Over 1,000 Indian Muslim clerics deem IS ‘un-Islamic’  

Indian Muslim cleric Mohammed Manzar Hasan Ashrafi Misbahi, right speaks with the Associated Press during an interview at at the Ajmeri Masjid in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015. More than 1,000 Muslim clerics in India have ratified a religious ruling that condemns the Islamic State and calls the extremist group’s actions “un-Islamic, Misbahi said Wednesday.A copy of the edict, or fatwa is on left. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

More than 1,000 Muslim clerics in India have backed a religious ruling condemning the Islamic State, calling the extremist group’s actions “un-Islamic.”

Religious leaders from hundreds of mosques, education institutions and civic groups across India have signed the edict, or fatwa, saying the actions of the Islamic State group went against the basic principles of Islam.

The edict was issued by a leading Mumbai-based cleric, Mohammed Manzar Hasan Ashrafi Misbahi, and has been signed by the leaders of all the main mosques in India.

“The acts of the Islamic State are inhuman and un-Islamic,” said Abdul Rehman Anjaria, a Muslim leader.

India’s 172 million Muslims mostly follow a moderate version of the religion and have opposed the extreme practices of extremist groups IS and Al Qaeda.