ISIL’s actions have no place in Islam, Turkey’s top cleric Mehmet Görmez says

The jihadist militants who have been committing atrocities in the name of Islam cannot belong to the faith, Turkey’s top cleric has declared, while also voicing his desire to visit the Gaza Strip together with religious scholars when conditions permit.

“When pronouncing the name of these kinds of formations, please abbreviate. Use the abbreviated names because its long name has a very sacred and a very holy name like Islam,” said Mehmet Görmez, the head of the Directorate for Religious Affairs (Diyanet), speaking at a press conference on Aug. 19.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which has been responsible for atrocities across northern Iraq and Syria, recently renamed itself the Islamic State (IS).

Tens of thousands of Yazidis have fled their ancient homeland of Sinjar in northern Iraq and other villages to escape a dramatic push by the militants, who regard the ethnic minority as devil worshippers. According to Görmez, such incidents cannot be explained through concepts belonging to Islam’s own history and civilization or concepts from the Quran.

“These can only be explained maybe through words and concepts of medicine and psychiatry. They are societal [sicknesses] which are formed by combining injured consciences and fatal identities with ignorance under the shadow of insanity and violence. It is not possible to find these [sicknesses] in Islam or in any sect of Islam,” he added.

“What Islam outlined is sustaining their lives like everybody and as equal citizens, their freedom to live their faith and that they do have the same rights and responsibilities like any citizen. Understandings and views other than this are alien for religion and Islam,” said...