Remarks by Prof. Mehmet Gormez, Director for Religious Affairs in Response to ISIL Violence, including its attacks on Yezidis.

Mr. Görmez appealed to the the public not to pronounce the full name of ISIL, or ISIS, since it is betrayal to the holy and blessed name of "Islam".

Mr. Görmez denounced the actions of ISIL, especially after its attacks on Yezidis, underlining that these actions cannot be explained or fathomed by either history or civilization of Islam, or concepts laid out in the holy book of Koran.

He further explained the following.

These actions are coming out of communal traumas by those with damaged consciousness and murderous characters laced by hysteria and violence. These actions have no place in Islam, its denominations or teachings.

We embrace the moral fortitude and rights of those non-Muslims to be able to live together side by side with Muslims.

Islam foresee that all non-Muslims should conduct their lives as equal citizens, have freedom of faith and practice thereof, having same rights, responsibilities and obligations as all other citizens with no discrimination.

Any concept, understanding or way of thinking outside this context would be foreign to both religion as well as to Islam. "