The initiative was taken after the police chief held series of meetings with Islamic scholars in December where they discussed ways to combat militant activities. A similar fatwa was issued by 1,000 Islamic scholars of India which says Islam is against terrorism, but Islamic State militant group is inciting terrorism.
Also the secretary general of Jamaat-e-Ulema, Maulana Masud said they were trying to collect signatures from all Muslim scholars including Shia, Sunni or Ahle Hadith followers.
“Islam does not support terrorism and militancy. Provoked by an international group, a certain quarter in the country is trying to encourage the youths in militant activities. If we can collect the signatures of 1,00,000 scholars, the world will know that Islam has nothing to do with militancy. It will also improve the image of the country,” he said.