Damage by ISIL comparable to Prophet Mohammad cartoons, says head of Turkish Diyanet

Damage done by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants is comparable to that wrought by "Islamophobic" drawers of "intolerable cartoons," Mehmet Görmez, head of the Turkish Religious Affairs (Diyanet), has said, without using the name of the French satire magazine that was targeted in a deadly attack. 

"Today, the damage caused the networks, distant from any belief, reason and wisdom, who engrave the name [of God] on their so-called flags is no less than the [damage caused by] cartoons -intolerable by any means- by the pioneers of Islamophobia," said Görmez on Dec. 21 in his message on Mawlid an-Nabi, the Islamic anniversary of the birthday of Prophet Mohammad, which is on the night of Dec. 22 this year. 

ISIL's flag has God written on their black flag. 

Two gunmen forced their way into the Paris headquarters of Charlie Hebdo on Jan. 7 and opened fire, killing twelve staff, after the magazine published a cartoon of Islam's prophet. 

Muslims are the ones to present Prophet Mohammad's guidance to the whole world, Görmez said. 

"However, I regret to say that the biggest problem of Muslims today is that they have lost the status of being an example and cannot deservedly represent of our prophet's message of grace and mercy," he said. 

The whole geography of Muslims is witnessing one of the hardest periods in history, he added. 

Görmez wished the Mawlid would bring grace, mercy, peace, abundance and health to the country, nation and the whole world.

In Photos: US defense chief visits ?ncirlik base as part of tour to boost regional support against ISIL

In photos: Turkey commemorates Rumi with 'Night of Union' ceremony in Konya

Pictures released by the Armed Forces depict...