Caliph? ISIS Of Al-Baghdadi And Sheikh Al-Zawahiri, Sheikh Al-Qardawi: Sheikh Aymenn al-Zawahiri Annuls Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham
04 July 2014
Qatar-based Egyptian Muslim cleric Yusef al-Qaradawi said on Saturday that the
declaration of an Islamic caliphate by the militant Islamic State of Iraq and
Syria (ISIS) violates Sharia law.
Last Sunday, the Mujahidun groups led by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
(ISIS now IS) declared an "Islamic caliphate" in areas they control in Iraq and
Syria and ordered Muslims worldwide to pledge allegiance to their leader Abu
Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Sheikh Qaradawi, seen as a spiritual guide of the Muslim Brotherhood in his
native Egypt, said in a statement that the declaration "is void under Sharia."
ISIS leader Baghdadi had called on Muslims with military, medical and managerial
skills to flock to its newly-declared pan-Islamic state, in an audio recording
released Tuesday.
"Those who can immigrate to the Islamic State should immigrate, as immigration
to the house of Islam is a duty," said Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
The newly named "caliph" said the appeal especially applied to "judges and those
who have military and managerial and service skills, and doctors and engineers
in all fields."
Baghdadi also addressed the group's fighters, saying that "your brothers in all
the world are waiting" to be rescued by them.
"Terrify the enemies of Allah and seek death in the places where you expect to
find it," he said. "Your brothers, on every piece of this earth, are waiting for
you to rescue them."
The outlawing of ISIL 'caliphacy'
by Sheikh Al-Qardawi came two days after a leading Jordanian Mujahidun and
Islamic scholar on Wednesday denounced the declaration of a "caliphate" by Sunni
militants in Iraq and Syria, warning against more bloodshed.
"Can every Muslim and weak person find refuge in this caliphate? Or would it be
like a sharp sword against all opponents?" Issam Barqawi, known as Abu Mohammed
al-Maqdessi, wrote on Facebook and on jihadist websites.
Here we reexamine Sheikh the statement of Sheikh Ayman Al-Zawahiri
last April when he voided the ISIL and its fighting against fellow Mujahidun,
especially, those who resist brutal dictator Bashar Assad and his terrorist
mercenaries as well as heavy weapons from Russia and Iran.
Sheikh Aymenn al-Zawahiri annuls Islamic State of
Iraq and ash-Sham
By Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi
Below I give my translation of an alleged statement from Sheikh Aymenn al-Zawahiri
on the abrogation of Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham, via Basma Atassi of Al-Jazeera.
In light of this statement, I reverse my earlier position of doubt on the
authenticity of Jowlani's letter provided by Zaid Benjamin. Both reporters
deserve credit.
This statement by Sheikh al-Zawahiri contains several notable points, including
(i) the abrogation of Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS), (ii) a denial
of consultation on Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's announcement in April of a
merger between Jabhat al-Nusra (JAN) and Islamic State of Iraq, pace my belief
and that of many analysts at the time that the order for a merger came from
Zawahiri (a notable dissenting voice to this view was my friend Oskar Svadkovsky,
though I should add that Sheikh Zawahiri has never viewed Sheikh Baghdadi as a
liability as regards his tactics: that was more true of Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi).
Sheikh Zawahiri's and Jowlani's statements are an attempt to revert to the
pre-April status quo but it remains unclear if any damage that has been done can
be repaired. Basma Atassi is certainly right about ISIS tensions with JAN in the
Aleppo area, in other places it is complicated (for example, in Deraa I only
observe JAN symbols: a sign of rejection of ISIS?), but in Raqqah Governorate
the two are basically interchangeable (see my latest Jihadology post). It is
also true, as Atassi notes, that the majority of at least foreign mujahideen in
Syria now use the ISIS banner. In any event, internal rivalries in both groups
are not to be ignored either.
Translation
"In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful:
[...]
[To] the noble brother: His Excellence Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi al-Husseini,
and his brothers in the Shura of the Islamic State of Iraq, may God protect
them.
[To] the noble brother: His Excellence Sheikh Abu Mohammed al-Jowlani, and his
brothers in the Shura of Jabhat al-Nusra li Ahl ash-Sham, may God protect them.
Salaam Alaykum wa rahmat Allah wa barakaatuhu. I hope that you and those with
you are well, and that God is bringing us together in what He loves and is
pleased with from the glory of the world and the attainment of the Hereafter.
And following:
1. The people of Jihad became saddened- all of them- at the dispute which arose
and appeared in the relations between our beloved brothers in the Islamic State
of Iraq and Jabhat al-Nusra li Ahl ash-Sham.
2. And what happened on the part of both parties- in which we were not sought
for giving orders and which we did not seek to propagate, but also we did not
know about it- and the grief we heard was from media.
3. First, it is inevitable that I remind all the mujahideen and Muslims of the
role of the Islamic State of Iraq in resisting the Crusader plan for making an
alliance with and dividing the heart of the Muslim world, and their resistance
of the aggressive Safavid-Rafidite expansionism into Iraq, ash-Sham and the
Arabian Peninsula.
And it is inevitable that we praise the good deeds of our brothers in the
Islamic State of Iraq and their head and amir: Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in
extending the jihad into ash-Sham with the best of men and his honouring them
with financial support over adversity in which they are supported and judged.
But we also have affection for our beloved people and brothers in Jabhat al-Nusra
on account of the praise of Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and his brothers for
them and their amir Abu Mohammed al-Jowlani.
4. It is also inevitable that I remind all the mujahideen and Muslims of the
role of our brothers in Jabhat al-Nusra li Ahl ash-Sham in their reviving of the
obligation of Jihad in Sham ar-Rabat and the Jihad; and their reviving the hope
of the Muslim Ummah in liberating Al-Aqsa and the establishment of the guiding
Khilafa with God's permission. Likewise, [it is inevitable that I mention] their
resistance to the Safavid, Rafidite, Batinite and secular enemy on the harbour
of Islam in beloved Sham. And it is inevitable that we mention with appreciation
their recognition of their brothers in Islamic State of Iraq for what they have
brought for them as regards help, aid and assistance.
5. When the disagreement between the two excellent and interlinked groups of
mujahideen was made public, I touched on the matters of the disagreement in a
message from me on 1 Jumada ath-Thaniya 1434 to the two excellent Sheikhs Abu
Bakr al-Baghdadi al-Husseini and Abu Mohammed al-Jowlani for a freezing of the
situation that existed before the disagreement for the right time to pass
judgment.
6. Messages from both parties and others reached me, and based on this, I, after
consultation with my brothers in Khorasan and elsewhere, and after consulting my
Lord- Subhaanuhu wa Ta'aala...- for guidance in the face of my weakness and lack
of strategem, with the reason of hoping to extinguish the fire of Fitna and the
disagreement between the two noble and exalted groups, I have made a decision on
the matter- must'aeeban Allah- as follows:
a) Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was in error in his announcement of the Islamic
State of Iraq and ash-Sham without seeking our order, consulting us or even
informing us.
b) Sheikh Abu Mohammed al-Jowlani was in error of his announcement of the
rejection of the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham and made clear his relation
with al-Qa'ida without seeking our order, consulting us, or even informing us.
c) The Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham is cancelled, and work continues under
the name of Islamic State of Iraq.
d) Jabhat al-Nusra is a separate entity for Jamaat Qa'ida al-Jihad [i.e. al-Qa'ida],
following the general leadership
e) The realm of Islamic State of Iraq is Iraq.
f) The realm of Jabhat al-Nusra li Ahl ash-Sham is Syria.
g) Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi al-Husseini is to remain amir of Islamic State of
Iraq for the period of one year from the point of this ruling, after which the
Shura Council of the Islamic State of Iraq is to issue a report to the general
leadership for Jamaat Qa'ida al-Jihad about the course of operations, with the
general leadership making a decision after this on whether to continue having
Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi al-Husseini as amir or having a new amir come to
power.
h) Sheikh Abu Mohammed al-Jowlani is to remain amir of Jabhat al-Nusra li Ahl
ash-Sham for a period of one year from the point of this ruling, and after this
the Shura Council of Jabhat al-Nusra li Ahl ash-Sham is to issue a report to the
general leadership of Jamaat Qa'ida al-Jihad about the course of operations,
with the general leadership making a decision after this on whether to continue
having Sheikh Abu Mohammed al-Jowlani as amir or having a new amir come to
power.
i) Islamic State of Iraq is to provide support for Jabhat al-Nusra li Ahl
ash-Sham- as far as it can- for what Jabhat al-Nusra li Ahl ash-Sham seeks as
regards reinforcements in terms of men, arms, wealth, shelter and protection.
j) Jabhat al-Nusra li Ahl ash-Sham is to provide support for Islamic State of
Iraq- as far as it can- for what Islamic State of Iraq seeks as regards
reinforcements in terms of men, arms, wealth, shelter and protection.
k) The two parties are to desist from any enmity in speech or deed against the
other party.
l) It is obligatory on both parties and on all the mujahideen to respect the
inviolability of the Muslims in their blood, support and wealth, and not one of
them is to attack a Muslim or Mujahid except on the authority of a judicial
ruling, with its decision making its minimum clear.
m) Every Muslim is sacrosanct to the Muslim, and so anyone who moves from one
Jihad group to another is not counted as an outsider, or from one front to
another, but for said person there is the sacrosanctity of the Muslim and the
mujahid, even if we disapprove of his moving.
n) Anyone who becomes involved in spilling of blood of his Muslim brothers and
the Mujahideen, the group will seek a firm stance against him on the basis of
defending virtue and preventing vice.
o) His Excellence Sheikh Abu Khalid as-Souri is among the best known and
experienced of the living mujahideen, even as we do not praise him over God, and
he is appointed our representative in ash-Sham on the following matters:
(i)- Judgment on any disagreement in interpretation of this ruling falls on him.
(ii) In the event of any transgression by one of the parties against the other,
he has the authority to set up a Shari'a court to judge on the dispute.
p) I make it obligatory on all my brothers in Jamaat Qa'ida al-Jihad, and I ask
all my Muslim brothers and Mujahideen to desist from enmity in this
disagreement, to refrain from provocation among the Mujahideen, and to work for
the restoration of harmony, as well as unity and the unification of hearts, and
the unity of ranks among the Muslims and Mujahideen.
And may they know the power and authority of these two noble groups of
Mujahideen, and only speak good of them.
7. A copy of this ruling has been sent to everyone from:
a) Islamic State of Iraq
b) Jabhat al-Nusra li Ahl ash-Sham
c) His Excellence Sheikh Abu Khalid as-Souri
('Verily I only desire reform to the best of my power, and I cannot give
guidance except by God: in Him I trust and to Him I repent'- Qur'an 11:88).
Add Comments