Sheikh Aymenn al-Zawahiri Annuls Islamic State of Iraq and Ash-Sham (ISIL)
06 July 2014
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).
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