Kerala Salafi leader shoots down IS cadre's order to wage war against non-believers in India

After an audio clip by terrorist organization Islamic State’s cadre Abdul Rashid Abdulla asking Muslims to wage war against non-believers in India was released, a Salafi organization in Kerala, Wisdom Global Islamic Mission, shot down the statement.

C P Saleem, convener of the Wisdom, released a video speech through Facebook live in which he said, “The verse Rashid quoted from Surah Al Baqarah actually appeared on war situation. He cleverly concealed the remaining section of the verse which speaks not to kill those who retreat from the battle."

"Another verse in the same chapter asks to fight those who have declared war against you. At the same time the verse cautions not to cross limits in war. It means not to attack women, children, the aged, places of worship of other religions and those who offer prayers there," he said.

The Times of India quoted him saying, “Quran has made it undoubtedly clear that there is no compulsion in religion."

"It is indeed a mockery to wage war in India where all sections of the people are living together in harmony. The verse in Quran that says 'kill the non-believers if you confront them where ever' should be understood against the background of war. An Indian solider will attack a Pakistani if he meets him on a war front. That doesn't mean that an Indian should kill a Pakistani wherever he confronts him," Saleem said.

Saleem says that Indian Muslims should follow the verses of the 60th chapter in Quran which asks Muslims to be friendly and to do good for people of other faith.

Saleem also responds to Rashid’s call to do hijra (migration) from India to the Islamic State. He says that the Islamic State has been unsuccessful in gaining ground and says that India is a place where  there is all freedom to practise all religions.