ISIS : "Democracy can never be compatible with Islam". (FoT).
Pro-Islamic State (IS) groups have issued their first
online periodical in Turkish. Believed to be designed by veteran IS
digital experts at Al-Hayat Media Center, which is known for its highly
professional work, the periodical launched its first edition last week,
titled “Konstantiniyye” — referring to Constantinople, Istanbul’s name
before its conquest by the Ottoman army.
The 46-page periodical includes symbolically relevant
visual material that offers important clues to IS’ strategic vision of
Turkey.
The main theme of the first issue is the conquest of
Konstantiniyye, as it coincides with the anniversary of the conquest of
Istanbul on May 29, 1453. The unsigned lead editorial explains that the
periodical is published because of a “lack of access for Turkish people,
especially Muslims, to news, articles and videos that are published in
the Islamic State.”
The first article is about the city’s conquest. The article
states that although the city was conquered by Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II
on May 29, 1453, Konstantiniyye was not really conquered; it has to be
conquered again, this time by the “armies of Islam.” The article begins
with the Prophet Muhammad extolling the importance of Istanbul. The
strategic vision of IS for Istanbul is inspired by the hadiths (the
prophet’s sayings), especially the one that predicts that the Islamic
armies will first engage the Romans in a major war at Aleppo, close to
the Day of Judgment; following that war they will go to Konstantiniyye
to conquer it “without arms.”
The article ends by stating, “As you will understand from
these hadiths, this city now called Istanbul will be conquered without
weapons and without bloodshed — only with chants of ‘God is great.’ The
new army of the caliphate, rebuilt as ordained by the prophet, with
God’s blessing, will thus capture the city.”
Why such a careful attitude toward Turkey?
The answer to
this question can be found in another article, titled “Immigration.” The
message in that article implies that IS does not see Turkey as a
battlefield but as a rich source of human resources. All Muslims of
Turkey, in particular those in the fields of engineering, health care,
education and the military, are invited to emigrate to the Islamic
State. Hence, it becomes clear that capturing and holding on to
territory is important in the strategic narrative of IS.
A poem that promises the conquest of Istanbul with chants
of God’s greatness is seen as a way of praising the glory of the
Ottomans, making one wonder whether there is some strategic reason
behind it and whether IS is trying to assume the label of “protector of
the Sunni world,” against Iranian expansionism.
If so, then it would mean a radical shift in the strategic vision of
IS. The ambition to take over the role of the Ottoman Empire by
challenging the nearby enemy of Iran and Shiite expansionism, and the
distant enemy of the West and its values, suggest that IS has global
aspirations.
It is possible to interpret the article titled “Who is an
Apostate?” as a discreet threat to political decision-makers in Turkey,
particularly the AKP elites. The basic message to the AKP in this
article is that “if you don’t mess with us, we will not mess with you as
long as you don’t become apostates.”
IS here openly warns the AKP that
if it takes action against IS, those involved will be declared apostates
and their legitimacy will be questioned in front of the Sunni world.
The article “Democracy on Fire,” accompanied by a photo of
coffins of US soldiers wrapped in US flags, without a doubt reflects IS’
perception of democracy as the worst enemy.
The article explains,
“Democracy can never be compatible with Islam. These are two different
religions. No other religion and ideology is compatible with Islam. You
cannot add a qualifier to a Muslim. There cannot be a democratic Muslim,
communist Muslim, socialist Muslim, Jewish Muslim or Buddhist Muslim.
This calls for the Islamic world and Turkey to fight against democracy.”
The article is perceived as a reaction to the Kurdish radical Islamist Huda-Par (Free Cause Party). Pro-IS thinkers in Turkey are thus saying the recent elections are not legitimate in their eyes while trying to attract the Huda-Par voters to its ranks.
However, the IS periodical does not include any distinctly
anti-Kurdish articles and visual material, apart from challenging
Huda-Par. This indicates that radical Islamist Kurds in Turkey
constitute for IS a major source of manpower, and that IS is focused on
attracting Islamist Kurdish youths.
From this first online periodical in Turkish, one can
conclude — at least for the time being — that IS does not see Turkey as a
battlefield, and that Turkey will not be conquered with weapons. Hence,
IS is expected to continue to appeal primarily to the hearts and minds
of Kurdish youths.
The publication also makes it clear — with its
message, “We are the soldiers of the mission declared by the prophet” —
that there is strong emphasis on Aleppo and the prophet’s visions.
There is no doubt that Turkish Islamism represented by the AKP has been tarnished with corruption allegations. IS appears to be fusing its ideology with Islamism and Ottomanism in Turkey to create a new radical Islamist school of thought there that could motivate the Islamist masses already disengaged from socio-economic life and democracy closer to IS.
That IS has a long-term strategic vision for Turkey is the most important message the periodical is sending. It emphasizes the popular-centric approach aimed at winning the hearts and minds of Turks, instead of armed violence and terror; hence the call to conquer Istanbul not with weapons but with Islamist spiritual action. Hmmm........'Democracy and Islam are incompatible.' Where have i heard this before? Ah i remember...Flashback 2012. Read the full story here.
Related:
Not sure Obama will ever get this. The more Arab youth see #Iran rising, the more fertile ground ISIS will find to recruit and raise funds
— Hussain AbdulHussain (@hahussain) June 17, 2015The day #Iran signs nuclear deal with the US, ISIS will pop champagne. Nothing better than Arab feeling of injustice to recruit
— Hussain AbdulHussain (@hahussain) June 17, 2015
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