A well-known Islamic scholar has launched an anti-Islamic State curriculum in London in what he says is a scholarly bid to fight extremism.
The cleric, Dr. Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri, who in 2010 announced a "Fatwa on Terrorism," said on Tuesday that he plans to use his educational program in mosques and schools across the U.K. to prevent young people from fleeing to Syria to join ISIS, Reuters reported.
His 900-page curriculum will reportedly explain how ISIS's form of Islamic extremism contradicts the religion.
It also "declares terrorists as disbelievers and condemns suicide bombers as destined for hellfire," said Shahid Mursaleen, a spokesperson for an organization that is promoting the scholar's effort, in an announcement.
Mursaleen added that the collection of text books and lectures will make up "arguably the most comprehensive curriculum against terrorism to date."
"We want to make clear that all activities being carried out by ISIS or any other terroristic and extremistic organization either in the name of God or religion or establishing any kind of Islamic state by acts of violence ... are totally in violation of the Koran and Islam," Qadri said in an interview with Reuters.
He added that he plans to use not only text curriculum, but also social media to spread counter-terrorism.
Minhaj-ul-Quaran, a non-governmental organization that works with UK Muslims to promote peace, urged those on Twitter to join a "Twitter Storm" to speak out against ISIS.
If your using twitter then join TwitterStorm #JihadAgainstISIS to send a clear message that we will not let them hijack #Islam.— Minhaj-ul-Quran (@MinhajulQuran) June 21, 2015
Others have started to use hashtags #JihadAgainstISIS and #AntiTerrorCurriculum to help promote the launch of the new curriculum and support the mission.
Islam on Love and Non-Violence has been launched at @MQIUK Curriculum launch #JihadAgainstISIS #AntiTerrorCurriculum pic.twitter.com/q4TwGkizFi— Gulamshabir Arif (@GulamshabirA) June 23, 2015
Dr Qadri's continuous efforts to represent the true teachings of Islam! #AntiTerrorCurriculum pic.twitter.com/xNpTyz34VX— Rafeeq Ahmed Khan (@RafeeqAhmedMQI) June 22, 2015
An incredible launch event for the #AntiTerrorCurriculum! We can't wait to take this to UK schools #JihadAgainstISIS pic.twitter.com/hqrYJjW29L— MuslimYouthLeagueUK (@MYL_UK) June 23, 2015
There're more than 100000 scholars in Muslim world, But no one is dare to declare #JihadAgainstISIS except #DrQadri pic.twitter.com/iOcQdpWII8— Muhammad ShehrOze ツ (@Shehr0ze) June 23, 2015
Islamic state cannot come into being on the basis of terrorism and killings be it anywhere in the world, says Dr Qadri #jihadagainstisis— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaGeoNews) June 23, 2015
Foreign intelligence officials estimated that at least 1,600 Britons have fled to Syria to join ISIS, though they say the real statistic could be even bigger.
According to CBS News, ISIS has already recruited more than 20,000 members using the web.
"The jihadis are figuring out how to use new forms of communication, social media, to not just message broadly, but to do peer to peer recruitment and radicalization, and that's really a game-changer," said CBS News Senior National Security Analyst Juan Zarate in a recent report.
"We have not quite figured out how to not only counter the narrative, but to interrupt that cycle of radicalization."