Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The Ifta Department condemned Sunday morning's death shooting of Jordanian columnist Nahed Hattar outside the Palace of Justice, and said Islam is innocent of "this heinous crime".

In a statement, the department, which issues fatwas (religious edicts), urged all Jordanians across the social spectrum, regardless their religion, to stand united behind the Hashemite leadership against terrorism and "those trying to foment sedition".

It said Islam, the religion of mercy, justice and tolerance, prohibits assault against a human being or "anyone who tries to instate himself as a ruler or judge to hold people to account (for their deeds), which would lead to chaos and social corruption and spread strife among members of the one society".

The government, political parties and Jordanians across the country condemned the fatal shooting of Hattar and demanded that the perpetrators be brought to justice.

The Centrist Islamic Party denounced "the ugly crime and the treacherous hand that assassinated the political writer", saying the shooting incident was contrary to the true nature of moderation and tolerance of Jordanian society and Islamic values.

The National Movement Party condemned "this style of political assassination regardless its motives", while the Islamic Action Front denounced it as a crime, and prayed for the country to be spared from any harm.

The Jordan Press Association condemned "in the strongest possible terms the heinous crime that took the life of writer Hattar", and said "the bullets of treachery that were shot at him by a coward person is condemnable and strange to our society and country, which remained steadfast against all attempts to undermine its unity and moderation. "What happened is not approved of by any religion or norm, and is in contradiction with all divine codes and the ethics and traditions of Jordanian society", said association president Tareq Momani.