JAKARTA – Muslim scholars from three countries issued an edict Fridaysaying that violent extremism and terrorism, including suicide attacks, areagainst Islamic principles, in an effort to convince the Taliban to end itsviolence.
Seventy prominent Muslim scholars from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Indonesiaissued the fatwa, or edict, at a conference in Indonesia on ways to achievepeace and stability in Afghanistan.
Indonesian President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo, who opened the one-day meeting,stressed Indonesia’s commitment to helping build peace in the war-torncountry.
Jokowi said the conference was part of Indonesia’s efforts to encourage therole of Islamic clerics, or ulema, in promoting peace in Afghanistan.
“Through the voice of ulema, mainly from Afghanistan, Pakistan andIndonesia, presumably the spirit of brotherhood for peace in Afghanistancan be strengthened,” Jokowi said.
“Ulema are the agent of peace … they have the power to form the face ofpeaceful people,” Jokowi said.
He expressed hope that the conference could contribute concretely to peacein Afghanistan.
In a declaration, the scholars said Islam was a religion of peace anddenounced all kinds of violent extremism and terrorism.
“We reaffirm that violence and terrorism cannot and should not beassociated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group, asviolent extremism and terrorism in all its forms and manifestationincluding violence against civilians and suicide attacks are against theholy principles of Islam,” the declaration said.
The Taliban urged Islamic clerics to boycott the Bogor conference andwarned Afghan clerics, “Do not afford an opportunity to the invadinginfidels in Afghanistan to misuse your name and participation in thisconference as means of attaining their malicious objective.”
The conference at the presidential palace in Bogor, a West Java town on theoutskirts of Jakarta, was organized by the Indonesian Ulema Council. -Agencies