ISIS are spiritually diseased, sick people: Hamza Tzortzis, UK preacher named in NIA chargesheet

Hamza Andreas Tzortzis

NEW DELHI: India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) in its latest chargesheet against the Islamic State has reportedly named about 14 Islamic preachers from across the world, including Hamza Andreas Tzortzis from UK, whose lectures/sermons directly or indirectly influenced suspects accused of having links with the terror outfit.

Tzortzis, a well known British Islamic preacher, who's also named by the NIA in its chargesheet, in an interview with ABP News said that he has strongly condemned ISIS on social media platforms and that he considers the terror outfit as spiritually diseased and sick. Tzortzis is a British Muslim convert. He is also a researcher, public speaker on Islam and lecturer for various Islamic organizations. According to the Telegraph UK he has previously been associated with extremists. Excerpts from interview:

Q: As per reports India's NIA named you among scholars whose 'provocative' lectures directly or indirectly influenced terror suspects. What you have to say?

A: I believe the term “provocative” was not representative of the NIA’s views. Rather it was the newspaper’s narrative. The NIA simply found that the suspect was influenced, directly or indirectly, by the named speakers. My work has been shown to influence people positively. I receive a lot of positive feedback from people including the youth. They say that my work has inspired them to be compassionate Muslims. This is why we have to question the type of influence being referred to, because many of the named speakers - like myself - are peace-loving and have publicly condemned ISIS and related extremism. I have strongly condemned ISIS on social media and in my written work. My social media narrative is simple: love for humanity what you love for yourself.

Q: How Islamic is the Islamic State?

A: ISIS is the antithesis of Islam. I think I am the only public figure to have written a fully referenced essay on why the “Islamic State” is not Islamic. However, for the sake of brevity, there are key theological and spiritual lenses that the classical scholars used while understanding Islam. These lenses were the lenses of rahma (compassion and mercy). So when we put these lenses on when analysing the actions of ISIS, we will see that something is seriously wrong. ISIS are what I call theological reductionists. They pick and choose verses or traditions and abstract them from their context and other key teachings of Islam. ISIS are not holistic, and this blinds them from understanding the true reality of Islam. Frankly, they are spiritually diseased and sick.

Q: Does Islam promote violence against non-Muslims in the name of Jihad?

A: Not at all. However, Islam is not a pacifist tradition. It believes in self defence and in the legal removal of oppression and injustice, after the failure of diplomacy. Violence against anyone, Muslim or non-Muslim, is categorically forbidden. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “There is no harming and no reciprocating of harm.” Even during war, Islam prohibits the cutting of trees, killing innocent people, women, children, monks and priests, unarmed combatants, etc.

Q: Almost every Muslim speaker quotes Quran 5:32, which is interpreted as, "Whoever kills an innocent person it is as though he has killed all mankind." Does this word 'innocent' include non-Muslims as well?

A: This includes any human being, Muslim and non-Muslim. The classical exegete Ibn Kathir mentions that this verse means any life “because there is no difference between one life and another”.

Q: The Telegraph UK lists you among "extremists who preach opposition to democracy and hatred against homosexuals and Jews." Why can't you love them ?

A: This is an old article based on misrepresentations and lies. On homosexuality I would like to say the following:

Firstly, I adopt the Islamic – as well as the predominant view of most religious people in the world – that homosexual practices are sins in the eyes of God. Having a homosexual disposition is not considered sinful. Secondly, I have family members who are homosexual and my treatment towards them is one of cordiality and this is in keeping with the Islamic ethic of maintaining the ties of kinship. Thirdly, I believe that homosexuals are human beings with spiritual needs too, and I strongly advocate compassionate dialogue and discussion between religious people and the homosexual community. In simple terms, I condemn any aggression, violence or hatred against the homosexual community.

On the Jewish community, I have never spoken against them. In actual fact I have publicly spoken against any form of hatred. I have a video online refuting the myth that Islam is anti-Semitic.

On democracy, I have not opposed it. This accusation, and similar ones, is based on an ignorant period of my life as a new Muslim when I joined an “Islamic” group. They were peaceful; however, I left the group many years ago due to spiritual, theological and philosophical reasons. I believe they do not represent mainstream Islam.

Q: Zakir Naik, an Islamic preacher from India is under scanner of Indian agencies for inspiring terrorists. What's your opinion of him?

A: I don't know that much about Zakir Naik, apart from the fact he likes to use science to prove revelation, which I humbly disagree with. However, the very few things I've heard from him indicate that he is peace-loving and condemns terrorism.

Q: Being a Muslim convert you support apostasy laws. How logical?

A: I have done some thinking on this, and I don’t believe in apostasy laws. The apostasy laws are outdated laws based on colonial penal codes. Islam has a concept of irtidad, which can be loosely translated as treason. Islam believes in intellectual freedom, freedom of belief and freedom of conscience. Merely changing one’s mind and religion does not constitute punishment.

Q: Your message to the youths, who sympathise with the Islamic State?

A: My message is simple. That ISIS is not Islamic. They are deranged, sick hearted people who do not understand Islam holistically. Anyone with a sincere heart and open mind will see that they only represent themselves. Islam is free from them. The following words of the respected 14th century ascetic and scholar, Ibn Qayyim, summarises what I want to say. He said that Islam, “is founded upon wisdom and welfare for the servants in this life and the afterlife. In its entirety it is justice, mercy, benefit, and wisdom. Every matter which abandons justice for tyranny, mercy for cruelty, benefit for corruption, and wisdom for foolishness is not a part of Islamic law even if it was introduced therein by an interpretation.”