Islamic state of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is a sunny Islamic extremist jihadist organization, whose aim is to establish the caliphate based single Islamic state under the Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi, its current leader. They chose an innovative violent form of jihad for the re-establishment of caliphate system and to topple the regimes in Iraq and Syria. Being a violent Salafist inspired movement, ISIS apparently wants to restore the caliphate system through whatever means possible. In order to restore those early glorious days of peace and justice of Islam, ISIS has employed the most inhumane and violent path, killing hundreds of innocent people, in the worst way possible, just to strike a fear in the hearts of its opponents.
The Salafist movement started from Syria. The focus of the salafist moment is that there should be an Islamic society that ruled by Islamic laws. The Salafist moment gained significant attention among the Muslims in Arab world. The moment aspires that all the Muslims have to attempt to purify Islam and create a pure Muslims society. Also, to attempt to spread and implement Islam throughout the world, and liberate all the areas which are being ruled by the west and America.
ISIS is totally against the west, America and Israel because of their culture and liberal values like democracy freedom of individuals, equal rights of women etc. They consider western culture very harmful for the Muslim society, especially for the youth. Not only are they against the west and USA but also against Arab regimes, which cooperate with the west. According to the ISIS the hub of caliphate system is Syria and Iraq but they want to expand it to Lebanon, Isreal, Palestine, Kuwait, Middle East countries like North Africa, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and especially those areas which were conquered by Muslims like Turkey and Spain.
In 2014, Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi rejected all political boundaries by terming the entire world as one region. “Syria is not only for Syrian and Iraq is not for only the Iraqi people”, he said.
ISIS began its religious propaganda to achieve their goals. They have posted many videos on social media in which ISIS spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani said that they will establish the caliphate system under the leadership of Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi. He also warned the Muslims against the adoption of the western ideology. He said we will break all the hurdles with the help of Allah and reach in the Lebanon, Yaroshalam and in all countries.
ISIS has to use the name of Islam and Allah to achieve their goal. They know that religion is a highly sensitive issue for Muslims, and through the use of religion and the name of Allah, they can manipulate the minds of the people throughout the world. Al-Baghdadi calls upon Muslims to rise up for jihad and help the Islamic state “for the sake of Allah”. However, this brings us to the question that you authorized him to call up Muslims for Jihad? Also, how did he end up becoming a so-called “Caliph”? What are his qualifications for this post?
Al-Baghdadi promised that all the Muslims who help him will go to paradise. Again, who authorized him to promise paradise on behalf of Allah? So far, almost all of the people killed by ISIS’s Jihad are Muslims. It has only been a civil war in two Muslim states where Muslims have killed Muslims. It can not be a struggle to restore the caliphate. If it is, name one incident in which Caliph Abu Bakar, Umar, Uthman, or Ali burned a prisoner of war alive to strike fear in the hearts of their enemies.
