A prominent Syrian Islamic scholar and advocate for non-violence has died in Istanbul, Syrian media reported. Jawdat Said – a 90-year-old critic of Syria’s Assad regime. The scholar – who graduated from Egypt’s Al-Azhar university – dedicated much of his life to advocating for what he called “non-violent Islam”, rejecting extremism and the use of violence even in self defence. Many activists referred to him as “the Arab Gandhi” for his promotion of peaceful activism. Said held lectures and seminars in universities and cultural centres across the world – including in Iran, Turkey, Canada, and t…