Egypt: ISIS Religious Edicts Provoke Killing Christians
Policemen stand beside the microbus which carried Coptic Christians when gunmen opened fire (Reuters)
Cairo – Waleed Abdul-Rahman
A study conducted by the Global Fatwa Index showed that 100 percent of the religious edicts, or fatwas, issued by ISIS against Christians provoke violence against them.
Around 30 percent of ISIS religious edicts target Christians, revealed the study issued by the Global Fatwa Index, which is affiliated with Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah.
ISIS continuously issues fatwas that urge killing Christians, fighting them and demolishing their churches.
The Global Fatwa Index considered that religious edicts are a key weapon for terrorist groups which they use against anyone who oppose their views and creed. For these groups, those fatwas justify the killing of those who do not follow them, whether they are Christians or Muslims.
Sixty percent of the religious directives issued against Christians, globally, were by unofficial figures and parties. Ninety-five percent of them were illegal because they were issued by unauthorized parties that do not have a disciplined religious methodology.
Major edicts that led to conflicts and strife are: forbidding accepting gifts from Christians on their holidays, prohibiting congratulating them on these occasions and banning giving Christians a ride to church.
The study recommended expanding doctrinal discipline and establishing media channels to promote Quranic verses addressing non-Muslims. It also advised correcting the misconceptions of jihad and encouraging coexistence between Muslims and other communities.