'ISIS Un-Islamic, Ideology Defunct,' Indian Cleric Says At Eid Gathering

Lucknow: After two terror attacks in Bangladesh within a week, a senior cleric in India has denounced terrorism and called the ISIS "un-Islamic".

Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahli, the chief cleric of Lucknow's Aishbagh Eidgah, told NDTV that a group of imams sent out a strong message against ISIS and terror at a mass gathering for Eid prayers on Thursday.

"We said the ISIS is against Islam and against humanity. We said that the ISIS cannot be Muslim - their terror activities are entirely un-Islamic," he said.

Maulana Mahli also commented that the terror group's ideology is defunct.

The Aishbagh Eidgah, the largest prayer site in Uttar Pradesh, has initiated a big step; today women were allowed to pray there for the first time.

"Lakhs prayed here. We prayed for peace. We prayed for an end to terrorism in the world," the cleric told NDTV.

Underscoring his message for peace and harmony, he shared that many non-Muslims attended the Eid prayers this morning and greeted Muslims.

Among those who attended the Namaz were 40-year-old businessman Mohammad Yunus and his daughter . "It's become a big problem. Islam only preaches love. These organisations are most un-Islamic. I think it is very important for such sermons to happen," he said

This morning, three persons were killed and many wounded in the second terror attack in Bangladesh in a week. The attack took place at the state's largest gathering for Eid prayers, at Kishanganj, 140 km from Dhaka.

Terrorists threw a bomb at a police checkpost and attacked a policeman with a machete, killing him.

Last weekend, seven terrorists attacked a popular cafe in Dhaka and hacked 20 people to death, including 18 foreigners.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, although the Sheikh Hasina government insisted that the homegrown militants were involved.