CAIR: 100+ Muslim Scholars, Leaders to Issue Open Letter Refuting ISIS Ideology

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Wednesday, September 24, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), in cooperation with the Fiqh Council of North America, will hold a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to issue a first-of-its-kind open letter in Arabic by more than 100 international scholars of Islam and Muslim leaders offering a religious refutation of the extremist ideology of the terrorist group ISIS.

[NOTE: The Fiqh Council of North America is an association of legal scholars that interprets Islamic religious law. SEE: http://www.fiqhcouncil.org/ English translations of the open letter will be made available at the news conference. Once the open letter is issued, Muslim scholars and leaders worldwide will be asked to add their names as signatories.]

The open letter is a result of deliberations by dozens of experts on Islamic law and offers a point-by-point deconstruction of any religious justification for ISIS's brutal actions.

WHAT: Islamic Scholars, Leaders Offer Religious Refutation of ISIS Extremism

WHEN: Wednesday, September 24, Noon (EDT)

WHERE: Zenger Room, National Press Club, 13th Floor, National Press Building, 529 14th Street N.W., Washington, D.C.

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]

"This clear religious refutation of the anti-Islamic extremism and violence exhibited by ISIS should be read by those who falsely link the terror group's actions to Islam and by any Muslim who may view it as somehow representative of their faith," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. "This initiative is part of the worldwide effort countering violent extremism and can help dissuade young people from taking the path of radicalization." 

Video: CAIR-LA Says U.S. Mosques are Challenging Extremists' Message
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju5luAdcMEk
Video: CAIR-Texas Condemns ISIS Atrocities
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UUU5k5_z3w
Video: CAIR, Texas Muslims Denounce ISIS (Spanish)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ojwwwd8bA0

TIME magazine recently published a commentary by Awad in which he called ISIS anti-Islamic, and wrote:

"If we want to stop ISIS, we must deny it any claim to represent Islam and starve it of the fuel of injustice. It is up to our political leaders to take the lead through a comprehensive international strategy, not in the number of bombs that can be dropped, but in the establishment of the freedom and justice that will spell the end for ISIS and its ilk."

CAIR: ISIS Is Not Just Un-Islamic, It Is Anti-Islamic (Time)
http://time.com/3273873/stop-isis-islam/  

CAIR has repeatedly condemned the "un-Islamic and morally repugnant" violence and religious extremism of ISIS.

SEE: CAIR Condemns Killing of Journalist Steven Sotloff by 'Anti-Islamic' Terror Group ISIS
http://cair.com/press-center/press-releases/12637-cair-condemns-killing-of-journalist-steven-sotloff-by-terrorist-isis.html   

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations