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Muslim Ulama Council

Although initially conceived of as a religious entity, the Hayat Al-Ulama Al-Muslimin (Muslim Ulama Council) has ambitions as a secular authority, as well, intending to nominate one of its members as a candidate for the Iraqi presidency. However, the group is considered "too radical for the CPA to deal with comfortably as an organization representing the Sunni community," according to an article in Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) from 9 February 2004. Indeed, the group does not recognize the legitimacy of the U.S.-appointed Governing Council, and it has called for resistance at times.

The group is led by President Harith al-Dari, who believes that Iraq's government should be chosen solely through consultations with Iraqi representatives, effectively excluding the United States from any significant role, according to the same IWRP source. Al-Dari called the Iraqi interim government "a U.S.-produced charade played out by the U.S.-appointed IGC," "Al-Sa'ah reported on 9 June 2004. "Iraq is infected with several dangerous ailments, first of which is the occupation that wants to steal our land, funds, culture, and existence. The occupation also wants to steal our honor, as you heard from the scandal about what happened in its jails," he was also quoted as saying.

Secretary-General Sheikh Harith Sulayman al-Dari founded the Muslim Ulema Council shortly after the beginning of the U.S. occupation of Iraq in order to fill a perceived political, social, and religious void. Ostensibly open to Shi'a as well as Sunnis (although currently composed only of Sunnis) and comprising both Arabs and Kurds, the council seeks to represent all currents of Islam. The council rejects the legitimacy of U.S. authority in Iraq, declaring that it will not recognize the validity of U.S.-run national elections and supporting armed resistance, although the group claims not to engage in -- or incite -- resistance itself. The council joined the Constituent National Iraqi Conference for Resisting the Occupation in May 2004. The conference aim was to unite national and Islamic forces to declare their opposition to the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq. Al-Dari told Al-Jazeera television that some 30 groups participated in the conference. "Al-Quds al-Arabi" reported that the conference urged Iraqis to refuse to participate in any political establishments formed under the occupation's umbrella. The group also called for Shari'a law to stand as the chief source of legislation in Iraq. The conference named Shaykh Jawad al-Khalisi as its secretary-general and Wamid Umar Nazmi as its spokesman.