Islamic State Spokesman Refutes ‘Fabrications’ Against the Group and Explains its Intentions After Moving into Syria
As well as using this newsletter to keep a record of important newly-released speeches, documents, and other output from the Islamic State and other jihadists, which assist in understanding the strategic and ideological outlook of these groups, there will be from time to time be posts with such material from the past; this is one such.
A video was released on 30 July 2013 by the then-Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). It was one of the speeches from the group’s then-spokesman, Taha Falaha (Abu Muhammad al-Adnani), entitled, “They Shall By No Means Harm You But With a Slight Evil” or “They Will Not Harm You Except for Some Annoyance” (the reference is to Qur’an 3:111). Falaha mostly focuses on refuting what he calls fabricated allegations against the Islamic State, ranging from denying being responsible for the emergence of the Sunni tribal revolt against the jihadists in Iraq to the way the Islamic State was conducting itself in Syria vis-à-vis other jihadist groups, and has some fun at the genuinely outlandish black propaganda used against the group, for instance that they made farmers dress goats because the Islamic State was offended by the animals’ nakedness. Amidst this defensive rhetoric, Falaha gives an outlay of what the Islamic State’s ideological vision and how it plans to bring this to Syria, and at a more immediate tactical level notes the end of the “Breaking the Walls” campaign and the onset of the “Soldiers’ Harvest” campaign a day before his speech was published. The video was originally released by Al-Furqan Media, and an English translation was published by Fursan al-Balagh Media, which is reproduced below with some edits and some important and/or interesting sections highlighted in bold.
God Almighty says: “Fight them, God will punish them by your hands and bring them to disgrace, and assist you against them and heal the hearts of a believing people. And remove the rage of their hearts” [Qur’an 9:14-15]. We congratulate our dear umma [Islamic community] for the great victory, achieved by the heroes of the Islamic State in the Baghdad of the caliphate [al-khilafa] in the Battle [Ghazwa] of Defeating the Taghut, the last battle in the campaign of “Breaking the Walls”: with the grace of God alone, more than 1,000 Muslim prisoners were liberated, including more than 500 lions of the mujahideen. They were released by force, against the will of the Rawafid [derog. “Shi’is”], after the men of the State demolished the fortifications of the two prisons, Taji and Abu Ghraib, crushing the checkpoints surrounding them, and killing more than 120 of the henchmen guarding the two prisons. So, congratulations to you, lions of the State, for this great victory. Congratulations to you, men of the creed [aqeeda] and guardians of monotheism [tawhid]. You are the knights of the battles and heroes of confrontations. You are few if you are counted, but many when you attack; quick when you are summoned, steadfast in confrontations. Congratulations to you: with such [actions] the sanctities are protected, and the rights restored, may God bless you. You have pleased the hearts of the believers, and made the hearts of the muwahideen [strict monotheists]. History will record your battles, and the present confirms your sincere actions. You terrorised the tawaghit of the whole world, and future generations will talk of your heroism. “That which is with God is better and more lasting” [Qur’an 28:60].
So, renew your intentions, and reform your innermost, and beware of slowing down. Follow battles with another battle, and [follow a] retreat with an attack, as we have in declaring the end of the “Breaking the Walls” campaign and the beginning what we call the “Soldiers’ Harvest” campaign. It began by striking a Nusayri [Alawi] village in Hama with a car bomb: God killed tens of them, filled their hearts with panic, and their feet with defeat, so they evacuated the village and fled.
O lions of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria [Al-Sham]: patience, patience; steadfastness, steadfastness. The ranks of the Rafida are shaken, and panic has filled their hearts. They will be defeated soon, inshallah [God willing], so strike with the explosive belts and car bombs, and stun them with the sticky and roadside IEDs, and reap their heads with silencers and snipers, and terrorise them with storming attacks.
[Arabic poetry]
If there is a scarcity in giving then we will be sacrifices to the religion
And on the path the men chanted with the eloquent spending tongues
And victory us collected by blood, spears and swords
Today is 21st of the blessed [month of] Ramadan [in the hijri year 1434, corresponding to 30 July 2013]. The declaration of the Islamic State, may God give it pride and prolong its days, is today entering its eight year with a clear banner and steadfast methodology [manhaj]. We do not forget to renew the pledge we made to the umma: we won’t enjoy life until we liberate the Muslims everywhere, and until we recover Jerusalem and regain Al-Andalus [Spain], and conquer Rome, inshallah.
We return once again to complete the response to the most important accusations and fabrications against us. We say, seeking assistance from God, as the Almighty says: “They will not stop fighting against you until they have made you renegades from your deen [faith], if they can” [Qur’an 2:217]. And the Almighty says: “Until the toils of war have ended” [Qur’an 47:4]. The explainers of the Qur’an said: “Until the coming Issa [Jesus], peace be upon him”, and the Messenger of God [the Prophet Muhammad], peace and blessings be upon him, said: “A group of people from my umma will continue to fight in defence of truth and remain triumphant until the Day of Judgment”.
So, the war between the camp of unbelief [kufr] and the camp of iman [faith] still continues, even if the ulema [scholars] of the regimes hate it, and jihad will continue until the Day of Judgment. It will not cease with the oppression of the oppressors or the justice of the equitable. Let the preachers of prostration die in their rage, since all their misconceptions have been exposed, and they were unable to prevent the Muslims from doing jihad: the elderly Muslim woman who makes du’a for the jihad and throws her sons into it; the small child who dreams of it; and the tawaghit who gave up discouraging the mujahideen from jihad, so resorted to mobilising their supporters and retainers to intimidate people against joining the mujahideen, spread fear and confusion about them, and drown people in various kinds of disinformation, accusations, and misconceptions.
False accusations and disseminating mendacious propaganda is a standard method for the tawaghit in confronting the [jihadists’] da’wa [proselytism work] and combating the mujahideen. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is facing in this domain the most fierce of wars, since it is a domain with three opponents: [1] the unbelievers with all their mouthpieces and media outlets; [2] the apostates from among our people with all their parties and evil scholars; and [3] the people of whims and the heads of bid’a [innovation], those who have deviated manhaj of the Muslims—and even some who are considered to be among the mujahideen [an unsubtle reference to Al-Qaeda].
[Arabic poetry]
They unsheathed against us sharp tongues and cut all the relationships and means
And they were frank to us in enmity and harm and obeyed the order of the enemy
And they allied with people misers to us who bite their fingers from rage behind out backs
It is the third category that is most painful to us:
[Arabic poetry]
The injustice of the kinship is more painful to the freeman than the effect of the Indian sword
The accusations are falling on us every day, and we are buffeted by fabrications from every side. This war against the mujahideen never ends, but it will never change the manhaj of the muwahideen. God Almighty says: “You shall certainly hear much wrong from those who were given the Book before you [i.e. Jews and Christians] and from the mushrikeen [idolaters, polytheists, pagans]” [Qur’an 3:186].
The biggest and worst fabricated accusations against us are:
The State forces people to give it bay’a [a pledge of allegiance], and claims to be the only victorious group [al-taifa al-mansura].
Worse, that it [ISIS] considers those who disagree with from among the jamaat [groups] and factions, or refuse to give it bay’a, or who don’t see the benefit in its existence, to be enemies equivalent to the Sahwat [Awakening], whose blood it is lawful to shed. Nauzubillah [We take refuge with the help of God Almighty] from such fabrications!
Another accusation is that we are hostile to any jamaat or battalion simply for disagreeing with us, or just because they refuse to give bay’a to the State, [but the truth is] rather [that] the policy of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in this stage is supporting the oppressed, repelling the enemy’s assaults, and avoiding confrontation with those who do not attack us.
[Arabic poetry]
We are people whom our moral prevent us that beginning with harm who doesn’t harm us
We have not fought anyone just because they disagreed with us, or said we were wrong, or didn’t give bay’a, or cannot see a benefit in our existence, God forbid. We will stand before God alongside everyone who accuses us of these things or promotes such accusations. God Almighty says, “On the Day of Resurrection, you will all settle your disputes before your Lord” [Qur’an 39:31], and the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him, said: “If anyone’s intercession creates an obstacle to [implementing] one of the punishments prescribed by God, he has opposed God; if anyone disputes knowingly about something which is false, he remains in the displeasure of God until he desists; and if anyone makes an untruthful accusation against a Muslim, he will be made by God to dwell in the corrupt fluid flowing from the inhabitants of Hell until he retracts his statement” [Hadith, via Abdallah ibn Umar]. We will not fight anyone who has not initiated war against us, but, if they assault us or sign-on to fight us, we are the people of war and the lovers of confrontation.
[Arabic poetry]
I have a silencer which obviates the sending of battalions, in war it brings down awe of my heart
Since I reached manhood you will find me fighting or under a spear
I remind my brothers of the fixed rules we operate under: it is better for us to have one thousand survive by mistake than to kill one Muslim by mistake, and that it is better for our necks to be struck one after another than for us to unlawfully shed the blood of a man. God Almighty says: “For this reason, we decreed to the Children of Israel that whosoever kills a man, unless it be for manslaughter or fasad [spreading corruption on earth], it is as though he killed all of mankind, and whoever saves a life, it is as though he saved the life of all mankind” [Qur’an 5:32]. And the Almighty says: “Whosoever kills a believer intentionally, his reward is [to be sent to] Jahannam (Hell), where he shall remain indefinitely. God will send His wrath against him and curse him, and prepare for him a tremendous torment [adhaban ‘azeema]” [Qur’an 4:93]. And the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “A believer will continue to go on quickly and well so long as he does not shed unlawful blood; when he sheds unlawful blood, he becomes slow and heavy-footed”.
Another accusation that has been fabricated against us: The State only knows the language of force and weapons, and da’wa isn’t among its policies, thus it only knows severity, cruelty, killing, and fighting.
We are innocent of this [charge]. For us, da’wa with wisdom and goodly exhortation has priority over fighting, and we are as keen to establish shari’a institutes as to open military camps. We have repeatedly declared that we accept the repentance of people—[so long as it is done] before they fall into our hands—no matter the scale of that person’s unbelief and how much hostility [they have shown] to us and torture [they have inflicted] against us. This is a means of da’wa. Abu Huraira [d. 681, the most prolific compiler of Hadith], may God be pleased with him, said, about the saying of the Almighty: “You are the best of community ever raised for humanity” [Qur’an 3:110], “You drag them to Jannah [Heaven] by chains”, and the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Our Lord Most High is charmed with people who will be led to Paradise in chains”, and added: “By God, if a single person is guided by God through you, it will be better for you than a whole lot of red camels”.
A further accusation that has been fabricated against us: that the Islamic State made mistakes in Iraq and didn’t learn from them, and wants to transfer these mistakes to Syria, and that the Sahwat emerged in Iraq due to the mistakes of the State, and that the State is determined and insistent on repeating the same mistakes in Syria.
As for our mistakes, we do not deny them. Rather, we will continue to make mistakes as long as we are humans, and God forbid that we commit mistakes deliberately. If people want leaders and mujahideen who strive without mistakes, they will never find them. Those who strive will make mistakes, while those who sit back [doing nothing] and watch won’t make mistakes, and won’t have to acknowledged making mistakes. We strive, so we make mistakes: how can they blame and criticise us for something that humans are compelled to do?!
As for the idea that the State is determined to repeat the mistakes in Syria, I’ll let the [war] minister Abu Hamza al-Muhajir respond to that. He said [during an “interview” with a “journalist” from IS’s Al-Furqan Media Foundation]:
I say to those who believe we are on the right [path] and we fight to make the word of God supreme, what are you waiting for when you see that the followers of every falsehood have allied and gathered and supported each other in everything [against us]? If our mistakes prevented you from [joining] the Jamaat and unifying the ranks, we have never claimed al-isma [immunity from sin, (moral) infallibility]. Today and tomorrow, we will admit that there are mistakes, and the mistakes will not end, but I swear by God I believe that we have never deliberately committed a mistake nor were we satisfied [rida] with them. If mistakes occur, we rush to fix them, and if we know who is responsible, we punish them.
We promise that if you come to us, we will allow you to fix what we agree is a mistake according to the shari’a of God. If we do not [agree], then you are exempt from any agreement. If what prevented you from unity [with us] is the accusations people have launched against us from one bow, and that our banner is targeted by every taghut and oppressor, this is exactly what the shari’a has ordered and made it a reason to support us and unite with us. The Prophet said in Al-Sahihayn: “Support your brother, whether he is the oppressor or the oppressed”. You know that we are oppressed and the hostility of every taghut towards us is the secret of our strength, the subject of our pride, a sign of the sincerity of our banner, and the purity of our methodology [manhaj].
As for that the idea that the Sahwat resulted from the mistakes of the State, I will let Shaykh Abu Umar al-Baghdadi—rahimahullah [God have mercy on him]—answer. He said [in a December 2007 speech]:
To those who launch false and baseless accusations against the Islamic State, claiming that we are the reason for the [jihadist cause’s] loss of what they call al-hadina al-shabiyya [lit. “the popular incubator”; public support], and that our gruesome actions, as they describe them, justify these Sahwat [Awakening councils], we say: O qawm [people, community], is every mass apostasy necessarily due to an error [on the part of] the leadership and administration? Or their methodology and suluk [conduct, behaviour]? Or due to a lack of wisdom and [errors in] fiqh [jurisprudence] of the da’wa [call to God; proselytism efforts]? Or due to misconduct towards the people, especially their elders? To those [who would say “yes”] we say: do not be hasty [ruwayda; lit. “[take it] slowly”]!
After the death of the Messenger of God—peace and blessings of God be upon him—many of the Arabs apostatised and took control of whole regions. They even mobilized armies against him before his death and some of the apostates who led them were famous Sahabah [Companions] and well-known knights, who repented after the Prophet’s death and became martyrs [for the faith], so we consider them and God is their reckoner. Among these is Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid al-Asadi: he apostatised during the lifetime of the Messenger of God, as documented by [Hadith compiler] Ibn 'Abd al-Barr [978-1071] and other scholars. Al-Dhahabi—rahimahullah [God have mercy on him]—said about him [Tulayha]: “The hero companion of the Messenger of God, who is a role model in his courage [or symbol of bravery], accepted Islam in 9 A.H. [630-31], then he apostatised, and after the death of the Prophet, the tribes of Bani Assad, Ghatafan, and Uyaynah ibn Hissin heading the tribe of Fazarah gave him bay’a”. Similarly, Al-Aswad al-Ansi apostatised during the life of the Prophet, prevailed over the people of Yemen, and gained the allegiance of many famous knights, eventually entering Sana’a and killing Badhan [ostensibly in 628], the governor appointed by the Prophet, and married his [Badhan’s] wife, Al-Marzubana. The Prophet became very worried and was afflicted with deep grief, until he [Al-Ansi] was killed by a blessed man from a blessed family, as has been narrated also happened to Fayruz al-Daylami. The Messenger of God was made happy by his death and went out to the people to tell them the good news, despite his severe sickness, day and night, [in this period] before his death. Musaylima al-Kadhab [“Musaylima the Liar”] claimed that he was a partner in [bringing the] Message alongside the Messenger of God [i.e. the Prophet Muhammad], wrote to him [Muhammad] about this, and the people of Yamama [southeast Najd] believed his lie and apostatised with him [creating a polity that lasted until after Muhammad’s death].
This is an example from Islamic history of mass apostasy afflicting al-saf [lit. “the row”; the ranks] of the Muslims, which continued for some time after the death of the Messenger. After his death, Al-Khattabi said, documented in Al-Nawawi’s commentary on ‘Sahih Muslim’, describing the status of Islam: “No body prostrated [worshipped] to God Almighty on earth except in three mosques: the mosques of Mecca, Medina, and Abd al-Qays in Bahrain in a village called Jawatha”, end of quote, rahimahullah.
Imam Al-Hafiz [Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (1372-1449)] said in his [Hadith] book, ‘Fath [al-Bari’], on the authority of Al-Qadi and others, about the apostates: “The people of the apostasy were of three types: one category returned to worshiping idols; a category that followed Musaylima and Al-Aswad al-Ansi; and a third category that remained with Islam but refused to pay Zakat because they interpreted it as [an obligation that was] specific to the time of the Prophet, peace and blessings of God be upon him”. So, did those who worshiped idols after they had prostrated themselves to Al-Rahman [Islam’s God] do so because of the shock of the tragic death of the Messenger of God? Are you surprised that there were Arabs who followed a female false-prophet, when they didn’t consider women [to count for] anything and even buried new-born baby girls alive in the sand, believing girls were a disgrace?
This [false female prophet] Sajah bint al-Harith ibn Suwayd claimed to be a Prophet of God and mobilized an army of 40,000 men to fight Islam and the Muslims, as mentioned in ‘Tarikh Baghdad’ [‘The History of Baghdad’, by Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi (1002-1071)]. [Her army was] headed by the leaders of the tribes of Bani Tamim, namely Zabarqan ibn Badr and Umar ibn al-Ahtam and Atarid ibn Hajib. Were all of these past apostasies, as with apparently today’s, due to mistakes [by Islam’s leaders]? We acknowledge our mistakes, but did the Messenger of God and his honourable Sahabah also make mistakes? Or do the elders and tribes of today have a better aqeeda [creed] and methodology, and a stronger iman [faith], than the elders and tribes of the past?! Glory be, this is a titanic falsehood.
So, fear God in us, O slaves of God. We aren’t the reason for the Sahwat of apostasy, treachery, and betrayal. Look at the mujahideen in Yemen, whom the world testifies are notable for their wisdom and tolerance, and their good dealing with the people, and good administration of their regions, but [after they created a jihadi statelet] it was not long before the Sahwat of apostasy and hypocrisy from the “Popular Committees” showed their hatred, apostasy, and hypocrisy, lusting after the dunya [temporal things; in this context non-jihadist rule] to please their masters, the tawaghit of the West and the East. Our opponents searched for evidence in the shari’a to criticise us and drive the people away from us, but they couldn’t find any, so they resorted to focusing on our mistakes, dramatising them and maximising them, and speaking about them around the clock.
[Arabic poetry]
Who is the one that all his characteristics are praised? It is enough for a man to be great to count his flaws
It is beneficial, here, to note the saying of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyya—rahimahullah—about Musa [Moses], peace be upon him, who threw down the Tablets and dragged the beard of his brother and gouged out the eye of the Angel of Death, that His Lord didn’t admonish him because he had resisted Pharaoh, the biggest enemy of God, and confronted him [Pharaoh] and his people, and was patient with the Children of Israel, and made jihad against the enemies of God. He [Moses] was very angry for His Lord, so He endured from him [Moses] what He didn’t endure from others. Dhul-Nun, who had done none of those things, was incarcerated in the belly of the whale for his anger. God, indeed, has appointed a measure for everything.
Yet another accusation that has been fabricated against us: the Islamic State doesn’t have a political project, and that its rhetoric and decision-making is unilateral, separated from the masses.
We say, after seeking assistance and dependence from God: we are surprised anyone can accuse us of that! And it isn’t fair! As for our political project: it is the project of the umma, and our goal is to establish an Islamic State on the prophetic methodology that doesn’t recognise borders and doesn’t distinguish between Arab and non-Arab, or Easterner and Westerner, except by their level of piety. Its loyalty is only to God and it only depends on Him and fears Him alone. Our only way to achieve that goal was told to us by God Almighty, who said, “Fight them until there is no more persecution and all worship is devoted to God alone” [Qur’an 8:39], and, “fearing not the blame of any blamer” [Qur’an 5:54]. Then there are the sayings of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him: “I was sent before the Day of judgment until God is worshiped alone” [narrated by Ahmed]; and, “I have been commanded (by God) to fight people until they testify that there is no true god except God, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God, and performs the salat [prayers] and pays Zakat. If they do so, they will have protection of their blood and property from me, except when justified by Islam, and then the account is left to God” [narrated by Bukhari]; and, “What does Quraysh think? I swear by God I will continue to do jihad on the path God has sent down to me until God gives us triumph or I am beheaded”. We will fight to establish the Islamic State, fighting everyone—everyone!—who fights against us, and leaving alone those who leave us alone. This is our project, which we won’t give up or compromise.
We say to those who claim that the State doesn’t have a political project: Are you blind? Did you miss seeing the project of the State and the mujahideen, but you saw the projects of degenerates and agents in the hotels of Turkey and Qatar with its red nights?! Do your ears listen to the national and secular projects, but are deaf to the project of the Islamic State?!
[Arabic poetry]
The mouth might deny the taste of water for being sick and the eye might deny the light of the sun from ophthalmia
It is very strange for someone who doesn’t denounce, but rather encourages and applauds for deviant governments, who lounges in the hotels of the West and East in the arms of their mukhabarat [intelligence services], and who does not dare to enter Syria, to find their voice in denouncing the declaration of the Islamic State’s expansion into Syria!
This project of ours confronts two parallel projects:
The first: A project for a civil democratic state, a secular project supported by all the sects of unbelief, despite their conflicting interests and different methodologies, [which is] not [pursued] for the love of the people of Iraq or [out of] compassion for the people of Syria, rather it is for fear of the restoration of God’s authority to His land and the establishment of the Islamic caliphate, which is a serious matter that cannot not be tolerated. We say to the people supporting the project [of civil state]: you have been exposed in Egypt and the two idols have fallen: democracy and the Bankrupt Brothers [Al-Ikhwan al-Muflisin; a play on the name of the Muslim Brotherhood]. Know that between you and a state that doesn’t rule with the shari’a of God in Syria are seas of blood and mountains of skulls and carnage: you won’t be able to even dream of security and safety; we, inshallah, will stand in your face until God judges between us. So, either the Muslims in Iraq and Syria enjoy the justice of the shari’a, or we perish to the last man—and that will never be!
As for the second project: it is the project of a local nationalist state that calls itself “Islamic”, supported by the funds and fatwas of the ulema of Al-Salul [the Saudis] and the governments of the Gulf. It is a project engineered by intelligence services, which see no harm in a government that mandates long beards and short thobes, so long as it makes peace with the Jews and protects their borders, so that it can be blessed by the United Nations, and gains a seat in the Security Council. Most of the people pursuing this project fear America and the West in their hearts, and became filled with panic about their warplanes, tanks, and weapons of mass destruction, so they extended a hand of friendship to the Americans under the pretext of [a pragmatic consideration about] costs and benefits, claiming that they are cleverer than the devils of America and cleverer than the intelligence agencies of the West! Their fear [of America] became like the fear of God, only more so. They despaired of the hope given by God, and went to the NATO and the Security Council. This project is Islamic on the outside, but its essence is nationalist and it succumbs to the tawaghit, in the West and in the East, who aim to derail the path of jihad and deliver a blow to its heart.
Embroiled in this project are some factions that seek to establish an Islamic state, but its leaders deviated from the prophetic methodology in jihad, so they began to offer concessions under the pretext of politics, they agreed to half-solutions, and they sought the truth with false [religious] permissions, and to those we say: fear God, and end your relations with the intelligence agencies and governments of the West and East. As to your claim that the Crusaders or apostate governments will aid the Muslims and wish for them good and welfare, God Almighty says, “Those who disbelieve from among the People of the Book, nor the mushrikeen, would like anything good to be sent down to you from your Lord” [Qur’an 2:105], and the Almighty says: “The Jews will never be satisfied with you, neither will the Christians [Nasara, i.e. Nazarenes], until you follow their creed” [Qur’an 2:120]. The Almighty also says: “Surely, the unbelievers are an open enemy to you” [Qur’an 4:101]. And Abu Muhammad ibn Hazm in his Al-Muhalla said: “If the Muslim as an individual or group knew that the one from whom he seeks assistance provides assistance to the people of war [armed infidels] or dhimma, who will harm a Muslim or a dhimmi, then it is not permissible for him to seek their assistance, even if he dies. He should be patient for the order of God Almighty, even if he is harmed in himself, [his] family [is harmed], and [his] money [taken], or he should fight until he dies as a noble martyr. Death is a must and nobody escapes it.”
If you think that you are cleverer from the devils of America and cleverer than the intelligence of the East and West, take a lesson from your people in Iraq, who were more resourceful and mightier than you. They have tried your project, walked your blocked road, and failed. They accepted support from Al-Salul and the other Gulf governments—and they got more than you, who are only receiving money, media coverage, and fatwas. What was their end?! How have their groups and factions fared?! They are dispersed and dispossessed, ending up in one of three categories:
Some fell into the trap of the intelligence agencies, apostatised, and fought against the mujahideen in the same trench as the Rawafid and Crusaders.
Others fell in the snare of Satan, left the jihad, and lusted after the Dunya.
And the rest—this is the largest category—joined the Islamic State project.
So think and take a lesson: “Surely, there is a reminder in all this for whoever has a heart and lends an attentive ear [to the truth]” [Qur’an 50:37].
Hence, we address all the mujahid Muslim factions that that seek to implement the shari’a of God: to all the true sincere mujahideen who strive for God, we call the commanders and soldiers, groups and individuals, to hasten to join the project of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, since the project is your project, and your joining is more obedient to your Lord, strengthens the jihad, and is more enraging to your enemy, God Almighty says: “Hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of God [the Qur’an]” [Qur’an 3:103]. So join. We have no doubt that if there are any good people among you, God will guide you [to ISIS], even if it takes some time. And look at who is joining the State everyday, as groups and individuals: aren’t they from the best factions and your best brothers?
We advise you not to judge the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria from the media, or from accusations and fabrications spread by our enemies and opponents, but rather what you see from them by yourselves. We advise you to stand impartiality before God and think: Why are the tawaghit of the whole world united to fight the State and eliminate it? Why do they keep it at the top of their list of the enemies and want to war against it before everyone else? Weren’t there more than 150 [Syrian rebel] fighting factions? Why did they break up, disperse, recede, diminish, and end? Didn’t the State fight at the same time more than two million, between the Crusaders with their armies and allies, and the Rawafid with their militias and parties, and the apostates with their Sahwat and factions—yet all those were unable to eliminate it and it still remains [baqiya]! Is there an entity in the world that stands in the face of the Rawafid and deters them and inflicts losses on them like the Islamic State?
Answer by God: Are the sincere mujahideen groups those whose commanders and representatives move between infidel capitals, attend the conferences with the tawaghit, spend time in the hotels opened for them, appear on the satellite channels, and receive aid through intelligence agencies? Is that the methodology of the Prophets? Are they mujahideen? Or are the mujahideen those who are chased by the infidel authorities and their soldiers, their emirs pursued by the intelligence services, television channels closed if they publish their accurate news, pursued wherever they settle, and are shelled with their families and attacked with warplanes? Surely, there is a lesson in this for those who have sight. Think on that, and observe it in an impartial manner. Realise you are mistaken and wake up, or [you will be in the position of] sheep [who] have “reconciled” with wolves.
Those who claims to be following the ways of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, or his methodology, but who are not opposed by the tawaghit and the people of falsehood—who you see coming and going safely among them safely—he is either deviant from the way of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and is following other than the true revelation, or he is lying. Waraka ibn Nawfal said to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in what has been narrated by Bukhari: “Anyone who came with something similar to what you have brought was treated with hostility”. And this saying of Waraka was affirmed in the hearts of the Sahabah, when they gave bay’a to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, as Asad ibn Zurara reminded them: “Don't be hasty, O people of Yathrib [Medina], we would not have come all the way if we didn't know that he is the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him. He has brought his people, who have the hostility of all the Arabs. They will kill your best men and their swords will strike you [if you resist the faith]. So either you are people who will endure that, and you’re your reward will be from God [i.e. Hell], or you are people who fear for themselves so state that [i.e. convert] and that will be an excuse for you before God.” This is the methodology of the Prophet and those who followed them from among the people of the da’wa. Who in Iraq and Syria is closer to this methodology?
A final accusation that has been fabricated against us: We declared the Islamic state prematurely, didn’t consult with umma, and declared a state when we did not have its infrastructure in place.
I will not say more than what was said by Shaykh Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, rahimahullah, in response to these accusations, and who wants can return to his interesting speech [released on 19 September 2008], “The State of the Prophet”: he was excellent and educational, may God give him the best reward. We were under no obligation to consult with factions that disagree with us on methodology and the project, or who meet with intelligence agencies to plot against us, and even sign-on to fight us. As for us insisting on the name of “the State”: this is because it still remains a spearhead in the face of infidelity and injustice, establishes the shari’a of God as much as possible, and cooperates with other Muslims, until the complete tamkeen [lit. empowerment, i.e. governance capacity] returns to us, and we will return—God willing—to all the regions from which we withdrew or lost control over, and we will take even more [territory]. Of that, we have no doubt. We will not drop this banner until we hand it over—God willing—to Isa ibn Maryam [Jesus, son of Mary], peace be upon him, and until the last of us fight the Dajjal [false messiah].
These [I have dealt with] are the most important accusations that have been fabricated against us. These slanders are not new. We were accused of them in Iraq, and now they are thrown at us in Syria. If you are surprised by this, there are even more surprises! We have been accused in Iraq of killing the muezzin if he says the salat on the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, after the adhan, or cutting out his tongue! Yes, if you are surprised, get ready for more surprises! The hypocrites and the apostates have spread rumours that the State cuts off the fingers of smokers! And that it forbids keeping ice in water because it is bid’a [innovation]! That it forbids carrying a fifth wheel in the car because that contradicts with the tawakul [complete trust in God]! That it forces the shepherds to dress the goats to cover its genitals! And on and on—if you ask for more, I will give you more. Accusations have been fabricated against us that are more surprising and weirder that that! We disdain from mentioning them, Hasbunallahu wa Ni'mal Wakeel [“God alone is enough for us; He is the best trustee/guardian/disposer of affairs”, from Qur’an 3:173]. This is only to be expected. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was accused of more than that, and worse things were fabricated against him: they said he was a sorcerer, that he was crazy, that he was a fabulist and a liar who was helped by other people.
[Arabic poetry]
I seek refuge with the Lord of the House from every slanderer against us or insisting on falsehood
And an enemy who accuses of a demerit and innovating in the religion what we didn’t attempt
Finally: we call Ahl al-Sunna [the Sunni people] in general and the people of Iraq in particular to join the ranks of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Specifically, we address our people in Diyala, and especially the sons of the displaced families from Miqdadiya and elsewhere. The State opens the door of recruitment to every Muslim who wants to do jihad against the Rawafid to support Ahl al-Sunna, so wake up Ahl al-Sunna, wake up Ahl al-Sunna! Enough humiliation in the public squares. There is no coexistence and peace between you and the Rawafid. If peaceful means really retrieved or preserved dignity, or ended falsehood, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, wouldn’t have shed one drop of blood, and God would have relieved us of the burden of jihad. Come to us, youth of Ahl al-Sunna, enough of humiliation, and woe to the Rawafid in the coming days, since hungry lions have been released [from Taji and Abu Ghraib]. And woe will come to Ahl al-Sunna from the Rawafid if they do not carry arms!
“Power belongs to God, and to His messenger and to the believers, but the hypocrites know it not” [Qur’an 63:8].