A Muslim sheikh who has called for jihad against the Islamic State (ISIS) has just made himself a target of Islamic terrorists and extremists.
During an interview with "The Hard Line" host Ed Berliner on Newsmax TV last Monday, Sheikh Shafayat Mohamed said "criminals" like ISIS had to be stopped, and this is why he called for a jihad despite its personal consequences to him.
"It is necessary. It's mandatory at this time because of all the problems that are happening around," he said. "And the poor refugees, they are caught in between. My reason for calling this is to save innocent lives and to set back a place for these refugees to stay at home and be comfortable (rather) than to crave this additional political social human chaos of them being in the middle.
"We can solve all the problems by fighting against ISIS and getting back these refugees in their homes in Syria and in Iraq," he added.
Mohamed understands that with his call for jihad against ISIS and other terrorists, those groups will now go after him. He said he is certain that the terrorists have already put a price on his head.
"I know that's their mission because if you look at what's happening even with ISIS and al-Qaeda, two hardcore groups here, they're against each other," he explained. "So a liberal and moderate like me, it's definite that they will be against me."
This fear is what is keeping most Muslims from speaking out against these groups, added Mohamed, although there is a need now for them to stand their ground.
"That's exactly why. Most Muslims are afraid of that backlash from these terrorists, but with the present times, we are really in a very, very serious situation because on one hand you have non-Muslims, I mean I don't want to generalise, but non-Muslims who don't understand Islam and the Quran and the true message who would want to attack all Muslims or would paint a brush over all Muslims for terrorism," he said.
