Religious scholars who attended the international forum on ISIS organized by the Rojava Strategic Research Center (Navenda Rojava a Lekolinen Stratejik-NRLS) said fighting ISIS in the military area alone is not enough and ideological struggle is important.

Speaking to ANF, the scholars said they embrace the democratic Islam ideology against radical Islam and added that the democratic Islam philosophy manifest in Northern and Eastern Syria is an updated Medina Convention.

“RELIGION EXISTS TO SERVE THE PEOPLE”

Forum participant Democratic Islam Congress Chairperson Mihemed Reshid Xerzani said all religions exist to serve people and added that religion must before all make people happy: “It is not enough to fight ISIS in the military arena, we must fight against these people with True Islam too. We must first say; all religions exist to serve the people. Religions exist so believers and non-believers life in peace and happiness. In other words, for a democratic society.”

DUTY OF RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS

Xerzani said the ideology of ISIS is the greatest exploitation of religion: “Looking at ISIS, we see that we are facing an ideology where religion is being exploited. ISIS is still present in the region and elsewhere in the military, political and ideological sense. Like there is a fight against ISIS in the military area, it is our duty as religious scholars to lead the religious and ideological fight. I call on all religious scholars to speak to society about the true Islam, the democratic Islam. Because it is only possible to fight this dark ideology with democratic Islam.”

MEDINA ISLAM

Another participant, Northern and Eastern Syrian Democratic Islam Congress Deputy Chairperson Ebdurrehman Bedirxan said they base themselves on the Medina Islam: “Our prophet lived Islam on a democratic foundation there. But looking to those who act in the name of Islam today, we see that they have harmed both Islam and society the worst.”

PROPOSAL OF “DEMOCRATIC ISLAM AGAINST A DARK IDEOLOGY”

“We are working to put forth the true essence of Islam with the idea of democratic Islam as presented to us by Leader Abdullah Ocalan as we continue to fight against this dark idea in Northern and Eastern Syria in particular,” said Mele Bedirxan and continued: “We consider the updating and implementation of he Medina Convention to be an important gateway for the solution to all issues in the region.”