MARAWI CITY—“It’s like issuing a fatwa (edict) against us,” a Lanao del Sur official said as supporters and sympathizers of the Maute Group started branding some individuals here as “murtad fitri” (apostate, or those who have renounced their faith).
Murtad fitri, or born Muslims not supportive of the Maute’s cause, are fair game, said pro-Maute social media users, using the hashtag #amaq and #amaqmedia.
“Amaq” refers to the pro-Islamic State website Amaq News Agency.
The Lanao del Sur official, who did not want to be identified for his safety, said the Maute Group continued to claim that the Marawi crisis was a war between Muslims and Christians.
Even on social media, pro-Maute individuals — some of whom used aliases — said the “mujahideens” (holy warriors) were fighting for Islam and those who were not supportive of them were either “kuffar” (unbelievers), or murtad.
“But Allah will punish them for what they are doing to Muslims,” said one post in Maranao.
Sgt. Albinir Esmael, a Muslim soldier, said it was painful to be branded as murtad.
“I am a practicing Muslim and I am fighting for peace. Did I lose my identity because I am fighting for peace?” said Esmael, a former Moro National Liberation Front member integrated into the Philippine Army.
Ustadz Abdulharim Ambor, an imam based in Iligan City, said it was not for a particular group to determine who the unbelievers were.
“Islam is a religion of peace and we believe that religion is not compulsory,” he said.
Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera, spokesperson of Task Force Marawi, said the Marawi crisis was far from being religious.
“This is a war against terror and the Maute group (members) have never been Muslims. They killed helpless civilians. They loot and they use drugs,” Herrera said.
He also cited the deaths of some Muslim soldiers in the course of the military’s efforts to retake the city.
At least five Muslim soldiers have died since the crisis started on May 23.
They were Sgt. Ashai Sakiran, Sgt. Cassidy Uday, Cpl. Taharuddin Salahudin, Cpl. Alyasir Abdullah and Pvt. Saed Padada.
A Maute propagandist wrote on Facebook that their hearts did not bleed when they killed people who pretended to be Muslims.
“They have to be beheaded if we catch them alive. Their souls belong to hell,” the propagandist wrote.
An Islamic scholar said he would not debate with Maute supporters on the issue of apostasy, but he added that most Muslims did not share this idea.
“Our reason is it would be pointless to debate with them because they have their own conviction. But let me put it this way: Their number is only small compared with the majority of Muslims, who believe in coexistence and freedom of choice,” said Aleem Taher Amate, president of the United Imam of the Philippines.
As to who the real “shaheed” (martyr) were between slain Muslim soldiers and Maute gunmen, Amate said “only Allah knows.”
In Zamboanga City, elders of Muslim organizations are turning the tables on Islamic State-inspired gunmen, tagging them murtad for agitating war and bringing destruction to Marawi.
Aleem Jamal Sakaluran Munib, executive director of Davao City-based Madrasah Comprehensive Development Program and convener of the Youth and Ulama dialogue in Zamboanga, said the Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups launched a personalized war that had nothing to do with religion.
“How can you call it religious or holy when there is massive destruction of properties, violence, killing of innocent people,” Munib told the Inquirer on Tuesday.
Munib is one of the speakers at the Promoting Political Climate and Stability for Peace forum in Zamboanga.
Mohaqer Iqbal, peace panel chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, said the Maute’s call for religious war and designation of those not joining it as murtad “is the line of Isis.”
Munib Kahal, president of the Muslim Student Association, dismissed the Maute and Abu Sayyaf “as only one fraction of Muslims in Mindanao with political agenda.”