The sixteen ulema killed in Mosul for defending Christians

The sixteen ulema killed in Mosul for defending Christians, the Imam whipped in the streets and other stories of persecuted Muslims from the Islamic State

The fanatics of the Islamic State , after having settled in Mosul claiming the caliphate, have given way to a systematic persecution of Christians, which culminated in the expulsion of them from their homes. The highest institutional Church and international organizations have condemned this conduct, but how they reacted moderate Muslims? “It depends,” says a tempi.it Camille Eid, a Lebanese journalist and writer. “Some have protested paying with their lives, others have preferred to remain silent.”

Who opposed it?
First 16 Sunni Ulema who belong to Sufi brotherhoods of Mosul, the most spiritual branch of Islam. The news of their killing was released about a month after the capture of the city by the Islamic state (and according to the UN were killed between 12 and 14 June). Some of them were killed before they were even issued edicts against Christians because they had opposed radical interpretation of Islam followed by these terrorists. Among them are the imam of the Grand mosque in the city, Muhammad al-Mansuri, and that of the mosque of the Prophet Jonah, Abdel-Salam Muhammad.

Are there any others?
A law professor (who works in the department of Pedagogy of the University of Mosul, ed), Mahmoud Al ‘Asali, who rebelled against the acts of persecution against Christians. It was really brave. Others, perhaps, thought that these terrorists did not really mean it.

What?
Shaykh Muhammad Al Badrani, Sufi imam, received 70 lashes as punishment for repeated from the minaret of the mosque Al Kawthar praises “additional” to the Prophet before the appeal to prayer. He had been warned to stop, and maybe did not take them seriously. Then they dragged him to court and have shown that they do not joke. But have no trouble killing punish.

How do you explain these acts of great courage?
‘m not saying that Mosul has a history of coexistence ideal, but at least its pluralism has been known for centuries. It was a city with a composition of very diverse ethnic groups and religions. There were Christians, Syrians, Chaldeans, Armenians; Sunni Muslims, Shiite, Sunni Sufis, Yazidis. Then the Kurds, Turkmen and even a Jewish community until the fifties. The coexistence of these groups has produced a mutual tolerance and many were opposed to its destruction. Even the early Christians have been deceived, because the terrorists have given them the impression that if they remained calm they could continue to live in the city. It was not.

In Baghdad, we saw a small demonstration of support for the Muslim Christians.
was not an organized thing. These young Muslims who wished to express their solidarity with Christians writing on T-shirts, “I am Iraqi, I am a Christian,” and also “We are all Christians.” Then he turned into a Twitter campaign. This was a brilliant idea that responds to the request of the patriarch Sako, who invoked by Muslims concrete gestures of closeness, not words. He asked: where are you moderate Muslims?

The gesture of these Muslims is isolated?
Unfortunately most of the Muslims silent. I understand those who live in areas where it governs the Islamic state and that risk their lives. But I wonder: the grand imam of Al Azhar mosque in Egypt because they do not speak? What fear you have if you are in Cairo? Many do not speak against the crucifixions , the stonings and amputations because they already know what they would feel answer: you have not read the Koran? When terrorists commit such acts before mentioning the Koran. And this is a problem.

In places where it is setting up an Islamic state tries to teach the radical version of Islam against which opposed the Sufi imam?
Sure. A Raqqa , for example, are very picky with the accusations of polytheism and have papered the walls of the city (pictured right) with posters that show, “Who hangs an amulet [the rearview mirror of the car] commits polytheism.” There is also a team of women who patrol the streets, checking that no woman violates the strict dress code. Let’s say that they do their catechism.

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