The Caliphate in the Digital Age (original) (raw)
Related papers
The “Islamic State”: trajectory and reach a year after its self-proclamation as a “Caliphate”
On 29 June 2014, the ISIS/ISIL or Daesh announced the change of its name to just "Islamic State" (IS), proclaimed itself a "Caliphate" and named its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as "Caliph Ibrahim". About a year later, this article intends to evaluate the trajectory and reach of this territorial jihadist entity. It starts by contextualizing the self-proclamation in terms of ideology and objectives and then it describes how the IS has sought to consolidate itself as a de facto "State" and the tragic effects of its policy of terror. The last part examines the international expansion of the IS, analysing its reach in attracting "foreign fighters", the new wilayats created outside Syria and Iraq, the newly affiliated local groups, and the activities of the IS in cyberspace.
Initially a terrorist group within the Al Qaeda organization, the Islamic State of Iraq refused to obey orders from its previous superiors and declared the Islamic State, the caliphate which existed for over 1,300 years but which had ceased to exist in 1924 after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I. This declaration was possible because contrary to previous terrorist organizations which attacked targets and dissolved into the community, the Islamic State actually governs the territories it controls. It has a radio and a TV station. It counts with a prolific presence in the Internet, especially in social media. It prints its own currency, manages its own postal system and runs its schools, hospitals and police stations. It exploits resources, taxes its populations and imposes its distorted interpretation of Sharia law. It considers itself the pristine manifestation of Islam and authorizes the killing of any non-Sunni Muslim as not-true believers. This paper analyzes what we know about the Islamic State, using a variety of public sources, and makes recommendations about potential measures that could be taken to eliminate this threat from the civilized world.
Islamic Caliphate: A Quasi-State, A Global Security Threat
2017
This article examines the “Islamic State” (IS) phenomenon that has shaken the Middle East since the summer of 2014 as well as its large-scale security implications. To this end the article provides a brief historical background on IS, explores and defines its organizational character, as well as identifies and evaluates the different kinds of security threats posed by IS at the regional and global levels. The argument is that IS is not a typical case of a terrorist organization. It is rather a fusion of a state, an insurgency, and a terrorist organization that could be best described as a “quasi-state.” Further, the security threats posed by IS are categorized into conventional and asymmetrical (or nonconventional) ones. The former regard the regional level, while the latter can even have global repercussions. The article concludes with an assessment of IS's most important security threats and highlights the importance of dealing with its extremist ideology and the conditions that fuel it.
"ISLAMIC STATE" THE NEW GLOBAL JIHADIST PHENOMENON (Book)
TOMÉ, Luis (Ed.) (2015). “Islamic State” – the new global jihadist phenomenon. Formalpress/Media XXI, 2015
“Introduction”(pp. 9-18); “Chap. 3. The international expansion of the self-proclaimed “Caliphate” (pp. 65-92); e “Final Remarks – A global threat to fight in a very sensitive geopolitical chessboard” (pp. 235-243).
The Challenge of the Islamic State
Abstract: The Islamic State, proclaimed on 29 June 2014, has tremendously shaken up the Middle East and the whole world forcing hostile and friendly states alike to close ranks and create a collective military platform to fight and contain this new danger before it spirals out of control. This analysis probes the threats and the challenges the Islamic State, which has conquered and currently controls vast swathes across the Iraq – Syria borders, poses to the West and its Middle Eastern allies and examines why the challenges warranted a military response spearheaded by the US. It argues that the Islamic State poses formidable ideational challenges to the West, beyond its military threats to the Middle Eastern states, that question the very base and organizing principles of Western political order and the West’s dominance over the Middle East, what is better dubbed ‘Eurocentrism’ –a concept that articulates and sustains Western claim to universalism. Unless coerced into submission or at least militarily weakened, the IS holds the potential to successfully challenge eurocentric ideas with its own version of Islamic universalism.
Analysing the Institution of Caliphate in the Context of Political Islamists
International Journal of Islamic Thought, 2019
The Caliphate is an important concept for Muslims, especially for those who have been experiencing turmoil, disorder and conflict in their lands, as it presents as a collective body that is to be governed with fairness, assuring safety and justice for all associated with it. Once again it has resurfaced as a hot topic, debated by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. The advent of the 21st century has seen the establishment of many varied initiatives, all in attempt to re-establish the concept of a caliphate, however many of these have been short-lived and have received little support. Gradually, with the declining influence of terrorist organisations, the debate has almost lost its significance. This was until more recently, when the political Islamists of Turkey reignited the discussion through their claims of leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the rightful caliph of Muslims, inviting all Muslims to give him their pledge of allegiance. Therefore, it becomes imperative to examine the institution of the caliphate, its relevance to Muslims through identifying the nature of the caliphate and its theological and political values. More importantly, this paper aims to analyse the negative effects of the Justice and Development Party (the AKP) on Muslims, in Turkey and in other parts of the world, as a result of the party’s methods of conveying its extreme views through Islamic concepts and extremist religious interpretations. Political Islamists use primary Islamic sources and religious arguments to justify the declaration of caliphate. While inviting Muslims to the caliphate, they emphasize the notions of “Ummah”, “Islamic State” and “the Shariah.” Under this guise of religious integrity, the declaration of a caliphate by Political Islamists of Turkey resonates with Muslims all over the world, with many scholars, religious institutions and groups responding to this call positively. This paper argues that the new face of Islamic extremism and radicalism in current times is political Islam and its advocates. Their seemingly sly, novel and sustainable approach to garnering support makes it necessary to analyse how they interpret Islamic sources in an extreme way and how such an extreme interpretation is contributing to the radicalization process of Muslims.
Propaganda of Islamic State in the Digital Age
Islamic state has successfully united two well-known but distinct subjects: one is information and communication technologies as well as social networks; another is military jihad. Military and ultra-aggressive jihad performed by Islamic state with unseen excellence creates quasi-syncretic union of religious bigotry and the use of contemporary information technologies. The theoretical foundations of this blend can be associated with military strategic Abu Musab al-Suri and imam, internet-activist Anwar al-Awlaki. Al-Suri’s rejection of hierarchical structure of jihadi organizations and proposal of franchise-based autonomous groups in concordance with al-Awlaki’s emphasis on the usage of contemporary internet technologies (e.g., social networks) makes fertile ground for the emergence of “third-generation jihad” and mass propaganda performed by Islamic state in the internet. The union of jihad and contemporary technologies reflects the distinction of propaganda by Jacques Ellul, namely, vertical and horizontal propaganda, where former corresponds to old-fashioned and latter to contemporary execution of jihadi propaganda. Vertical propaganda functions as hierarchical transfer from top to bottom. Horizontal propaganda, just like al-Suri’s military strategy, is executed in a bottom-top style. Horizontal propaganda lets participators to choose the most appropriate technique in each case and to stay in safety. Thus the propaganda of Islamic state, which presumably has adopted such approach, simultaneously both is and is not chaotic, to wit, it is self-organizing constellation. The lack of centre seriously limits options to quickly and effectively counter the propaganda of Islamic state; however, even more dangerous and warning is the whole system as an example of success. The situation, where contemporary jihad transcends spatial borders, forces to acknowledge that understanding and derogation of Islamic state’s propaganda is as important as the armed struggle. The union of military jihad and contemporary technologies has become mark of an age, namely, it is an expression or a manifestation of the both theoretical ideas and present cultural and ideological situation.