Sudan's Association for Scholars and Preachers, Sharia, declared the principle of holding a referendum for the self-determination of the south void and illegitimate.

The association said that the referendum is illegitimate and called on the government to apply Islam's Sharia regardless of what the south may decide.

In their statement, the group called on the government to stop what they referred to as a Zionist and Crusader scheme to divide the country into five states. The government is not obliged to follow the peace agreement, "It is not a binding Quran" the group said.

They justified their stance by saying that a secession would affect the "Islamic gains" in a south run by what they described as "a racist secular movement."