Muslim scholars who met with Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’ political bureau, said the meeting was held in order to appeal to him to reconsider the party’s decision to work towards restoring relations with the Assad regime, announced in June.

The statement clarified what transpired in their recent meeting with the leadership of the Hamas political bureau in Istanbul, Turkey, stating that Haniyeh promised to discuss the scholars' views with the other members of the movement's political bureau at its nearest meeting.

The scholars that this meeting came about due to their “belief in the scholars’ role and in carrying out their duty of telling the truth and advising people, and in a belief in the importance of the Palestine cause, and in an effort to contribute to fulfilling its right and the right of its struggling people, and out of their concern for the Hamas movement, which has a positive history and experience that inspired the nation, with its leaders who made great sacrifices,” which it underlined are incomparable.

It continued, "In appreciation of the public opinion that is preoccupied with the issue of Palestine, and the important developments taking place in this period of the nation's life, a number of scholars called for the meeting, led by the Hamas movement's political office, to hear from them directly about their decision to restore the relationship with the Syrian regime, and to perform a duty of advice".

The statement explained: "We inform everyone that the scholarly delegation met with the movement's leaders from the Political Bureau, and listened to them on the merits of the issue and its justifications from their point of view." It is consistent with the principles, values and regulations of Sharia, and this, in the eyes of those present, “requires that the movement review and re-examine [the decision] in the light of what the scholars have mentioned.”

The statement indicated that "the scholars are waiting for the Hamas leadership's response to carry out the legitimate duty that is appropriate to the situation, and the investigation is in the interest of the cause of Palestine, which is the cause of all Muslims."

The statement was signed by Abd al-Majid al-Zindani, head of the Yemeni Scholars Association, Osama al-Rifai, head of the Syrian Islamic Council, Ali Al-Qara Daghi, Secretary General of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, Essam Ahmed al-Bashir, Vice President of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, and Abdul Hai Yousef, a member of the Board of Trustees of the International Union of Muslim Scholars. The Secretary-General of the Association of Muslim Scholars Muhammad Abdul Karim Al-Sheikh, the Secretary-General of the Research Council of the Libyan Dar Al-Iftaa, Sami Al-Saadi, and a member of the Board of Trustees of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, Wasfi Ashour Abu Zaid.

Khalil al-Hayya, head of Hamas’ Arab and Islamic Relations Office, said previously that the movement's institutions "approved to seek the restoration of relations with Damascus," confirming the news circulated a few days ago, about the movement's decision to seek to restore relations with the Assad regime after a rupture of more than 10 years.

Al-Hayya added, in an interview with the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar: “An internal and external discussion took place at the level of Hamas in order to resolve the discussion related to restoring relations with Syria, and with Damascus.”

Report and photo from S.N.N.