8 Islamic Concepts Daesh Distorts

ISLAMIC THEOLOGY VS. EXTREMIST IDEOLOGY

Below are the eight core Islamic concepts that Daesh distorts to form the basis of its twisted ideology. Al-Wala’ wal Bara’ (loyalty and disavowal) is meant to reject those who are not with them, and forms their “us versus them” mentality. They consider themselves to be the “rightfully” guidedummah (community), and defenders of the faith. As the jama’ah (group), a term commonly used for congregational prayer, they claim to represent the global Muslim majority. They label others as kuffar(unbelievers), and declare takfir (excommunication) to justify the murder of innocent civilians. They demand bay’ah (allegiance) to their leader and the group’s doctrines. They limit jihad (struggle) to mean “Holy War,” in order to fight the enemy and justify killing. They call on Muslims to make hijraha (migration) from their “impure” environments and to live with “true Muslims” like them. They ask followers to become shaheed (martyrs) by committing suicide. They invite Muslims from all over the world to populate theirkhilafah (caliphate), which will usher in the “golden age” of Islam.

DAESH’S UTOPIA

KHALIFAH/ KHILAFAH “Successor” / “Caliphate”

SHAHEED “Martyr”

HIJRAH “Migration”

JIHAD “Struggle”

BAY’AH “Allegiance”

KAFIR / TAKFIR METHODS “Unbeliever” / “Excommunication”

UMMAH / JAMA’AH “One Community”

AL-WALA’ WAL BARA’ “Loyalty and Disavowal”

FOUNDATION OF DAESH’S IDEOLOGY AND RECRUITMENT STRATEGY

178 Debunking Extremist Ideology

ISLAMIC TRUE FAKE CONCEPTS ISLAMIC TEACHINGS ISLAMIC TEACHINGS

Wala’: love of God, Prophet Muhammad, Loyalty understood in absolute terms— AL-WALA’ WAL BARA’ and your protectors, i.e., family, friends, “Us vs. Them”; standing with them, and “Loyalty and Disavowal” etc.; disavowing all non-believers, including Bara’: disavowal of all immoral things other Muslims

Ummah: humanity, united by a shared Claim to be the only rightly guided UMMAH / JAMA’AH belief in God; Muslims who speak on behalf of the “One Community” Jama’ah (quorum): representing the entireummah Muslim majority

Kafir: an “unbeliever” who denies the An unbeliever who is accused of apostasy KAFIR / TAKFIR existence of God; (perceived “enemy” of Muslims), whose “Unbeliever” / Takfir: “excommunication” killing is “justified” “Excommunication”

Pledge of allegiance given to the Prophet A rite of passage for all Daesh recruits, BAY’AH before entering Mecca; not required for signaling their belonging to the group and “Allegiance” Muslims designating them as “true Muslims”

To struggle for the sake of God. Highest Define preemptive attacks as “self- JIHAD form of jihad is the struggle with one’s defense” in an attempt to justify killing of “Struggle” own ego; lesser jihad is to fight back in innocent people self-defense only.

The Prophet Muhammad’s migration Promoted as an obligation to migrate HIJRAH from Mecca to Medina to flee religious to the so-called caliphate, to aid in their “Migration” persecution; also, the first year of the state-building operation Islamic calendar

A shaheed is one who witnesses the Truth Claim that those who kill themselves to SHAHEED of God. It can also mean a martyr, e.g., create chaos, death, and destruction will “Martyr” one who is slain while upholding God’s become shaheed. justice. Someone who commits suicide to kill others is not a shaheed.

All humans are placed on earth as khalifah Claim that all Muslims automatically fall (individual stewards of God on earth). under the authority of the self-declared KHALIFAH / KHILAFAH Khalifah also refers to a successor of the Khalifah, and it is the collective obligation “Successor” / “Caliphate” Prophet, who led the Muslim community. of Muslims to migrate to the newly The word khilafah does not appear in the created khilafah (caliphate). Qur’an.

ISLAMIC THEOLOGY VS. EXTREMIST IDEOLOGY

Al–Wala’ wal Bara’ Love of God and disvowal of bad actions and values

DEFINITION: PROPHET’S EXAMPLE:

Wala’ fundamentally means the love of God and love • In 622 AD the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) of virtue. A Muslim is thus required to give “loyalty” to guaranteed protection and privileged status to God, to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and to one’s minorities, including to the Jewish tribes, pagans, and loyal protectors, such as parents, family members, Christians. scholars, leaders and the faithful. • In 634 AD, when Caliph Omar entered Jerusalem, Bara’ means rejection or disavowal of all bad actions he granted freedom of worship to all religious and values so that a follower may be free from the communities in the city, and insisted on lifting the ban burden of wrongdoings, evils, and hostility. It is does forbidding Jews to enter Jerusalem, which had been not mean rejection of non-believers or specific groups placed on them by the Romans. of people. Indeed, Muslims must conduct themselves in a kind and just manner toward all peaceful non- believers and show respect to adherents of other religions. “God does not forbid you to deal kindly and justly with those who have not fought against you about the religion or expelled you from your homes. God does not love the unjust people.”

QUR’AN 60:08

To read more about Al-Wala’ wal Bara’ please see page 196

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Debunking Extremist Ideology

Al-Wala’ Wal Bara’’ LOYALTY AND DISAVOWAL

DAESH DOGMA: DAESH PROPAGANDA:

Wala/Wali’ is to demonstrate loyalty “O Ummah of Islam, indeed the world only to Muslims who share their today has been divided into two camps extremist ideology. It is understood and two trenches, with no third camp in absolute terms—“Us vs. Them”—you present: The camp of Islam and faith, either stand exclusively on the side and the camp of kufr (disbelief) and of “Muslims like them,” or completely hypocrisy – the camp of the Muslims on the side of all “non-believers,” and the mujahidin everywhere, and including other Muslims. the camp of the jews, the crusaders, their allies, and with them the rest Bara’, or disavowal, encourages of the nations and religions of kufr, rejection and animosity toward those all being led by America and Russia, kuffar (disbelievers) who do not and being mobilized by the Jews.”1 conform to this twisted understanding. Daesh tells its followers not to align themselves with non-Muslims, because loving non-Muslims is equal to loving what is immoral.

1 Dabiq, Issue 1, page 10.

Ummah / Jama’ah The collective community of believers

DEFINITION: PROPHET’S EXAMPLE:

The Qur’an refers to Ummah Wāhidah—a term that • In 622 AD, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) literally means “One Community”—a body of believers drafted the Constitution of Medina, which referred who are divinely mandated to uphold justice and to Christians, Jews and pagan citizens of Medina compassion. as members of the ummah. The Prophet said, “All creation is one family dependent upon God. Whoever The phrase Ummah al-da’wah also appears in the treats the creation of God the best, is loved by God Qur’an, and refers to humanity united by a shared the most” (Reported by al-Bayhaqi). belief in God and the divine plan for the Hereafter. Although Muslims believe in belonging to one ummah binding 1.6 billon Muslims together, no one movement can claim to be “the” ummah. “Mankind were a single commu-

Jama’ah specifically refers to people praying in nity (ummah); then God sent the a congregation. It also refers to the unifying prophets as bearers of good news consolidated view of the Muslim community majority, as opposed to rebellious, sectarian, or peripheral and warnings, and He sent down views. with them the Book with the Truth, that it may judge between the people concerning about which they differed.”

QUR’AN 2:213

To read more about Ummah / Jama’ah please see page 199

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Ummah / JAMA’AH NATION/BODY OF MUSLIMS UNITED BEHIND A SINGLE LEADER

DAESH DOGMA: DAESH PROPAGANDA:

Daesh claims to represent and speak “Indeed, Allah (the Exalted) honored the for the global Muslim ummah, which ummah (nation) of Muhammad and blessed they define as a “nation.” They reject them. He made them the best ummah of Muslims who do not follow their ways all peoples… And he promised to grant as having gone astray and label them the ummah succession to authority.”1 un-Islamic. “Know that your leaders will not find Daesh claims to represent “the” jama’ah, any arguments to keep you away from which they define as the body of Muslims the jama’ah (the body of Muslims united behind a Muslim leader, e.g., united behind a Muslim leader), the Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. By co-opting this khilafah, and this great good…”2 term, which is traditionally associated with congregational prayer, they lend their actions a false sense of piety, and mobilize their followers to commit violence (which they consider to be part of worship) against those they call kuffar (disbelievers), including Muslims.

1 Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. “This Is the Promise of Allah.” 2 Ibid.

Kafir / Takfir One who covers the truth / The act of labeling another as an unbeliever

DEFINITION: PROPHET’S EXAMPLE:

Kufr literally means “to cover the truth.” Charging • The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) admonished those another person with kufr, often translated as who pronounced disbelief upon another person: “If a “unbelief,” is not permissible because it is considered Muslim wrongly accuses a fellow Muslim of disbelief, to be solely within the domain of God. the accusation will return upon the accuser” (at- Tirmidhi). The Qur’an, the Prophet’s sayings, and Muslim scholars strictly prohibit the act of a Muslim declaring takfir or “excommunication” on another Muslim. “And say, ‘The truth is from your The Qur’an insists that there is no compulsion in religion, acknowledges differences in beliefs, and Lord, so whoever wills—let him maintains that humans have the free will to believe believe; and whoever wills—let or disbelieve. The act of declaring takfir, or casting derogatory remarks against people of other religions, him disbelieve.’” is considered doctrinally deviant from the true essence of Islam, as it disregards the protected status QUR’AN 18:29 of all peaceful non-Muslims.

To read more about Kafir / Takfir please see page 201

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KAFIR / TAKFIR DISBELIEVER / EXCOMMUNICATION

DAESH DOGMA: DAESH PROPAGANDA:

In their zeal for “purity,” Daesh “Living amongst the sinful kills the wrongfully applies verses pertaining to heart, never mind living amongst the “non-believers” (ones who reject God), kuffar (unbelievers)! Their kufr and applies them to believing Muslims— initially leaves dashes and traces pronouncing takfir (excommunication) upon the heart that over time become on them, and labeling them as engravings and carvings that are nearly kuffar (disbelievers) or murtaddin impossible to remove. They can destroy (apostates). In doing so, Daesh the person’s fitrah (nature) to a point carries on the legacy of the Khawarij, of no return, so that his heart’s a violent fringe group that broke off doubts and desires entrap him fully.” 1 from the Muslim ummah during the time of the fourth Caliph, Ali, and declared anyone who did not subscribe to their puritanical ways to be kuffar.

Daesh defies longstanding consensus among scholars that: 1) Prohibits Muslims from charging each other with non-belief, and 2) Disregards the doctrine that the lives of all peaceful non-Muslims are protected and whoever wrongfully kills one of them will never enter Paradise.

1 Dabiq, Issue 3, page 32.

Bay’ah Pledge of support

DEFINITION: PROPHET’S EXAMPLE:

Bay’ah refers to a pledge of support that the Prophet • When the Prophet attempted to perform pilgrimage Muhammad’s (pbuh) followers freely gave to him to Mecca (umrah) he and his fellow Muslims were as they attempted to perform their pilgrimage to denied entry, so he sent Uthman to negotiate Mecca. Following the Prophet’s death, the Muslim on his behalf. When Uthman did not return, the community “pledged” their support to Abu Bakr, one Prophet asked his 1,400 companions to pledge their of the Prophet’s closest companions, as they believed allegiance to him, to show the Meccans the Muslims’ he would work to establish justice and continue to determination to perform the pilgrimage. This event, uphold the teachings of the Qur’an and the Prophet. known as the “Pledge of the Tree,” prompted the release of Uthman, allowed the Muslims to perform Giving one’s bay’ah to the Prophet was without the pilgrimage, and eventually led to the famous ten- compromise. In modern times, however, givingbay’ah year Hudaybiyyah peace treaty between the Meccans to political or spiritual leaders is conditioned upon and the Muslims. their ability to establish justice and uphold the moral and spiritual principles stipulated in the Qur’an and the teachings of the Prophet. “Prophet, when believing women come to you, pledging that they will not associate anything with God…then accept their pledge of allegiance and ask God’s forgiveness for them. God is Forgiving and Merciful-to-all” QUR’AN 60:12

To read more about Bay’ah please see page 203

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BAY’AH PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

DAESH DOGMA: DAESH PROPAGANDA:

Giving bay’ah is a cornerstone of “The obligation is now clearer than ever Daesh’s ideology and recruitment before for all Muslims to raise their strategy, and represents a ritual or voices and pledge their allegiance to rite of passage for all Daesh recruits. Imamul-Muslimin and Amirul-Mu’minin— Once given, it signifies a recruit’s the Khalifah—Abu Bakr al-Husayni belonging to the group and designation al-Baghdadi (may Allah raise his 1 as a “true Muslim.” allies and humiliate his enemies).”

Daesh falsely equates giving bay’ah to their emir with giving bay’ah to the Prophet Muhammad, and announces those groups that have pledged bay’ah to the emir so as to make their influence seem more global and far-reaching than it really is. To break this bay’ah is to betray the community and be cast as a kafir, or “non-believer,” an act punishable by death, according to Daesh.

1 Dabiq, Issue 1, page 40.

Hijrah Migration from Mecca to Medina

DEFINITION: PROPHET’S EXAMPLE:

The Qur’an describes hijrah as the migration of the • The Prophet Muhammad once met a man named Prophet and his followers from Mecca to Medina Fudayk who had converted to Islam, but his entire when they were fleeing religious persecution. Hijrah tribe remained non-Muslim. Fudayk asked the ceased to be a religious obligation for Muslims Prophet whether he should leave his people and following the conquest of Mecca. Hijrah is a significant come live with the Muslims. The Prophet Muhammad event in Islamic history, as it marks the beginning of replied, “O Fudayk, establish prayer, avoid bad deeds, the Islamic calendar, and following this migration, and live with your people wherever you like” (Sahih Islamic civilization was established and thrived for Ibn Hibban). centuries. Today, making hijrah is only necessary when a Muslim is persecuted in his homeland, or fears for his religious freedom, personal rights, dignity, and wealth. Muslims who emigrate from Muslim lands, “He who migrates for God’s cause live side by side with people of other religions, and practice their religion freely have no obligation to will find many safe places and migrate to other lands. abundant resources on earth. If anyone leaves his home as an emigrant for God and His Messenger, and then he dies, his reward is certain with God. God is forever forgiving and Merciful-to- all.” QUR’AN 4:100

To read more about Hijrah please see page 206

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HIJRAH MIGRATION TO THE “CALIPHATE”

DAESH DOGMA: DAESH PROPAGANDA:

Daesh’s recruitment and state-building “Therefore, every Muslim professional campaigns rely heavily on the use of who delayed his jihad in the past the term hijrah to draw foreign fighters under the pretense of studying to the so-called Caliphate. Hijrah is Shari’ah, medicine, or engineering, promoted as an obligation for Muslims etc., claiming he would contribute to who live in a Dar al-Harb (where non- Islam later with his expertise, should Muslims rule) to migrate to Dar al- now make his number one priority to Islam (the Caliphate)—the only “safe repent and answer the call to hijrah, haven” for Muslims. “True Believers” especially after the establishment of like them are expected to voluntarily the Khilafah. This Khilafah is more leave their homes, properties, jobs, and in need than ever before for experts, parents for the sake of the Caliphate. professionals, and specialists, who They are told to disregard the world, can help contribute in strengthening their families, and their communities its structure and tending to the needs for the sake of the struggle. Those of their Muslim brothers. Otherwise, who migrate are expected to engage his claims will become a greater in combat or assist in building the proof against him on Judgment Day.”1 Caliphate.

1 Dabiq, Issue 3, page 26.

Jihad To struggle for excellence and the betterment of society

DEFINITION: PROPHET’S EXAMPLE:

Jihad literally means to strive for excellence. There • Once a man came to the Prophet Muhammad are many levels of Jihad that connote renewal and (pbuh) and said: “Oh messenger of Allah! I want to go growth in the way of God: out and fight (in Jihad) and I have come to ask your advice.” The Prophet said: “Do you have a mother?” • Jihad Al-Nafs—the greatest and highest form of The man said: “Yes.” The Prophet said: “Then stay jihad—is struggle for self-purification by striving with her, for Paradise is beneath her feet” (Sunan an- against the ego Nasa’).

• Jihad Al-Ilm is in pursuit of academic and juristic efforts “God does not forbid you • Jihad Al-Amal is work to improve society through political, cultural, and education reform respecting those who have not made war against you on account • Jihad Al-Maal is to work through altruism to distribute wealth and eliminate poverty of (your) religion, and have not driven you from your homes, that • Jihad bi Al-Qital—the last and final resort—is to fight back in self-defense against aggression and injustice you show them kindness and deal (preemptive attacks and aggression are forbidden). with them justly, surely God loves the doers of justice.”

QUR’AN 60:8

To read more about Jihad please see pages 209, 213, and 215

190 Debunking Extremist Ideology jihad ARMED STRUGGLE OR CONFLICT

DAESH DOGMA: DAESH PROPAGANDA

Daesh has limited the meaning of jihad “One must either take the journey to to jihad bi Al-Qital, arguing that dar al-Islam, joining the ranks of the their “preemptive” attacks are acts of mujahidin therein, or wage jihad by self-defense. Because a call to arms himself with the resources available may only be declared by a recognized to him (knives, guns, explosives, leader, Daesh appointed their own etc.) to kill the crusaders and other “caliph,” who promotes armed jihad as disbelievers and apostates, including an obligation to be carried out by the imams of kufr, to make an example all “true Muslims” against “enemies of of them, as all of them are valid Islam,” including anyone who does not – rather, obligatory – targets ac agree with their twisted ideology. cording to the Shari’ah, except for those who openly repent from kufr Though they position themselves as before they are apprehended.” 1 “defenders of Muslims,” they actually kill more Muslims than any other group. They violate all rules of warfare: they encourage wanton killing of noncombatants, glorify gratuitous bloodshed and wide-scale destruction, and regularly employ forbidden tactics, including surprise attacks meant to inflict as many casualties as possible, including burning prisoners of war, suicide bombings, and raping and enslaving women.

1 Dabiq, Issue 14, page 17.

Shaheed To be a witness in the cause of truth

DEFINITION: PROPHET’S EXAMPLE:

Shaheed literally means “witnessing,” i.e., • The Prophet Muhammad witnessed a man who acknowledging the reality of God. fought on the Prophet’s side and had endured an injury. He chose to fall on his sword, killing himself. Shaheed can mean “martyr,” but its core meaning is Muhammad gave his followers a lesson on suicide by to be a witness in the cause of Truth, or someone saying, “a man may appear to people as performing who has been killed unjustly or died an unfair the acts of an inhabitant of Paradise while he is [in the death, e.g., in a fire, catastrophe, or an earthquake. Hereafter] an occupant of Hell, and a man may appear The Prophet described various deaths that result in to people as performing the acts of an inhabitant of martyrdom, including dying from a plague, a disease Hell while he is an occupant of Paradise” (Bukhari). of the stomach or intestines, through drowning, being crushed in a collapsing building, defending the faith or one’s property, or a woman dying during childbirth. “Nor Kill (or destroy) yourselves; A shaheed is not someone who has been killed justly or as a punishment for an offense they committed. for verily God has been to you most merciful! Who so does that Istimata, or “suicide acts,” committed in the guise of martyrdom have no justification in Islam, as the through aggression and injustice, Qur’an clearly states that human life is sacred and we will cast him into fire and that must be honored. is very easy for God to do”

QUR’AN 4:29–30

To read more about Shahid please see page 217

192 Debunking Extremist Ideology shahEEd TO BECOME A “MARTYR” THROUGH SUICIDE

DAESH DOGMA: DAESH PROPAGANDA

Daesh calls upon its fighters to die in “On this occasion, we will not forget combat and become shaheed (martyrs), to commend the martyred ‘lone’ knights often through istimata (suicide acts), of the Khilafah who struck out against which they claim will expedite a the kafir and apostate enemies near fighter’s journey to Paradise. them. . . . They did not use the obstacles laid down by the kuffar on the Daesh falsely claims that the “ends”— path to hijrah as an excuse to abandon fighting alleged Western oppression jihad against the enemies. . . . They and building the so-called caliphate— sacrificed their souls in the noblest of justify the “means,” thus violating deeds in pursuit of Allah’s pleasure.”1 Islamic rules of warfare and the example set by the Prophet. They disregard the explicit Qur’anic prohibition on suicide, and sanction it by claiming that those who kill themselves—with the goal of creating the maximum amount of chaos, death, and destruction for their cause—will become shaheed.

1 Dabiq, Issue 12, page 3.

Khalifah / Khilafah Vice-Regent of God / Succession

DEFINITION: PROPHET’S EXAMPLE:

The term khalifah, often translated as “vice-regent” • The Prophet said, “My community will never agree or “steward,” refers to humankind’s responsibility on on an error.” Scholars often interpret this to mean that earth above all other creatures, and to care for all of God’s will is reflected in the collective will of humanity, God’s creation. since humans are his vice-regents on earth.2

Khilafah literally means “those who came after,” and most scholars agree that it directly refers to the succession of the four “Rightly Guided Caliphs”: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, who were declared the “Behold, thy Lord said to the successors of the Prophet through shura (consensus) following his death. angels: “I will create a vice- regent on earth.” They said: “Wilt Neither the Qur’an nor the Prophet ever established a particular form of political governance, or mandated Thou place therein one who will the creation of a “caliphate” or “Islamic state.” Rather, make mischief therein and shed the Qur’an provided general principles of guidance for “governing” the burgeoning Muslim community, blood?—whilst we do celebrate specifying, for instance, the importance of shura Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (public consultation) and governing with justice. A Muslim leader is considered the representative (name)?” He said: “I know what ye (wakeel) and servant (khadim) of his/her people and know not.” rules only by their consent, not through presumed divine authority.1 QUR’AN 2:30

To read more about Khalifah / Khilafah please see page 220

1 Rauf, Imam Feisal Abdul. Defining Islamic Statehood: Measuring and Indexing Contemporary Muslim States. Palgrave Macmillan, 2015, 38. 2 Rauf, Imam Feisal Abdul. Moving the Mountain: A New Vision of Islam in America. Free Press, 2012, 165.

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KHALIFAH / KHILAFAH CALIPH / ISLAMIC STATE

DAESH DOGMA: DAESH PROPAGANDA

Daesh rejects all existing Muslim “Here the flag of the Islamic State, and non-Muslim nations as false and the flag of tawhid (monotheism), illegitimate authorities (tawaghit), rises and flutters. . . . The Muslims and believes that only Daesh has a are honored. The kuffar (infidels) God-given mandate to re-establish a are disgraced. . . . The people of Khilafah, or “Caliphate.” bid’ah (heresy) are humiliated. The hudud (Sharia penalties) are Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self- implemented. . . . The frontlines proclaimed Khalifah or “caliph,” claims are defended. Crosses and graves are that all Muslims automatically fall demolished. Prisoners are released under his authority, and that they are by the edge of the sword. . . . obligated to give their allegiance to Jizyah (a tax imposed on kuffar) has him. Muslims are encouraged to give been enforced.... Courts have been up their homes and families to help established to resolve disputes and build and populate the caliphate. complaints. Evil has been removed. . . . There only remained one matter, a In an attempt to religiously legitimize [collective obligation] that the ummah their political claims of authority, sins by abandoning. It is a forgotten Daesh also calls itself the “Islamic obligation. . . . It is a dream that State,” though this concept is not lives in the depths of every Muslim found in the Qur’an, the Sunnah of the believer. It is a hope that flutters Prophet, or in any Islamic literature in the heart of every mujahid muwahhid written before the twentieth century. (monotheist). It is the khilafah Neither do the Qur’an and the Sunnah (caliphate). It is the khilafah–the contain any state-building directives; abandoned obligation of the era.”1 rather, they only provide principles for just governance.

1 Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. “This Is the Promise of Allah.”