Posted by Yahya (yahyaottawa@gmail.com) at 5:40 PM Wednesday, March 3, 2010

A prominent Islamic scholar denounced terrorism in London, England, yesterday, issuing a fatwa he hopes will persuade young Muslims to turn their backs on extremism.

Dr. Tahir ul-Qadri said there were no "ifs or buts" about terrorism, adding he wanted to convey the message that acts of terrorism cut people off as true followers of Islam.

"They can't claim that their suicide bombings are martyrdom operations and that they become the heroes of the Muslim Umma [the wider Muslim community]. No, they become heroes of hellfire, and they are leading towards hellfire," he said. "There is no place for any martyrdom and their act is never, ever to be considered jihad."

Yesterday's event in London was publicized by the Quilliam Foundation, a government-funded anti-extremism think-tank, and Dr. Qadri addressed an audience that included London's Metropolitan Police, lawmakers and officials from charitable organizations.

His 600-page fatwa was an "absolute" condemnation of terrorism without "any excuses or pretexts." Read more...