(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Muslim clerics widely denounced Islamist militants in Syria over the burning to death of a Jordanian pilot, saying such a form of killing was considered an abomination under Islam, no matter the justification.
Islamic State militants released a video on Tuesday appearing to show captured pilot Maaz Al Kassasbeh being burnt alive in a cage. Jordan responded by executing two Al Qaeda convicts on death row.
Egypt's top Muslim authority, the 1,000-year-old Al-Azhar University issued a statement expressing "deep anger over the lowly terrorist act" by what it called a "Satanic, terrorist" group. The Grand Sheikh of Al Azhar, Ahmed Al Tayeb (pictured), said the killers themselves deserved to be "killed, crucified or to have their limbs amputated".
In Qatar, the International Association of Muslim Scholars, headed by prominent cleric Yousuf Al Qaradawi called the burning of Kassasbeh a criminal act. "The Association asserts that this extremist organisation does not represent Islam in any way and its actions always harm Islam," it said.
The IS posted a religious edict on Twitter, which ruled that it is permissible in Islam to burn an infidel to death. However, senior clerics across the Islamic world argued that inflicting death by fire was always banned under Islam.
"The Prophet, peace be upon him, advised against burning people with fire," Sheikh Hussein bin Shu'ayb, head of the religious affairs department in southern Yemen, said. Saudi cleric Salman Al Odah wrote on his Twitter account: "Burning is an abominable crime rejected by Islamic law regardless of its causes. It is rejected whether it falls on an individual or a group or a people. Only God tortures by fire."
Even clerics sympathetic to the jihadist cause said the act would damage IS. "This weakens the popularity of Islamic State because we look at Islam as a religion of mercy and tolerance. Even in the heat of battle, a prisoner of war is given good treatment," said Abu Sayaf, a Jordanian cleric.
People across the Middle East expressed disgust. "This a criminal, barbaric act which has no place in Islam or humanity. Islam bears no responsibility for them and their claim to be an Islamic State is ridiculous," said Nawaf Al Dweik, 43, an engineer from Ramallah. "There should be a joint Arab force to go in and destroy these killers and be rid of them once and for all," he added.
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