Religious scholars and Islamic authorities have reiterated that the misuse of Quranic teachings to justify violence against innocent people and state institutions is contrary to the fundamental principles of Islam, following recent remarks attributed to the leader of Fitna al-Khawarij, Noor Wali Mehsud (KNW).
According to the statement, Noor Wali Mehsud allegedly cited Surah At-Tawbah (9:5) in a recent video while encouraging his followers to target members of Pakistan’s security forces and law enforcement agencies. The statement contends that the verse was presented outside its historical and textual context, despite its widely recognized association with a specific historical episode concerning treaty-breaking polytheists and not as a general command against Muslims.
The statement emphasizes that mainstream Islamic scholarship has consistently maintained that the Quran cannot be selectively interpreted to legitimize violence against innocent people or members of the Muslim community. It notes that removing Quranic verses from their historical context has long been rejected by recognized Islamic jurists and scholars.
Reaffirming Islam’s emphasis on the sanctity of human life, the statement cites Surah Al-Ma’idah (5:32), which declares that whoever unjustly kills an innocent person is as though he has killed all of humanity, while saving a single life is akin to saving all of mankind. It argues that this principle represents one of the foundational objectives of Islamic law and directly contradicts attempts to justify acts of terrorism through selective religious interpretations.
The statement further alleges that Noor Wali Mehsud has sought to portray Muslim soldiers, police personnel, Rangers, and other members of Pakistan’s law enforcement institutions as legitimate targets by employing doctrines of excommunication (takfir). It states that leading Islamic scholars have consistently rejected such ideology as an extremist deviation that has no basis in the authentic teachings of Islam.
Reference is also made to Paigham-e-Pakistan, the nationally endorsed religious decree supported by approximately 2,000 Pakistani religious scholars, which unequivocally declares terrorism, armed rebellion against the state, suicide attacks, takfir, and the killing of innocent individuals to be incompatible with Islamic teachings. The statement notes that the declaration represents a broad scholarly consensus aimed at countering extremist narratives and promoting peace, tolerance, and constitutional order.
The statement also cites Surah Al-Baqarah (2:190), which instructs believers to fight only those who wage war against them while prohibiting transgression and excess, emphasizing that Islam strictly regulates the use of force and forbids aggression against non-combatants and innocent individuals.
Drawing historical parallels, the statement argues that Noor Wali Mehsud’s methodology resembles that historically attributed to the Khawarij, a sect widely criticized in Islamic history for extracting Quranic verses from their proper context to justify rebellion, violence, and the killing of fellow Muslims. According to the statement, mainstream Islamic scholarship has long regarded such interpretive practices as a dangerous distortion of the religion.
The statement concludes by stressing that exposing the alleged misinterpretation of religious texts through scholarly engagement remains essential to safeguarding the true teachings of Islam and protecting society from extremist ideologies. It calls upon religious scholars, educational institutions, community leaders, and the wider public to continue promoting authentic Islamic scholarship rooted in moderation, justice, compassion, and respect for the sanctity of human life.
