Sheikh Gumi Defends Negotiating With Terrorists, says it is not forbidden in scriptures

Sheikh Gumi Defends Negotiating With Terrorists, says it is not forbidden in scriptures

Controversial cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has once again stirred national debate, asserting that there is no scriptural prohibition against negotiating with criminal elements or terrorists to secure peace.

Gumi made the provocative statement on Monday, challenging the prevailing narrative that the government should not engage with groups responsible for violence and kidnappings.

The influential Islamic scholar dismissed the notion that negotiation with criminals is strictly forbidden, stating that the belief is not rooted in major religious texts.

“It’s not written in the Bible or Quran that you shouldn’t negotiate with terrorists. I don’t know where people learnt that from,” Sheikh Gumi stated.

He framed negotiation as a universal tool for conflict resolution, arguing that stopping violence should be the highest priority. “Everybody negotiates for peace, and if negotiation will stop bloodshed, we do it,” he added.