Jund al-Aqsa Withdraws From Jaysh al-Fatah
20 November 2015By Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi
Jund al-Aqsa- a jihadi group founded in 2013 and officially independent but
in practice closer to Jabhat al-Nusra with several al-Qa'ida operatives in
its senior ranks- has recently fallen into controversies regarding its
relationship with the Jaysh al-Fatah ('Army of Conquest') coalition in Idlib
province in which it has played a key role since the spring of this year.
Arguably the main issue has been suspicion regarding the group's sentiment
towards the Islamic State. Though Jaysh al-Fatah denied earlier rumours of
thedefection of 50 members of Jund al-Aqsa to the Islamic State, a more
recent dispute has come up regarding the question of whether to actively
fight the Islamic State. Jund al-Aqsa, like most ostensibly 'third-way'
jihadi groups, has generally opted for the stance of neutrality for the sake
of preventing 'fitna', only resorting to engagement if attacked directly.
This is so even as Jund al-Aqsa officially rejects the Islamic State's
Caliphate declaration and makes clearer than ever towards the end of its
latest statement here the leadership's ideological alignment with al-Qa'ida
leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.
In these respects, Jund al-Aqsa's position is very similar to that of Jaysh
Muhammad, another ostensibly 'third-way' group dating back to 2012 and
originating from the Azaz area. Though it declares neutrality in the fight
between Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra and has been suspected of Islamic
Sate sympathies, the actual leadership ideological alignment is with Zawahiri-
made publicly clear recently even as local testimony from Azaz shows this was
leader Abu Obeida al-Masri's allegiance all along.
As it so happens, the insistence on actively fighting the Islamic State, held
up in particular by Jaysh al-Fatah component Ahrar al-Sham (a Syrian Salafi
group), has proven to be one of the reasons for Jund al-Aqsa's newly
announced withdrawal from Jaysh al-Fatah. In the statement, Jund al-Aqsa also
reveals its more hardline approach to working with other groups in contrast
to Jabhat al-Nusra, as it cites as a reason for withdrawal from Jaysh al-Fatah
the disagreements with the non-jihadi Syrian components of the coalition on
governance and their supposed lack of insistence on Shari'a as the sole basis
for legislation. In this regard, Jund al-Aqsa specifically points to a
statement last month on UN envoy to Syria Steffan De Mistura's plans
regarding a political solution, in which the signatories affirmed the need to
"respect the will of the Syrian people that alone possesses the authority to
establish the future constitution and decide on its clauses, and no
imposition of preconditions that take away its will." Signatories to that
September statement from Jaysh al-Fatah included Ahrar al-Sham, Faylaq
al-Sham and Liwa al-Haq. Though these groups are undeniably Islamist, there
is a clear distance between them and Jund al-Aqsa.
At least one other component of Jaysh al-Fatah, which is not a signatory to
the aforementioned statement, seems reluctant to insist openly on an Islamic
state/Shari'a governance alone for the time being. This group is Ajnad
al-Sham (not to be confused with the "Islamic Union for Ajnad al-Sham," which
did sign the statement and is primarily Damascus-based). Ajnad al-Sham was
established in September 2013 and primarily operates in Idlib and Hama
governorates, having worked alongside Jabhat al-Nusra long before Jaysh al-Fatah
was set up. Though Ajnad al-Sham is sometimes characterized as 'jihadist',
one media office official who spoke with me in December 2014 said the
following on the group's goals: "Our aims and project are only to bring down
the Syrian regime. This talk [of an Islamic state] is before its time. I have
told you we are engaged in fighting with the regime, defending ourselves and
our honour. As for the future, no one knows but God." More recently, the
group's Skype account affirmed the following to me: "The first goal is to
bring down this immoral regime. After the regime, God creates what He wills."
Ajnad al-Sham, which has also hosted foreign fighters from Malaysia in its
ranks, may well be concealing hardline Islamist goals under these
pronouncements, but the lack of open display and insistence on such
objectives at the present time surely annoys Jund al-Aqsa.
Below is the full statement translated by me:
Jund al-Aqsa
General Command
No. 7/427/1
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Praise be to God, the High, the Great, the Powerful, the Capable, and prayers
and peace be upon the Messenger, the Warner [Prophet Muhammad], and on his
good family and companions, as well as the followers and whoso has followed
them with ihsan to the Day of Judgment. As for what follows:
For the Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama'at are a birthmark in the Ummah of Islam and
are a people of Truth, not error. They are masters of justice, not injustice,
and followers of the law, not arbitrary whims, and masters of 'ilm [Islamic
knowledge], not ignorance. And they are a middle path amid those bent to
extremes, firmness amid those disturbed, and authenticity amid those who are
soft [in religion]. Indeed the worst thing by which the Ummah has
deteriorated is its division and disagreement- that incurable illness by
which an Ummah is not afflicted except that its spirit departs, and its
enemies gain authority over it. The Sheikh of Islam- Ibn Taymiyya (may God
have mercy on him)- says: "And this causing of division that arose from the
Ummah- its 'ulama, mashayakh, amirs and elders- is what necessitated its
enemies to gain authority over it. And that is in their abandoning the
implementation of obedience to God and His Messenger. For when the people
abandon some of what God has commanded for them, enmity and hostility befall
them. When people separate, they are obstructed and destroyed. But when they
gather, they are just and rule. For indeed the gathering is a mercy, but
separation a torment."
God Almighty has said: "And cling to God's rope entirely and don't separate."
Al-Tabari- may God Almighty have mercy on him- has said: "And by that the One
whose praise be Exalted means: and hold fast to the causes of God entirely.
By that the one whose mention is of the Almighty wants: Hold fast to the
religion of God by which He has commanded you and His covenant which He
entrusted to you, in His book to you from harmony and gathering on the word
of Truth and submitting to the command of God."
And the Prophet (SAWS) said: "I have left for you two things after which you
will not be in error: the Book of God and my Sunnah"- Sahih al-Jami'.
According to what has happened and is happening in the arena of al-Sham, we
in the group of Jund al-Aqsa want to clarify our Shari'i stance that we have
built on the basis of what we believe, profess to God Almighty, and present
before our entire Ummah and its distinguished 'ulama. And our statement
comprises the following points:
1. Jaysh al-Fatah: it was from God's favour upon us that we were among the
founders of this army.
2. Our recent departure from Jaysh al-Fatah has its reasons and motives,
among them:
a) The fact that some of the factions in Jaysh al-Fatah support projects that
contravene the Islamic Shari'a. That becomes clear in the signature to the
recent De Mistura statement that stipulates in its sixth clause: "respecting
the will of the Syrian people that alone possesses the authority to establish
the future constitution and decide on its clauses, and no imposition of
preconditions that take away its will"!! And other things besides from what
came in the clauses of the aforementioned charter, and other things we see in
contravention of the law, like welcoming the Turkish intervention and
defeatist speeches.
b) The continuing pressure upon us to fight the Dawla [Islamic State] group
within Jaysh al-Fatah from Ahrar al-Sham in particular even as we have
distinguished our stance from the Dawla group in the fifth point of this
statement.
3. Returning to Jaysh al-Fatah: in principle we have no objection to
returning to Jaysh al-Fatah but after correcting the disagreement as follows:
a) Issuing a Shari'i covenant for Jaysh al-Fatah with support from the 'ulama
and embracing all members of Jaysh al-Fatah.
b) Issuing a statement in the name of Jaysh al-Fatah on fighting the
Americans and Russians who are fighting us and whoso supports them.
c) All factions of Jaysh al-Fatah must make clear their announced and public
stance [distinguishing] from projects contrary to the rule of Shari'a.
d) In the event of the arising of disagreement- God forbid- between the
factions of Jaysh al-Fatah, the matter must be referred to the 'ulama of the
Ummah to arbitrate on it.
4. Our stance regarding unity: we have not been for a day an obstacle in the
uniting of ranks and gathering Muslims on the ruling of the law in al-Sham.
And whoso accuses us of that, we ask him for proof and evidence.
5. Our Shari'i stance regarding the Dawla group: we do not recognise their
Caliphate as convened and it has no validity. And we disavow to God Almighty
from what they have fallen into regarding takfir against Muslims and unjustly
spilling their blood. And we do not support them from the trouble they have
caused in splitting the ranks, declaring the 'ulama incompetent, and
declaring the bloodshed halal. We consider this extremism, wrongdoing and
aggression. As for repelling their aggression in regions in which we are
present, it is a legitimate right for us. So we will defend ourselves and the
Muslims against their aggression. This is a Shari'i obligation with no means
to avoid it.
And we call on the Dawla group to hold a hudna [ceasefire] to stop the
infighting between them and the Islamic factions, and expend efforts and
direct arms at the taghut of al-Sham [Assad regime] and the taghut of Iraq
[Iraqi government].
And before concluding we have some stances to take:
The first stance: with the Sheikh of the Mujahideen today and master of
distinguished virtue Sheikh Ayman al-Zawahiri- may God protect him, nurture
him and establish him on truth till the day He meets him. God Almighty has
said: "And be patient, and your patience is only through God: do not grieve
over them and do not despair over what they conspire. Indeed God is with
those who fear him and those who do good" [Qur'an 16:127-8].
The second stance: with the Islamic Ummah in general and our people in Hama
in particular. Indeed we continue on the path of jihad and fighting the
tughat, and to Hama we are coming by God's permission [referring to the new
Hama counter-offensive launched by Jaysh al-Fatah and other rebels].
The third stance: with the 'ulama of the Ummah- the lamps of the darkness,
and banners of guidance, whose power God has raised and whom He has
distinguished over the rest of creation. Oh inheritors of the Prophets,
Allahu Allah in al-Sham and its people, indeed the arena of al-Sham is in
greater need of you than ever. And we in Jund al-Aqsa will not break off a
matter without you by God's permission and we stretch our hands to you, so
don't withhold advice and direction from us.
And in conclusion, this is what we wanted to clarify pushing back against the
accusations and in advice to the Ummah, asking the Lord- Almighty and Exalted
is He- to bring harmony between our hearts and correct them among us, and to
guide us in that which has differed from the Truth, and to give victory to
Islam and its people and lower shirk [idolatry] and its people. Indeed He is
the guardian of that and capable over it. God's peace and blessings be upon
our Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions.
Jund al-Aqsa
9 Muharram 1437 AH
Corresponding to 23 October 2015
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