By Feridoun Fathi
In an exclusive interview with IRNA here, Ms Sadia Dehlvi said: “Nothing defames Islam more than ISIS using the image of Prophet Muhammad’s seal on their flag. This is worse than cartoons or writings that attack core Islamic values.”
Calling upon all Muslims to declare ISIS as a non-Muslim organization to prevent the Muslim youths from joining the terrorist group, she said: “Cornered, Muslims are defining themselves in terms of “who we are not”, rather than “who we are”. If we proclaim that terrorists are not Muslims, we replicate their way, for they declare Muslims who don’t believe in their ideology as non-Muslims and kill them.”
Emphasizing the need for exposing the true face of ISIS, the Sufi writer said: “Millions of Muslims gather against blasphemous media depictions and for the religious congregations. When similar numbers are not seen protesting against ISIS it is time to recognize the serious problems with mainstream Islamic discourse.”
Condemning the terrorist groups for misusing the word Jihad, Ms Dehlvi said: “Terrorists have already hijacked the word “jihad”, a beautiful word, with multiple meanings, once best defined as the struggle against the self to purify the soul of spiritual maladies.”
“ISIS is selectively quoting the Quran to justify its inhuman acts, ignoring its totalitarian wisdom that explicitly orders to repel evil with good and abhors those spreading social strife that violates an atmosphere of peace.”
Accusing the terrorist groups for misguiding the Muslims, she said: “Groups like ISIS sell Muslims the dream of returning to some imagined ideal Islamic state, suggesting that Islamic history has failed and they are here to correct it.”
Terming Islam as a progressive faith, Ms Dehlvi said: “Islamic civilization has witnessed a glorious history powered by cultural diversities of largely non-Arab Muslim communities. It created literary, scientific, architectural, philosophical and cultural marvels, which fuelled the Renaissance, carrying its light to Europe.”
Warring the Muslim youths of the terrorist groups misleading propaganda, the seasoned writer said: “Hypocrites and terrorists reject modernity, but use its fruits such as modern weaponry and the internet to propagate their diseased ideology. If not watchful, ISIS, Al-Qaida, Boko Haram, Taliban, and their like will push Muslims into the Dark Ages, when unlike Islam, Christianity had serious problems reconciling with science and reason.”
