Hataman: Ramadan is time to reflect on, correct wrong ideas on jihad

SUMISIP, Basilan — The governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has challenged extremist groups in the southern Philippines to reflect and correct their wrong beliefs on Islam during Ramadan, which will start this week.

 

ARMM Regional Gov. Mujiv Hataman dared the members of the Abu Sayyaf, Maute group, "lost commands" and other terror groups influenced by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

 

"I hope they will realize that what they believe (about jihad and terrorism) is not true, and what they do is not right because they will just harm themselves the more because of what they do. They are destroying the lives of others," Hataman said.

 

The Regional Darul Ifta' has declared May 25 as the start of the month-long period of Ramadan upon the moon sighting. However, other places will mark the start of Ramadan on the 26th or 27th of this month depending on the moon sighting.

 

The ulama (Muslim scholars) and imams (preachers) in the region said all able-bodied Muslims must reflect through fasting and abstinence during Ramadan.

 

The Regional Darul Ifta' issued a fatwa, or ruling, in 2015 that "terrorism and mischief cannot be accepted as synonyms for Jihad or one of struggle’s methods because our religion commands us to be compassionate to all beings in the land." 

 

The council said that "Islam cannot approve criminal and terrorist practices, because attacking innocent people, robbing their money unjustly taking their infallible lives, diffusion terror and fear in the hearts of the faithful persons is forbidden in Islam or in our Islamic law."

 

It said all Muslims should stay away from any criminal acts and must "help each other to inform the people of what is beneficial to achieve the security and stability in the community."

 

According to a piece on Muslim.org, "in a broader sense, jihad means striving to the utmost extent of one's ability and power by exerting oneself spiritually in the way of Allah and doing one's best to preach the message of Islam to others." It also said that jihad in the sense of actually fighting an enemy, "jihad means fighting only in self-defense, when the initiative of attack is taken by the other party."

 

Regional Gov. Hataman said the militants should seize the opportunity to amend their wrong beliefs about Islam.

 

Hataman said Ramadan is the best time for them to reflect on what they are doing because it is the most sacred period among all of the months.