UK hostage murder threat ‘against Sharia’, Muslim scholars say

A group of Muslim scholars has made a direct appeal to Islamic State (IS) militants to release the British hostage Alan Henning.

In a video message posted online, the men told Alan Henning’s captors that killing him would be against Islamic law.

Henning, a taxi driver from Salford, was delivering aid in Syria when he was captured in December near the town of al Dana.

Shaykh Haitham al Haddad, a qadi or judge in the Sharia council in London, said: "This is to confirm that executing this man is totally haram (sinful), is impermissible, prohibited according to Sharia for a number of reasons."

Ustadh Abu Eesa, director at Prophetic Guidance in Manchester, said Henning had joined a Muslim charity convoy because he "passionately believes in helping the most needy".

"No matter what our differences, no matter how differently we see the world, what there is no doubt about is that the killing of an innocent man is not permitted in the religion of Allah. It is not permissible whatsoever to harm a person who believes that he is safe among the people he is working with. This safety must be honoured,” the director said.

A third scholar, Imam Shakeel Begg from the Lewisham Islamic Centre, said Henning was innocent "Whatever your grievance, whatever your cause, this man is innocent."

More than 100 Muslim leaders signed a statement please for IS to release Henning, branding them "monsters" for the murder of fellow hostage David Haines.

Henning appeared at the end of a video released by IS militants last Saturday in which Haines was beheaded. The video contained a threat that he would be killed next.

Separate video footage - filmed before his capture - showed him saying it was "all worthwhile" to ensure aid got to where it was most needed in Syria.