DIOCESAN

SYNOD - 15.11.14

A Mainstream Islamic response

to the beliefs and prac5ces of
Islamic State
Imam Monawar Hussain
Muslim Tutor, Eton College
Founder, The Oxford Founda5on
www.theoxfordfounda5on.com

 Aims
What is Mainstream Islam?
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
Quran Hadith
Primary
Sources
of Islam

Imam Monawar Hussain

 Linguis5c

Su / Understanding
Tradi5onalist
Esoteric the Quran

Tradi5onalist
& Ra5onalist

Imam Monawar Hussain

 Islam

Hadith
of Jibril

Iman Ihsan
Imam Monawar Hussain
 Shahada

Hajj Salah

Islam

Zakah Sawm

Imam Monawar Hussain

 Belief in
Allah

Des5ny,
both the
His Angels
good and
evil

Iman
Day of His Revealed
Judgement Books

His
Messengers

Imam Monawar Hussain

 Doing that
Perfec5on which is
of Faith beau5ful

Ihsan

Imam Monawar Hussain

Historical unfolding of the dimension Islam

Usul al-Fiqh / Principles of Jurisprudence

Fiqh (Understanding) / Orthopraxis

Sunni Schools of Law /Shii Schools of Law

Imam Monawar Hussain
Iman Theology
Ilm al-Kalam
School of al-Ashari (d. 324
AH / 936 CE)
School of al-Maturidi (d.
333 AH / 944 CE)
Khawarij (late 7 century)
th

Imam Monawar Hussain

Ihsan Susm
Numerous Spiritual Orders
Naqshbandi
Qadari
Chish5
Shadhali
Mevlevi
Imam Monawar Hussain
 Extremist Theology
Interprets the Qurn literally.
They are selec5ve in the hadth they use.
Arbitrarily declare Muslims non-Muslim (Tak*r)
and therefore jus5fy killing civilians.
Jus5fy 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 Al.
Mainstream
responses
 Amman Message
The Amman Message started as a detailed
statement released on the eve of the 27th of
Ramadan 1425 AH / 9th November 2004 CE by
H.M. King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein in
Amman, Jordan. It sought to declare what
Islam is and what it is not, and what ac5ons
represent it and what ac5ons do not. Its goal
was to clarify to the modern world the true
nature of Islam.
Imam Monawar Hussain
 Amman Message - Three Ques5ons
(1) Who is a Muslim?

(2) Is it permissible to declare someone an

apostate (takr)?

(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 specically recognized the validity of all 8
Mathhabs (legal schools) of Sunni, Shi'a and Ibadhi
Islam; of tradi5onal Islamic Theology (Ash'arism); of
Islamic Mys5cism (Susm), and of true Sala thought,
and came to a precise deni5on of who is a Muslim.
Based upon this deni5on they forbade takr
(declara5ons of apostasy) between Muslims.
Based upon the Mathahib they set forth the subjec5ve
and objec5ve precondi5ons for the issuing of fatwas,
thereby exposing ignorant and illegi5mate edicts in the
name of Islam.
Imam Monawar Hussain
 Counter Narra5ve
OMPEP Equipping young people with the
arguments against extremist theology
The Open Leqer to IS
 Execu5ve Summary
It is forbidden in Islam to issue fatwas without all
the necessary learning requirements. Even then
fatwas must follow Islamic legal theory as
dened in the Classical texts. It is also forbidden
to cite a por5on of a verse from the Quranor
part of a verseto derive a ruling without
looking at everything that the Quran and Hadith
teach related to that maqer. In other words,
there are strict subjec5ve and objec5ve
prerequisites for fatwas, and one cannot cherry-
pick Quranic verses for legal arguments without
considering the en5re Quran and Hadith.
 Execu5ve Summary
I. It is forbidden in Islam to ignore the reality of
contemporary 5mes 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 - Chris5ans or any People of the
Book.
 Execu5ve Summary
It is obligatory to consider Yazidis as People of
the Scripture.
The re-introduc5on 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.
 Execu5ve Summary
It is forbidden in Islam to declare a caliphate
without consensus from all Muslims.