Islam and ISIS The following comes from Graeme Wood’s article, What ISIS Really Wants, published in The Atlantic.1 1. ISIS and al-Qaeda are not one and the same. ISIS has eclipsed al-Qaeda and views its leaders as apostates. We have made a mistake in not realizing the difference between them, particularly in regard to how they interpret the Koran. 2. ISIS advocates strict adherence to the Koran and regards itself as responsible for fulfilling its apocalyptic prophecies. Followers are very knowledgeable about their faith, and punctilious about following the letter of the law. This includes an obligation to carry out crucifixions and amputations, and to establish slavery. 3. The Islamic State sees itself as having established a caliphate. Having fulfilled the necessary requirement of possessing territory (after seizing the area around Mosul, Iraq, ISIS has a territory as big as the United Kingdom), believers are now obligated to observe all sharia laws. In theory, this includes immigrating to the caliphate. 4. Members of ISIS believe they have a role to play in the Apocalypse, and that the action will take place close to home. They believe it is prophesied that there will be a great battle against “Rome” in Dabiq, Syria, that they will go on to sack Istanbul, and that a final showdown with an anti-Messiah will occur before Jesus returns at the End of Days. 5. ISIS is now in “Offensive Jihad.” Now that it has established a caliphate, it must expand into non-Muslim territory, and is obligated to do so at least once a year. Its tactics – beheadings, crucifixions, and enslavement of 1 http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/02/what-isis-really-wants/384980/

women and children – are meant to terrorize its enemies and hasten the end of conflict. 6. The United States has failed to recognize the rift between the Islamic State and Al Qaeda. This resulted in a bizarre and bungled attempt to win the release of hostage Peter Kassig. The US recruitment of a senior al-Qaeda operative to intercede with ISIS on Kassig’s behalf ended badly, with the beheading of Kassig. 7. Territory is essential to the existence of the Islamic State. If you take away their territory, they cease to be a caliphate — a tempting argument for a foreign intervention. 8. ISIS wants us to invade. It would bolster recruitment and radicalize Muslims worldwide — a strong argument against a foreign intervention. 9. ISIS may become a victim of its own success. It’s only a matter of time before this mass of poor people with high expectations confronts economic deprivation, discontent, and a reduction in the number of believers immigrating to the caliphate. This won’t happen any time soon, though. 10. If al-Qaeda were to pledge allegiance to the Islamic State it would be catastrophic. This is why Wood believes the Obama administration’s attempt to open channels of communication between al-Qaeda and Isis (during hostage negotiations) was so foolhardy. 11. The majority of Muslims do not support the Islamic State. Some are “moderates,” who distrust hardline devotion of any kind and whom Isis considers apostates. But others oppose Isis on conservative, scriptural grounds, like certain “Salafis,” who believe they should remove themselves from conflict with fellow Muslims and concentrate on perfecting their personal lives. 12. ISIS‘ faith and confidence that they are carrying out divine will makes them a formidable opponent. They are pursuing Armageddon prefaced by a protracted war, and are unlikely to respond to appeals to their non-religious “interests." Another quote from the article reads,

Many mainstream Muslim organizations have gone so far as to say the Islamic State is, in fact, un-Islamic. It is, of course, reassuring to know that the vast majority of Muslims have zero interest in replacing Hollywood movies with public executions as evening entertainment. But Muslims who call the Islamic State un-Islamic are typically, as the Princeton scholar Bernard Haykel, the leading expert on the group’s theology, told me, “embarrassed and politically correct, with a cotton-candy view of their own religion” that neglects “what their religion has historically and legally required.” Many denials of the Islamic State’s religious nature, he said, are rooted in an “interfaith-Christian-nonsense tradition.”

How are we to understand ISIS in the context of Islamic history?

- After the death of Muhammad, Islam expanded rapidly, conquering much of the known world at that time. -By 661 A.D., the Islamic caliphates held the entire Saudi peninsula, modern day Iraq, Iran, Syria, portions of Afghanistan, Egypt and northern Libya. -By 750 A.D., the Islamic caliphates had added modern day Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and the majority of Spain. -Jerusalem and the Holy Lands fell to Muslim armies in 637 A.D. Islamic Campaigns -The Ridda (Apostasy) Wars, 632-633: After the death of Mohammad, many of the tribes in Arabia who had only nominally accepted Mohammad’s authority, sought to break away from Islam. Abu Bakr, the new Caliph, would have none of it. He led a jihad against these tribes, ultimately bringing them all back under Islamic authority. Islamic sources report that Islamic forces put tens of thousands to the sword during these wars.2 -Muslim wars of Expansion, 634-661: Under the first four caliphs, much of Mesopotamia was taken. When Muslim armies would conquer a nation/people, and subjugate them Islamic rule, three options would be offered to the conquered people. 2 Cambridge History of Islam, Chapter 2.

These were, 1 – Submit (i.e. convert) to Islam (Remember the word Islam means complete submission). 2 – Live as second class citizens and pay the jiyza, also accepting social debilitations (a heavy tax one paid to Muslim authorities in order to maintain their religion. This tax ranged from a minimum of twenty percent of net worth, to eighty percent of farm produce or business profits). Surah 9.28-29: Fight those who believe not in God nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by God and His Apostle, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book (i.e., Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. 3 – Fight to the death.

-The Umayyad Dynasties and Jerusalem

For approximately 100 years, chiefly under the Umayyads, Jerusalem prospered under Muslim rule. Under the succeeding Abbasids, Jerusalem began to decline -- beginning at approximately 725 A.D. The occasion, among other things, was the decline of the central Muslim government, the breaking away from Arabia of far-flung provinces, the growth of warlike revolutionary groups, the growth of extremist Muslim sects, and, perhaps most important, the decision (relatively new) that Muslims had an obligation to convert all Christians and Jews (and "other pagans") to Islam. Thereafter, the true colonial nature of Jerusalem became more apparent. The Abbasids drained wealth from Jerusalem to Baghdad for the benefit of the caliphs, and Jerusalem declined economically. The language of the government became Arabic, and forcible conversion to Islam became the Muslim policy.

In approximately 750, the Caliph destroyed the walls of Jerusalem, leaving it defenseless (they were later rebuilt, in time to defend against the Crusaders). The history of the following three hundred years is too complex and too tangled to describe in a single paragraph. Jerusalem, and its Christian and Jewish majority, suffered greatly during alternating periods of peace and war. Among the happenings were repeated Muslim destruction of the countryside of Israel (970-983, and 1024-1077) and of Jerusalem; the wholesale destruction by the Muslims of Christian churches -- sometimes at the direct order of the Caliph, as in 1003, and sometimes by Muslim mobs; the total destruction of Jerusalem by the Caliph of Cairo in the early 1020s; building small mosques on the top of Christian churches; enforcing the Muslim laws limiting the height of Christian churches; attacking and robbing Christian pilgrims from Europe; attacking Christian processions in the streets of Jerusalem.3

-The Crusades, 1095-1518: Throughout this time period, numerous crusades were launched from Europe with the sole purpose of expelling Islam from the Holy Land. The Crusades, while sanctioned by the Catholic Church, and heralded as Christian acts of piety, must be remembered not as Christian Holy Wars, but as wars against Islamic aggression. They were, in fact, led and fought by the most unchristian of men.

-The First Crusade, 1095-1099: This crusade ended with the capturing of much of the Holy Lands, including Jerusalem, and the establishing of the Kingdom in Jerusalem.

-The Second Crusade, 1146-1148: These campaigns saw the fall of Damascus to Muslims.

3 http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/onlinediscipleship/understandingislam/IslamHistory0212.aspx

-The Third Crusade, 1188-1192: This campaign saw the rise of the great Muslim warrior, Saladin. He would unify a broken Muslim world, and in doing so, he overthrew the entire Christian presence in the Holy Lands. Almost everything that had been gained in the First Crusade was lost to Saladin. Hearing news of this great loss, King Richard the Lionheart of England, led most the substantial crusading army to date. Although challenged, he brought crushing defeats to Saladin at every turn, but left prematurely to rehabilitate his dissolving kingdom. The Holy Lands remained under Muslim control.

-The Fourth Crusade, 1201-1204: This was a misguided campaign from the beginning. Pope Innocent III declared a crusade to reclaim Constantinople. This did nothing for Europe, nor the Holy Lands, and simply left the beautiful city in ruin. The city would ultimately be lost to Muslim control, and one of the most beautiful churches in the world, the Hagia Sophia, would be converted into a Muslim mosque.

-The Fifth Crusade, 1218-1221: This was an attempt to take Muslim controlled Egypt. The military thought behind the campaign was quite brilliant. Without Egypt, the Muslims in the Holy Land would have little way to provide the necessary supplies. Thus, a mighty military campaign was led down the Nile River, but ultimately ended in disaster at the hands of a hot-headed crusader who acted prematurely, ultimately bringing about the defeat of almost the entire crusading army.

-Other various Crusades were mounted between 1221 and 1518, all of which failed.

-The Ottoman Turks, 1300-1800: The rise of the Ottoman Empire saw the expansion of Islam deep into European territory. The Ottomans pressed all the way to the banks of the Danube, where they were stopped by the armies of Vienna.

-American Wars with Islam, 1801-Present Day -Beginning with the First Barbary War, The United States of America has a long history of conflict with militant Islamic groups. -1785: Algerian Muslims capture two American Schooners, and demand 2.7 million is ransom (That was one sixth of the entire American budget at that time; roughly equal to the cost of our current healthcare plan). -First Barbary War, 1801-05: This war was fought against the Northwest African Berber Muslims after the capture and imprisonment of American merchant sailors and ships. The Muslim captors would demand extremely high ransoms for the safe return of sailors. -War of 1812: Coinciding with the war with Britain, Algerian Muslims declared war on America. Being preoccupied at the time, America had no resources to send against the Muslims. In1815, however, President James Madison sent the young U.S. Navy and Marines to the north coasts of Africa, specifically Tripoli, where the United States Marines handily defeated the Muslim forces, effectively ensuring safe passage for American vessels.4 -World War I: The crumbling Ottoman Empire aligned itself with Austria and Germany, ultimately leading to its dismantling in the Treaty of Versailles. This caused a great sense of shame and unrest throughout the Muslim world, especially directed at the west. -Formation of Israeli State, 1948: The Islamic world saw the United States behind this movement. -Gulf War, 1991. -Somalia, 1993. -First World Trade Center Bombing, 1993. -Second World Trade Center Bombing, 2001. -War on Terror, Iraq and Afghanistan, 2001- Present. -Numerous smaller attacks. **Prepared by Benjamin A. Francis 4 https://history.state.gov/milestones/1801-1829/barbary-wars