BATU PAHAT, Sept 18 — PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang  today warned party members against joining violent jihadist militant groups such as the Islamic State (IS) even as the party paid respects to a former member slain in strife-torn Syria this past week.

“I would like to stress again, PAS does not want and will not allow its members to be involved with any violent groups which overstep the boundaries of jurisprudence of jihad, and go against Islam’s wartime ethics,” said Hadi in the keynote address of PAS’ annual congress, or muktamar.

Despite that, Abdul Hadi also reiterated the party’s support for Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, saying the liberation of the al-Aqsa Mosque remains as the party’s topmost international agenda.

“PAS condemns the ‘double standard’ of the Western powers which defend these cruel and uncivilised actions, supposedly under the policy of ‘combating violence’,” added Hadi.

A moment of silence was observed at the congress of the PAS ulama wing for slain jihadist fighter Mohd Lotfi Ariffin, who was a member of Kedah PAS before he was expelled for his militant involvement.

Mohd Lotfi died Saturday evening after falling into a coma following an ambush on rebel militants last week, according to Facebook posts from other Malaysian jihadists.

Following his death, PAS MP for Pasir Mas Nik Abduh Nik Abd Aziz took to Twitter and Facebook to share a quote attributed to Lotfi, calling it “a good advice”.

Photos of Lotfi’s burial have since been shared by his supporters on social media and blogs, including one which claimed to be the official page of PAS’ charity corps Jabatan Amal.

On Sunday, PAS offered its condolences to the family of Mohd Lotfi, with PAS information chief Datuk Mahfuz Omar saying the party still respects Mohd Lotfi’s decision to tread the path of jihadism and fight in war-torn Syria despite expelling him.

The man touted as a “martyr” by fellow Malaysian jihadists was sacked in a PAS central meeting on May 11, PAS-owned newspaper Harakah reported. The party severed all ties with Mohd Lotfi a month later.

Mohd Lotfi was reportedly critically injured and had fallen into coma after his group of fighters were caught in an attack by a fighter jet allegedly from the army of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.