The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

The Turkish border guards beat a Sufi follower escaped from Islamic State

Reliable sources informed SOHR that a Sufi follower, who fled from the city of al- Mayadin in Deir Ezzor towards the Turkish territories days ago, was beaten severely by the Turkish border guards at the border crossing of Bab al- Salamah.

 

In the details, this man escaped from the city of al- Mayadin after IS sent for the philosophy teachers, lawyer and Sufi followers in late November in order to attend a “Sharia course” of up to about 40 days in al- Rawdah Mosque in the city of al- Mayadin. The sources informed SOHR activists that the man moved towards the Turkish territories with his family attempting to evade the attendance of this course, and when he arrived at the border crossing of Bab al- Salamah and tried to cross to the Turkish side one of the Turkish border guards hit one of his children. He tried to ask about the reasons of beating and to defend his child but the Turkish border guards beat his severely by a solid tool on his head causing to injure him seriously and entered to the hospital.

 

In November 27, SOHR published that IS informed all the lawyers, philosophy teachers and Sufi followers in the city of al- Mayadin that they have to attend a Sharia course of up to about 40 days in al- Rawda mosque in the city of al- Mayadin in Deir Ezzor Province. They have warned them that they will be punished in case of not attending the course.

 

In this course, IS members had talked about sorcery, where they considered learning sorcery is “ Kufur” (blasphemous) even though it is not applied by those who learn it. In addition to, they considered philosophy is “Kufur” too, and that everyone studies it is “infidel” because philosophy names Allah “Top Motive”. They also considered that the person who learns and practices jurisprudence is “infidel” because this gives the right of legislation not only for Allah but also for others and this is “Sherk” (polytheism). On the other hand, they said that Sufism is a “corrupt doctrine” and that its followers are “polytheists”. One of the Sufi followers, who was attending the Sharia course, defended his doctrine presenting his evidences that Sufism is not polytheism that make the IS leading figure who managed the course to get angry and hit the man accusing him that he is polytheist and persist in this, and he will be before the jurisdiction of Islamic State.