Abū Mālik al-Maqdisī — “Palestine Was Lost and You Are Sleeping”
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NOTE: For prior parts in the Hizballah Cavalcade series you can view an archive of it all here.
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Happy Birthday Hizballah Cavalcade
By Phillip Smyth
“All of the various fronts must unite. The organization must form an alliance; it must be a religious party…Everyone must unite in the Party of God, “Hizballah”. Everyone must speak out together. Everyone must rise up together.” – Grand Ayatollah Khomeini, May 13, 1978, speaking in Najaf, Iraq, in response to crackdowns by the Shah of Iran.1
It was a warm evening in early May 2013 when I met-up with a group of friends which included Aaron Zelin, the creator of Jihadology.net. We discussed the possibility of a guest post or me being able to assist with a section dealing with Shi’a jihadism. Since April of that year, I had been posting information on Lebanese Hizballah and other Iraqi Shi’a Islamist groups sending fighters to Syria on Twitter with the hashtag #HizballahCavalcade. We both felt this could be expanded and Aaron gave me the opportunity to put together some posts for the page. Who would have figured it would have grown and changed so much over the past 12 months?
Initially, I thought Hizballah Cavalcade would simply be an “attempt to display available photos of all funerals and martyrdom posters belonging to Shia groups which are fighting in Syria. In addition, funeral, combat, and even music videos belonging to these groups pertaining to the fighting in Syria will also be posted.” At the time, funerals and the imagery associated with them were the main way to gauge involvement. It was also unknown how deep the involvement of Shia Islamist fighters would be in Syria.
As I started to do more research, put together methodologies (which have grown and changed over the year), and truly devoted a higher-level of focus on more networks—particularly those on social media, it became clear that there would be plenty to post about for the page. As the information grew and the situation continued to transform, it became clear that putting “martyrdom announcements” or the funeral videos were simply not enough. Instead, harder analysis, focused on deeper studying of the material(s) and explanation was required with less “data-dump” style posts. As a result, Hizballah Cavalcade grew into a venue where I could put together posts on new organizations, links between the groups, their commanders, weapons systems, camouflage, where they were fighting, the fighters, uploaded combat videos, even the symbolism and language used by these groups.
Syria was also supposed to be the main focus for HC. In most respects it still is, but due to the interconnectedness of many of the forces, it became necessary to expand the scope. Consequently, I started to also focus on where many of the Shia Islamist forces fighting in Syria had originated: Iraq. Narrative development also became increasingly important as it became necessary to explain key elements regarding why a Shia jihad was occurring in Syria.
Recently, in March 2014, I started working on a subseries on Hizballah Cavalcade called “The Pearl and the Molotov” which sought to explain the growing numbers of militant Shia jihadi groups in Bahrain. I had expected to put up around five posts and focus back on Syria. However, the growth, narratives, and importance of the development has yet to stop. The hope for the rest of 2014 (and hopefully 2015) is to continue to offer some other subseries on geographic areas where there is also Shia jihadi activity.
Figure 1: I’m still searching for a correlation between Chichen Itza and fallen Shia Islamist fighters.
Hizballah Cavalcade also helped established something else which was far more expansive than simply being a niche series covering Shia Islamist organizations and their battles. The importance of open-source social media and internet-based platforms with this unique primary source information truly came to light. As the broader and at times (unfortunately) intellectually-rigid analytical community learns to deal with this 21st century reality, it is plain to see that the old narrative of, “Well, that’s just social media material” increasingly has little merit.2 As exemplified with a number of new Shia Islamist militias in Syria, their existence was announced to the world via a Facebook page. This neither means that social media sources are the best nor that they should not be used in conjunction with other sources, but their utility and the breadth of information they offer is a true game-changer.
Figure 2: Hizballah: the car seat.3
Figure 3: A young Hassan Nasrallah washing-up.
Praise & Coverage for Hizballah Cavalcade
Over the past year Hizballah Cavalcade has also gotten some fantastic coverage in the media. Needless to say, it always serves as an ego boost and affirms that the pieces are useful for those following complex situations involving Shia jihadist elements.
Noted Iraq expert Michael Knights, who also wrote a Washington Institute For Near East Policy piece on Shia Islamist fighters in Syria, used HC as a main reference and was kind enough to say HC had, “the best coverage of these issues.”
During the Battle of Qusayr, posted figures on HC of Lebanese Hizballah dead were cited by distinguished journalist Anne Barnard of the New York Times. Since then, Hizballah Cavalcade has been featured, quoted, and cited in pieces by a myriad of top journalists, blogs, newspapers, magazines, and other publications including (but not limited to): The Wall Street Journal, AFP, McClatchy, National Public Radio, Australian Broadcasting, NOW Lebanon, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Foreign Policy, The Huffington Post, The New York Review of Books, USA Today, The Financial Times, and The Christian Science Monitor. Fitting with the maxim that, “80% of what is written has been written before” a number of other publications have recycled (without credit) HC posts into their own pieces.
Additionally, the posts on Hizballah Cavalcade gave me the opportunity to write longer pieces for Foreign Policy and West Point’s CTC Sentinel. There was also the privilege of being able to take part in an “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit. In November 2013 I had the great honor to testify in front of the U.S. House of Representatives regarding Shia Islamist groups fighting in Syria. When jihadism expert Daveed Gartenstein-Ross testified in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee he also gave praise to HC.
Based primarily on a Hizballah Cavalcade piece on the musical narrative of Shia militias in Syria, Aaron Zelin (who addressed Sunni jihadist anasheed) and I were featured in a Washington Post piece. Shia jihadi music has been a long standing and rather esoteric obsession of mine. The ability to post my analysis of this material and see the positive reactions to it is always wonderful.
Quotes and references aside, the private conversations I have with many well-informed and experienced followers of the region always present me and the blog with new insights. I am always happy to share what I have learned with them and others.
Thanks
I try to write pieces I would like to read and my greatest hope is that others find it informative, novel, and able to address specific trends. Not to sound cliché, but those who read my posts are both an inspiration for me and often serve as the push I need to continue writing. There are times when I suffer from a good bout of frustration from certain geopolitical conditions and the analysis which comes out of it. It’s very easy to jump down the ultra-cynical rabbit hole and either stop writing or produce subpar work. Nevertheless, Hizballah Cavalcade’s readers have time and time again challenged me, taught me new things, and most importantly demonstrated that they too wanted to read the material. To my many colleagues and friends, thank you for your kind words, suggestions, assistance, and the encouragement you all have given me.
I promise to continue to write more posts and I truly hope everyone has benefited from reading them.
Thank you all for reading Hizballah Cavalcade! Time to cut the cake.
Figure 4: A Kata’ib Hizballah celebration for the martyrdom of one of its members in Syria. (Special thanks to an anonymous reader who sent the photo).
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Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: Ḥāmid Bin ‘Abd Allah al ‘Alī — “Reply To the One Named Khālid al-Shāyya’ With His Claim of the Illegality of the Syrian Revolution!!”
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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
قال الله تعالى “وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ”.
وعن تميم بن أوس رضي الله عنه ، أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : ( الدين النصيحة ، قلنا : لمن يا رسول الله ؟ قال : لله ، ولكتابه ، ولرسوله ، ولأئمة المسلمين وعامتهم ) رواه البخاري ومسلم .
من أنصار الجهاد والمجاهدين إلى الإخوة في جماعة أهل السنة للدعوة والجهاد في نيجيريا
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
لقد تعاطفت معكم شعوب الأمة عندما بثت القنوات قبل سنوات مشاهد الجرائم البشعة التي ارتكبتها قوات الأمن النيجيرية ضدكم حين قتلتكم في الشوارع بهمجية، واليوم تتولد ضدكم مشاعر مختلفة حيث تسمع شعوب الامة عنكم من القنوات والفضائيات أخباراً ما كنا نودّ سماعها الا وهي “خطف الفتيات -مسلمات وغير مسلمات-” وإعلانكم عن بيعهن كسبايا، وإن هذا الأمر لو تمّ وفتحتم بابه ليكونن سابقة خطيرة وسيجرّ ويلات عظيمة لم تسمع أمة الإسلام بمثلها منذ قرون، فإن إعلانكم “سبي” المئات من الفتيات لن يفيد الإسلام والمسلمين شيئاً بل سينعكس وبالاً ليس على صورتهم فحسب بل على ما يمكن ان يقوم به اعداء الإسلام من ردود مماثلة نحن في غنىً عنها والامة يكفيها ما فيها من المصائب.
الإخوة في جماعة أهل السنة للدعوة والجهاد: لو نفذتم هذا الأمر وبعتم الفتيات كسبايا هل تأمنوا على زوجاتكم وبناتكم واخواتكم وقريباتكم والمسلمات هنا وهناك ان يفعل بهنّ أعداءكم ما يشينكم من اغتصاب وهتك لأعراضهن واستباحة لحيائهن؟!.
فلا تفتحوا باب الشرّ هذا رأفة بأخواتكم المسلمات وصيانة لسمعة دينكم.
واعلموا أنه ليس كل ما جاز في الإسلام يصحّ فعله في أي وقت وعلى أيّ وجه دون مراعاة المصالح والمفاسد المترتبة عليه .
واعلموا ان السبي والاسترقاق الذي يكون نتيجة الحرب بين المسلمين والكفار يكون من باب المعاملة بالمثل وهذا ما جرت به العادة قديماً بين الشعوب لكن اليوم حيث انتفت عملية الرقّ بين دول العالم على اختلافها وأصبح تبادل الأسرى هو المعمول به فنحن كمسلمين لا يسوغ لنا ان نبتدئ عدونا بهذا الامر الذي له تبعات عظيمة ودرء المفاسد أولى من جلب المنافع حسب القاعدة الفقهية المشهورة -ولا ندري ما هي المصلحة التي تعود على الإسلام والمسلمين إذا قمتم الآن بهذا الأمر؟!-.
وهذا رسول الله صلّى الله عليه وسلّم شرع لنا تبادل الأسرى في كثير من أحاديثه الصحيحة، وألحّ على ذلك، كما في حديث أياس بن سلمة عن أبيه أنّه أخذ امرأة من العرب رقيقاً بعد غزوة فزارة، فما زال رسول الله صلّى الله عليه وسلّم يطلب منه أن يهبه هذه المرأة حتّى فعل، فبعث بها رسول الله إلى مكّة وفدى بها ناساً من المسلمين كانوا أسرى هناك. [رواه مسلم في كتاب السير].
ولقد كان الاسترقاق قديما في ظل عزّ وتمكين وسؤدد دولة الإسلام التي كانت تَسبي ولا تُسبى، فنداؤنا إليكم اطلقوا سراح الفتيات ولا تقدموا على أمر “السبي” و”الاسترقاق” فإن المسلمين اليوم يكفيهم ما هم فيه من الاستضعاف فلا تفجعوهم بأعراضهم.
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Eight months ago, the Tunisian government officially designated Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia (AST) as a terrorist organization. Since then, Tunis has cracked down on the group’s activities, going after both its dawa campaign (i.e., proselytization and social-welfare efforts) and any links members have to terrorist plots. On the whole, AST’s public response has been to keep relatively quiet. Yet recent developments indicate that the group may be rebranding itself as Shabab al-Tawhid (ST; the Youth of Pure Monotheism), a shift that would have important implications for efforts to counter Tunisian jihadists and their associates in Libya.
Within a week of the August designation, AST largely ceased releasing updates about its dawa campaign in Tunisia. The group may still be conducting lower-level dawa in rural areas outside the state’s reach, but if so, it is no longer publicizing such activity. The main messages it has put out via its Twitter account have been declarations of solidarity with arrested “brothers,” repeated calls for patience, and quotes from both traditional Islamic sources (the Quran and sunna) and ideological figures (e.g., Ibn Taymiyah, Sayyed Qutb, and Abu Qatada al-Filistini).
Indeed, AST has kept a low profile compared to its modus operandi before the designation; its only prominent announcement was leader Abu Ayyad al-Tunisi’s message of support for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), the jihadist group deemed too extreme by senior al-Qaeda leaders and their official Syrian affiliate, Jabhat al-Nusra.
Until recently, this relative silence made it difficult to discern what was going on within AST, but new information indicates it might be rebranding itself under the Shabab al-Tawhid banner in Tunisia as well as Libya, where Abu Ayyad is now believed to be based. This shift could signal to exiled members in Libya that AST’s command structures are increasingly coming under the purview of its sister organization, Ansar al-Sharia in Libya (ASL).
Click here to read the rest.
Click the following links for safe PDF copies:
Jabhat al-Nuṣrah — Liberation of Tal Millaḥ Checkpoint and Lifting the Seige Upon the Muslims in Rural Western Ḥamāh
Jabhat al-Nuṣrah — Report On the Battle To Liberate the al-Sīn Warehouses (559) in al-Qalimūn
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NOTE: For earlier issues see: #5, #4, #3, #2, and #1.
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Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: Ḥaṣād al-Jihād Magazine #6
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Allah is Great, Allah is Great, Allah is Great and all praise is due to Allah
March forth, whether light or heavy and strive hard with your wealth and your lives in the Cause of Allah. This is better for you, if you but knew. (Taubah : 41)
O the Mujahid and Islam loving nation of Afghanistan!
The days of the abscondence of the barbaric invaders from the pure soil of our country have come close Allah Willing due to your 13 year Jihad and sacrifices and it is not far that Allah shall bestow upon us the blessings of complete freedom and independence of our Islamic land.
ولله العزة ولرسوله وللمؤمنین …. الله اکبر الله اکبر الله اکبر و لله الحمد وَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ بِنَصْرِ اللَّـهِ يَنصُرُ مَن يَشَاءُ....
O Muslim Mujahid nation!
In order to fully complete our religious obligation in attaining the gratitude of Allah (SWT) and in defense of our Islamic homeland, we once again announce our annual spring operations under the name of ‘Khaibar’ with the onset of the new military year against the invaders and their spineless backers!
The Battle of Khaibar was launched by our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in the seventh year of migration (7th Hijri Lunar) against the enemies of Islam which resulted in the conquest of heavily fortified enemy castles and bases, the infidels completely fled the area while huge spoils fell into the hands of the Muslims. By taking this name as a good omen for the current year, we ask Allah (SWT) to completely cleanse our country from the filth of the infidels and let their large bases be liberated, Allah willing.
The upcoming ‘Khaibar’ operation shall begin with the cries of Allah u Akbar throughout the country at 5am local time on Monday 13th of Rajjab ul Murrajjab of the year 1435 (Hijri Lunar) corresponding with 22ndThuwar of 1393 (Hijri Solar) and 12th May of 2014 (Gregorian).
Allah is Great, Allah is Great, Allah is Great and all praise is due to Allah
Like previous years, the main target of the current year’s blessed Jihadi operation shall be the foreign invaders and their backers under various names like spies, military and civilian contractors and everyone working for them like translators, administrators and logistics personnel.
Similarly the blessed ‘Khaibar’ Jihadi spring operations shall target all high ranking government officials, cabinet ministers, members of Parliament, security officials, occupation backing officers in the Interior and Foreign Ministries, attorneys and judges that prosecute Mujahideen as well as agents in the National Directorate that pursue and torture Mujahideen.
Various modern military techniques shall again be utilized in the current annual ‘Khaibar’ operations. Back-breaking martyrdom strikes, infiltrator operations (insider attacks), targeting large and well fortified enemy bases with heavy weapons and missiles as well as carrying out head-on offensive operations against enemy gatherings shall be some of the main techniques used in these spring operations.
The main targets of the annual spring ‘Khaibar’ operations shall be the military gatherings of foreign invading forces, their diplomatic centers and convoys as well as the military bases of their internal mercenary stooges, their convoys and the facilities of foreign, interior, intelligence and Arbaki militia.
As this year holds critical importance in the 13 year Jihad of the Mujahideen because of the significance of this juncture in this current era therefore the Mujahideen will exert extra efforts and utilize complex military techniques in planning their current year spring operations as compared to the past. Such war techniques which shall inflict maximum losses on the invaders while preventing corporeal and financial losses on the ordinary civilians.
The plans for upcoming spring operations entitled ‘Khaibar’ have been drawn up by the specialists and courageous military commanders of the Islamic Emirate while also paying heed to the environmental and seasonal conditions of each region of the country and so will be launched in each area according to the laid out plans.
The Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate that are only sacrificing their lives to attain the gratification of Allah (SWT), in defense of the sanctum of their homeland and for the protection of their people respectfully calls on all its Muslim countrymen to aid them in crushing the enemy, to avoid working with the enemy, to keep away from their military and intelligence gatherings and bases and to fulfill their religious responsibility towards their Mujahideen brothers, in defense of their country and for attaining the pleasure of Allah (SWT)!
We also once again declare to all the workers of the crumbling Kabul regime to stand next to their Mujahideen by desisting from backing the foreign infidel invaders and to come out of the enemy ranks. The Islamic Emirate assures them of a honorable, safe and a peaceful life if they forgo the enemy ranks and considers your protection our moral duty.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan firmly believes in the complete defeat of the foreign invading forces due to the divine help of Allah (SWT) and full backing of its Mujahid nation, insists on the unconditional withdrawal of all invading forces from our Islamic country and sees the continuation of its armed Jihad imperative to achieving these goals. We must again make it absolutely clear that in presence of infidel invaders inside our country our religious and Fiqhi (Jurisprudence) sources order us to wage armed Jihad against the invaders and labels this as an individual obligation. Hence if the invaders or their internal stooges believe that reducing the number of foreign forces will dampen our Jihadi fervor then they are sadly mistaken and should understand that due to our Islamic principles, just like how thousands of invaders are forbidden to live in Dar ul Islam (Home of Islam), limited and small number of invaders has the exact same ruling and it is obligatory upon every Muslim to expel them.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has ambitions of continuing the sacred obligation of Jihad with the backing of its Muslim nation until the expulsion of every last infidel invader and establishment of an Islamic government.
Allah is Great, Allah is Great, Allah is Great and all praise is due to Allah
Wasalam
Leadership Council of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
09/07/1435 Hijri Lunar
18/02/1393 Hijri Solar 08/05/2014 Gregoria
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Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: Fursān al-Balāgh Media — “Monthly Indexing of the Releases of the Jihādī Media Organizations For the Month of April 2014″
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UPDATE 6/15/14 5:16 PM: Here is an Arabic transcription of the below video message:
Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: Abū Usāmah al-Maṣrī — “This Is Our ‘Aqīdah and Manhaj” (Ar)
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