Paktia clerics ask govt to establish official fatwa centre

GARDEZ (Pajhwok): Religious scholars in southeaste Paktia province on Thursday demanded the establishment of an official fatwa centre, Dar al-Ifta, in the country.

Religious scholar Mufti Attiqur Rahman Khalid told a gathering held in support of Afghan security forces here that the govement should establish a Dar al-Ifta in the country in order to enable Afghan scholars to issue fatwas in support of the govement.

He called for unity among the Afghans and said one of the reasons of the continued war in Afghanistan was the lack of a fatwa centre in the country, allowing figures outside of the country to easily issue improvised fatwas against the govement and the people of Afghanistan.

Ulema Council chairman Qari Khwajauddin Haqbayan condemned earlier remarks of a Pakistani cleric Maulana Samiul Haq, who called the insurgency in Afghanistan as legitimate.

“Islam doesn’t allow anyone to kill a Muslim,” Haqbayan said, adding the current war in Afghanistan had nothing to do with religion and Afghan clerics would continue supporting the national forces through sermons in mosques.

Paktia Goveor Nasrat Arsala asked Afghan security forces to reduce the gap between the people and the govement by properly behaving with people.

myn/ma