Noted Islamic scholar Saud Alam Qasmi, dean of Theology at the Aligarh Muslim University, says: “We fully endorse the Deoband fatwa against terrorism because there is not a single school of religious thought in Islam which endorses the killings of innocent persons in retaliation of any criminal act.”

Qasmi, who belongs to the Deoband school of thought, also extended full support to the declaration which underscores the fact that “Muslims are being singled out and punished for all acts of terror and organised violence whereas others responsible for similar crimes are not being dealt with according to the law”.

The anti-terrorism conference organised by Darul Uloom in Uttar Pradesh’s Deoband town on Monday was attended by over 10,000 participants that included clerics, scholars and religious leaders from across the country.

“If the approach of double standards in tackling organised violence is not checked at the earliest then it will have dangerous ramifications,” Qasmi said.

Says Maulana Yasin Mazhar Siddiqui, a senior Islamic theologist here: “The fatwa should be welcomed by the entire Islamic world,” adding revenge killing of innocent people is unambiguously prohibited by the Holy Quran.