KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 — The prospect of helping out Muslims in need and to fight and die in the name of Islam is what is attracting many young Malays here to take part in the ongoing armed conflict in Syria, former Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr Asri Zainul Abidin has said.

The Islamic scholar said that he had been approached "many times" by young Malays expressing an interest in taking part in the conflict, and that many of them felt "frustrated" over what was happening to fellow Muslims over there and not being able to do anything about it.

"I know lots of Malay youths have been asking me about it, either in person or through email. The offer is attractive to them," he told The Malay Mail Online when contacted.

"In Malaysia, there is unhappiness over what is happening, a sense of injustice... many of these youths have a good intention, because they see Muslims in Syria being bombed and killed so they feel that they want to help out whatever way they can.

"There is also a feeling that this will be a big reward because you are giving yourself to defend your religion," Asri added.

But while many youths here may have good intentions in wanting to participate in the Syrian conflict, Asri stressed that he has strongly discouraged them from doing so.

"I tell them, don't go....if you want to take part in a jihad, there must be a clear purpose or reason. In the issue involving Syria, we have yet to be sure of the specifics of the conflict, who is in the wrong, or who is right," he said, and that much news surrounding the crisis so far remained "accusations" and have yet to be verified.

"You also need a clear leader to guide you if taking part in a jihad. If you are unfamiliar with the culture and laws there or the political situation, it is easy to be duped...you might even end up attacking villagers whom you think is the enemy," the former mufti stressed.

Asri's remarks come amid reports of an alleged involvement of Malaysian militants in the ongoing Syrian armed conflict.

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed said recently that Malaysians should not take part in the conflict, and that the Quran teaches Muslims to reconcile two enemies to achieve peace, not to kill over mere differences in political ideologies,

Dr Mahathir also urged religious scholars to state their views on Muslim suicide and the ongoing jihadist movement, noting that no edict has been issued on the matter as yet.

Agreeing with Dr Mahathir, Asri said that bearing arms and taking part in any conflict should be a "last resort" when all other forms of reconciliation have failed.

"Islam prioritises peace, but not every situation has a peaceful resolution.

"That is why countries still need armies, that is why countries also makes its soldiers bear arms...so that people can defend themselves as a last resort," scholar said.  

Last week, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said 15 Malaysians might have been killed in Syria after joining in terrorist and jihadist activities with Islamist militant group Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).

It said the news was conveyed by the Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations in New York at a press conference on June 18.

ISIS, also known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), is a splinter group of al-Qaeda that wants to set up an Islamic caliphate encompassing both Iraq and Syria.

ISIS is viewed as a terror organisation by authorities both here and abroad.

A Malaysian suspected of being a member of ISIS was believed to have been the suicide bomber who killed 25 members of an Iraqi police team last month.

Earlier this month, three local men were arrested by police for suspected links to ISIS.