Imam Syed Soharwardy is regarded as a prominent “moderate” spokesman for the Muslim community; he is regularly featured in the media and is well known as the imam who delivered a fatwa against the Islamic State and its recruiting efforts in Canada. He is also the founder of Muslims Against Terrorism, as well as of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada.
Yet this same imam stated on his Facebook page that “there is no difference between Islamophobes and terrorists.” Some other notable proclamations from Soharwardy:
“Sharia cannot be customized for specific countries. These universal, divine laws are for all people of all countries for all times.”
“I am one of the founding members of the Islamic Institute of Civil Justice. The mandate of the institute is to resolve disputes within existing Canadian laws by using the principles of conflict resolution from Islamic Law, or sharia.”
“Presently, what Israeli forces are doing to Palestinians is worse than the Holocaust of World War II.”
Now, Soharwardy is making news in Pakistan as the imam in Canada who is “under police radar for hate speech” against a local publisher who has not been identified, in what many witnesses describe as a “malicious campaign.” “Hate speech” laws are absurd, but calling this publisher a “devil” and “kaafir” is clear incitement to violence against him.
“Pakistani Imam in Canada Under Police Radar for Hate Speech Against Local Publisher,” by Dawood Rehman, Daily Pakistan, January 5, 2017:
CALGARY – Police in Canada are investigating allegations of hate speech by a local imam who called a publisher and its administration ‘devil’ and ‘kaafir’.
Professor Syed Badiuddin Soharwardy, an imam at a mosque, has been under investigation by the Calgary Police for spreading hate messages against a local publisher on a mass level through internet.
A number of people reported to the police that Soharwardy launched a malicious campaign against a local publisher (unnamed due to the sensitivity of the nature) with the support of his followers, provoking the public at large.
The National Press Council and the Canadian Journalists Association has also expressed serious concerns over the threats made to the publisher.
Soharwardy was born in a highly respected religious family in Karachi, Pakistan. His father, Allama Syed Muhammad Riazuddin Soharwardy was a famous Islamic scholar and the Imam of Jamia Bughdadi Masjid, Martin Road, Karachi where he established Dar-ul-Aloom Soharwardia.
He received his early Islamic education from his father, teacher and spiritual guide in the traditional Islamic Madrasah at Bughdadi Masjid……
He is also the founder of Muslims Against Terrorism (MAT). He founded MAT in Calgary in January 1998. He is also the founder of Islamic Supreme Council of Canada (ISCC). He has authored several papers on various topics such as, challenges for Muslims in the western world, conflicts within the Muslim community, Intra and Inter religion conflicts, terrorism, and political Islam….