Lahore, Pakistan - As many as 58 religious scholars in Pakistan have issued a 'fatwa' which declares that Islam is against the killing of human beings and that carrying out suicide attacks is forbidden in the religion.
But they said that struggling for freedom within the ambit of international law is justified.
The fatwa, which was reported as having been written unanimously, assumes significance as some Pakistani organisations have been supporting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir in the name of extending help to the "freedom struggle".
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has also on several occasions stated that such help would continue to the Kashmiris.
The clerics also said that those who carried out suicide attacks would not be considered Muslims.
Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, the chairman of the Pakistan Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, was quoted by the Daily Times as saying that the group of clerics had also said a man or a woman would not be considered Muslim if they took part in a suicide attack thinking he or she had God's blessings.
Rehman also said that the planting of bombs, the attacking of mosques or other places of worship or even public places is also forbidden in Islam.
He added that killing human beings had nothing to do with Islam and dispelled the impression that religious organisations trained their students to carry out such activities. He said no religious institutions could give such training to its students.
He further said that killing human beings had nothing to do with Islam and dispelled the impression that religious organisations trained their students to carry out such activities. He said no religious institutions could give such training to its students.