ASHIS RAY
Mar 3, 2010, 12.30am IST

LONDON: Influential Pakistani Islamic scholar, Tahir ul-Qadri, on Tuesday issued a 600-page fatwa condemning terrorists and suicide bombers.

The fatwa is a point by point theological rebuttal to fanaticism of al-Qaida and its offshoots. "The reality is that whatever these terrorists are doing isn't martyrdom. All these activities are taking them to hellfire,'' Qadri said in a statement on Tuesday.

He said Islam forbids massacre of innocent citizens and described al-Qaida as "an old evil with a new name''. Policy-makers and security chiefs will follow the impact of the ruling with keen interest. "I'll say that 50% (of those prone to violence) will change their way, they will be influenced. Of the remaining 50% at least some of them, half of them, will become doubtful about their life, their terrorist activity,'' said Cambridge University Islamic Studies lecturer, Tim Winter, in his assessment to Sky News.

He said there have been similar fatwas in the past, but Qadri's edict had gone further than most. The influential scholar has been at the forefront of promoting peace and interfaith dialogue and heads an international religious and educational organisation Minhaj ul-Quran.