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The fatwa compares ISIL’s supporters and tactics with the “khawarij,” an Arabic word for “outsiders” that refers to a violent, heretic spinoff of Islam that emerged shortly after the religion’s 7th-century founding.

The letter cites a Hadith, a saying attributed to the Prophet Muhammad, warning that Islam will be distorted by people with “beautiful words but evil deeds” who “will leave the religion as an arrow leaves its target.”

Soharwardy, who estimates Canada has 1,000 imams, said he contacted “four or five” imams who also supported the letter but were afraid of reprisals for making their opposition to ISIL public.

“Some of them just refused to put their names, because of their safety,” said Soharwardy. “Because ISIL is a very dangerous organization. I have my safety concerns too. But, the thing is if we all said ‘I’m frightened by [ISIL],’ then who is going to do the right thing?”

Photo by Gavin Young / Calgary Herald

Wednesday’s fatwa was signed by 38 imams, with all but one located in Canada. The fatwa only mentions ISIL and not other violent groups Canadians have joined abroad, like al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra. Groups of imams have issued fatwas against ISIL in the past year in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the U.K.

Umear Riaz, an imam with the Dawat-e-Islami mosque in Castleridge, attended Wednesday’s fatwa publication to show his support.

“It is really hard because a lot of people ask questions, especially about this situation. A lot of people judge you in the same scenario because [ISIL] calls themselves Muslim and I’m a Muslim so they think everyone’s the same way,” Riaz said.