PESHAWAR: Only the head of an Islamic country is entitled to declare jihad, and anyone involved in revolt against the state is required to be “crushed” in light of the principles of Islam.

Amid a surge in terrorist attacks, the significant announcement came in form of an edict which was issued on Monday with signatures of Khyber Pakhtun­khwa’s 16 religious scholars on it.

The clerics said that the head of the Islamic country will announce jihad since this is one of the basic components of the Islamic country.

“According to the teaching[s] of Islam, all the citizens of the Islamic country have to respect the law, and refusing to follow the Constitution [of the Islamic country] is prohibited according to the Shari’ah,” read the decree, a copy of which is available with Dawn.

Security personnel falling in fight against enemies of Muslim state are ‘martyrs’; obeying head of state termed compulsory

Protection of an Islamic country is the responsibility of all its citizens. “Since Pakistan is an Islamic State, there is no doubt that all, including the military and police deployed to defend the country, when killed in the battle against enemies, are martyrs,” the decree read.

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The decree noted that a so-called religious scholar in Islamabad as well as some enemies and some anti-state elements have been issuing provocative and controversial statements.

“Obeying [the directions issued by the] head of the State is compulsory under the Islamic principles and those refusing to follow, is [rising in] revolt,” the decree read, adding “it is compulsory for all the citizens to follow the head of the state and the Constitution”.

Anyone who took up arms against the state or the [Pakistani] armed forces would be considered an insurgent, it said, adding that such an act had been forbidden and anyone involved in revolt is required to be crushed in light of the principles of Islam.

According to the scholars, there is no doubt that the Western democracy is against the teachings of Islam. However, they added, ‘if someone declares the parliament’s decision submissive to the Holy Quran, he should not be called as misled’.

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The decree read that shaving the beard was forbidden in Islam but “it does not mean if somebody shaves the beard is a non-Muslim”, adding that once there was a time when wearing a tie and pants was considered dress of the Westerners but it had now become common among Muslims.

“No religious scholar has termed wearing a tie and pants against Islam and this is the reason why religious scholars have justified wearing pants at offices,” the 14-page edict read.

The decree has been signed by Shaikhul Hadis Maulana Qari Ehsanul Haq of Darul Uloom Sarhad, Mufti Subhanullah Jan from Madressah Darwesh Imdadul Uloom, Dr Maulana Ataur Rehman from Tafheemul Quran Mardan, Maulana Hussain Ahmad from Wifaqul Madaris Arabia, Maulana Dr Abdul Nasir from Tanzeemul Madaris Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mufti Mukhtarullah Haqqani and Maulana Salmanul Haq Haqqani from Jamia Daraul Uloom Akora Khattak, Chief Khateeb KP Maulana Tayyab Qureshi, provincial nazim of Tanzeemul Madaris Maulana Rehmatullah Qadri, Maulana Umar Bin Abdul Aziz from Wifaqul Madaris Aslafia, Allama Abid Hussain Shakiri from Jamia Arif-Al-Hussaini Peshawar, Mufti Mairajuddin Sarkani from Jamia Amania Peshawar, Mufti Raza Muhammad Haqqani from Jamia Taleemul Quran Peshawar, Mufti Khalid Usmani from Jamia Islamia Kohat, Mufti Shaikh Aizaj from Jamia Masjid Ahl-e-Hadis Fawara Chowk Peshawar and Maulana Abdul Karim from KP Ulema Council.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2023