Calgary Imam condemns ISIS with hunger strike
Posted Aug 22, 2014 4:53 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A show of hands and vocal support from a congregation of about 1,600 in the northeast as Calgary Imam Syed Soharwardy condemned ISIS extremists as a criminal, non-Islamic group, targeting boys for recruitment before they’re old enough to fully understand what they believe.
Soharwardy launched a 48 hour hunger strike to protest the actions of ISIS and create awareness of their “misguided message”.
He has heard threats, and been told to his face he is wrong to stand again ISIS but the crowd of men, young and old and a small representation of women who gathered in support of his condemnation would tell a different story.
Soharwardy said he has had many underground conversations with young men in Calgary and across the country who hear ISIS’s violent interpretation of the Koran and wonder.
“There is a huge context of those verses, if anyone takes verses out of the Bible out of context they will be misled” he said, “Without context this causes the confusion in the minds and the hearts of people”.
Soharwardy said it’s a small sect of the Muslim community that is putting miss information out there and hopes the thousands gathering for prayers in Calgary will help raise awareness.
His hunger strike will end in another gathering of prayer at the Whitehorn Community Centre in the northeast Sunday afternoon.
