The Islamic State’s Fourth Bayat Campaign

Previously, I tracked the bayat campaign for Abu Ibrahim after Abu Bakr’s death, then for Abu al-Hasan after Abu Ibrahim’s death, and then for Abu al-Husayn after Abu al-Hasan’s death. This post will do the same with the announcement of Abu al-Husayn’s death and Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Quarashi as the new leader of the Islamic State. As I said in the original post:

There are two main reasons for this: 1. pledges are leader-specific rather than group-specific and thus need to be renewed with each succession and 2. it is a way to legitimize al-Qurashi’s rule and create a media event so that the group can promote itself as it transitions to a new phase.

The first reason is also something that IS pointed to when it began to overtly feud with al-Qaeda (AQ) in 2013, by saying that following Abu Mus’ab al-Zarqawi’s death, his successor Abu Hamzah al-Muhajir gave baya to the newly created Islamic State of Iraq’s leader Abu ‘Umar al-Baghdadi and even after Abu ‘Umar was killed, when Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi took over in 2010 and then Usamah Bin Laden was killed in 2011, Abu Bakr never publicly gave baya to Ayman al-Zawahiri, even if al-Zawahiri claims he gave it to him privately. Therefore, from the perspective of IS this whole process is not trivial, but important for legitimacy of its leadership and to potentially weed out any insubordination before it manifests into something larger as it already did in the past vis-a-vis AQ.

This post will be updated with the latest official pledges.

August 5, 2023:

Wilāyat al-‘Irāq

Wilāyat Gharb Ifrīqīyah – Krenoa Region

August 6, 2023:

Wilāyat al-Ṣūmāl

Wilāyat al-Yaman

August 7, 2023:

Wilāyat al-Sāḥil – Tri-Border Area

Wilāyat Bākistān

August 8, 2023:

Wilāyat Wasaṭ Ifrīqīyah

Wilāyat al-‘Irāq

Wilāyat Gharb Ifrīqīyah – al-Buhayrah Region

Wilāyat al-Sāḥil – Anderamboukane

August 9, 2023:

Wilāyat Khurāsān

Wilāyat Gharb Ifrīqīyah – Sambisa Region

Wilāyat al-Sāḥil – Azawagh

August 10, 2023:

Wilāyat al-Shām

Wilāyat Gharb Ifrīqīyah – al-Faruq Region and Banki Region

August 11, 2023:

Wilāyat al-‘Irāq

August 12, 2023:

Wilāyat Sharq Asīā

August 14, 2023:

Wilāyat Mūzambīq

Wilāyat Bākistān

Wilāyat Sāḥil – Burkina Faso

August 16, 2023:

Wilāyat al-‘Irāq

Wilāyat al-Shām

New issue of The Islamic State’s newsletter: “al-Nabā’ #402″

For prior newsletter issues see: #401, #400, #399#398#397#396#395#394,  #393#392#391#390#389#388#387#386#385#384#383#382#381#380#379#378#377#376#375#374#373#372#371#370#369#368#367#366#365#364#363#362#361#360#359#358#357#356#355#354#353#352#351#350#349#348#347#346#345#344#343#342#341#340#339#338#337#336#335#334#333#332#331#330#329#328#327#326#325#324#323#322#321#320#319#318#317#316#315#314#313,  #312#311#310#309#308#307#306#305#304#303#302#301#300#299#298#297#296#295#294#293#292#291#290#289#288#287#286#285#284#283#282#281#280#279#278#277#276#275#274#273#272#271#270#269#268#267#266#265#264#263#262#261#260#259#258#257#256#255#254#253#252#251#250#249#248#247#246#245#244#243#242#241#240#239#238#237#236#235#234#233#232#231#230#229#228#227#226#225#224#223#222#221#220#219#218#217#216#215#214#213#212#211#210#209#208#207#206#205#204#203#202#201#200#199#198#197#196#195#194#193#192#191#190#189#188#187#186#185#184#183#182#181#180#179#178#177#176#175#174#173#172#171#170#169#168#167#166#165#164#163#162#161#160#159#158#157#156#155#154#153#152#151#150#149#148#147#146#145#144#143#142#141#140#139#138#137#136#135#134#133#132#131#130#129#128#127#126#125#124#123#122#121#120#119#118#117#116#115#114#113#112#111#110#109#108#107#106#105#104#103#102#101#100#99#98#97#96#95#94#93#92#91#90#89#88#87#86#85#84#83#82#81#80#79#78#77#76#75#74#73#72#71#70#69#68#67#66#65#64#63#62#61#60#59#58#57#56#55#54#53#52#51#50#49#48#47#46#45#44#43#42#41#40#39#38#37#36#35#34#33#32#31#30#29#28#27#26#25#24#23#22#21#20#19#18#17#16#15#14#13#12#11#10#9#8#7#6#5#4#3#2, and #1.

Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: The Islamic State — al-Nabā’ Newsletter #402

________________

Source: RocketChat

To inquire about a translation for this newsletter issue for a fee email: [email protected]

New audio message from The Islamic State’s Abū Ḥudhayfah al-Anṣārī: “So Rejoice In Your Transaction Which You Have Contracted”

The title of this release is in reference to Qur’anic verse 9:111. Here it is in full: “Indeed, God has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of God, so they kill and are killed. [It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur’an. And who is truer to his covenant than God? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment.”

Abū Ḥudhayfah al-Anṣārī — So Rejoice In Your Transaction Which You Have Contracted

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Source: RocketChat

To inquire about a translation for this audio message for a fee email: [email protected]

New release from The Islamic State’s Wilāyat Khurāsān: “Comprehensive Information About the Loyal Children of the Republic and Advocates of Democracy in the Name of Jamīat ‘Ulamā’-ī-Islām”

Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: The Islamic State’s Wilāyat Khurāsān — Comprehensive Information About the Loyal Children of the Republic and Advocates of Democracy in the Name of Jamīat ‘Ulamā’-ī-Islām

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Source: RocketChat

To inquire about a translation for this release issue for a fee email: [email protected]

New magazine issue from The Islamic State’s Wilāyat Khurāsān: “Voice of Khurāsān #27″

For prior issues see: #26, #25#24#23#22#21#20#19#18#17#16#15#14#13#12#11#10#9#8#7#6#5#4#3#2, and #1.

Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: The Islamic State’s Wilāyat Khurāsān — “Voice of Khurāsān #27

_______________

Source: RocketChat

New release from The Islamic State’s Wilāyat Khurāsān: “To the Muslim Peoples of the North and Especially the Muslims of Panjshir”

Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: The Islamic State’s Wilāyat Khurāsān — To the Muslim Peoples of the North and Especially the Muslims of Panjshir

________________

Source: RocketChat

To inquire about a translation for this release issue for a fee email: [email protected]

New issue of The Islamic State’s newsletter: “al-Nabā’ #401″

For prior newsletter issues see: #400, #399#398#397#396#395#394,  #393#392#391#390#389#388#387#386#385#384#383#382#381#380#379#378#377#376#375#374#373#372#371#370#369#368#367#366#365#364#363#362#361#360#359#358#357#356#355#354#353#352#351#350#349#348#347#346#345#344#343#342#341#340#339#338#337#336#335#334#333#332#331#330#329#328#327#326#325#324#323#322#321#320#319#318#317#316#315#314#313,  #312#311#310#309#308#307#306#305#304#303#302#301#300#299#298#297#296#295#294#293#292#291#290#289#288#287#286#285#284#283#282#281#280#279#278#277#276#275#274#273#272#271#270#269#268#267#266#265#264#263#262#261#260#259#258#257#256#255#254#253#252#251#250#249#248#247#246#245#244#243#242#241#240#239#238#237#236#235#234#233#232#231#230#229#228#227#226#225#224#223#222#221#220#219#218#217#216#215#214#213#212#211#210#209#208#207#206#205#204#203#202#201#200#199#198#197#196#195#194#193#192#191#190#189#188#187#186#185#184#183#182#181#180#179#178#177#176#175#174#173#172#171#170#169#168#167#166#165#164#163#162#161#160#159#158#157#156#155#154#153#152#151#150#149#148#147#146#145#144#143#142#141#140#139#138#137#136#135#134#133#132#131#130#129#128#127#126#125#124#123#122#121#120#119#118#117#116#115#114#113#112#111#110#109#108#107#106#105#104#103#102#101#100#99#98#97#96#95#94#93#92#91#90#89#88#87#86#85#84#83#82#81#80#79#78#77#76#75#74#73#72#71#70#69#68#67#66#65#64#63#62#61#60#59#58#57#56#55#54#53#52#51#50#49#48#47#46#45#44#43#42#41#40#39#38#37#36#35#34#33#32#31#30#29#28#27#26#25#24#23#22#21#20#19#18#17#16#15#14#13#12#11#10#9#8#7#6#5#4#3#2, and #1.

Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: The Islamic State — al-Nabā’ Newsletter #401

________________

Source: RocketChat

To inquire about a translation for this newsletter issue for a fee email: [email protected]

GUEST POST: SoundCloud’s Islamic State Problem and How to Fix It

As with all guest posts, the opinions expressed below are those of the guest author and they do not necessarily represent the views of this websites administrator and does not at all represent his employer at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Jihadology aims to not only provide primary sources for researchers and occasional analysis of them, but also to allow other young and upcoming students as well as established academics or policy researchers to contribute original analysis on issues related to jihadism. If you would like to contribute a piece, please email your idea/post to azelin [at] jihadology [dot] net.

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SoundCloud’s Role in Hosting Islamic State Material

By Intel Cocktail

The rise of the Islamic State (IS) brought about a new era of jihadi anashid [singular nashid (Islamically sanctioned a cappella chants)] that played a significant role in the group’s propaganda and recruitment efforts. Characterized by high-quality production, melodic composition, and multi-lingual lyrics, they were initially spread to a global audience on platforms like YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. However, as these platforms became more vigilant in combating terrorist content, the group’s presence there started to diminish. Nevertheless, there remain plenty of jihadi anashid on these platforms, albeit fewer than in the 2014 era. SoundCloud, as it currently features a peace symbol in its logo, however, is now a primary platform where IS nashids still thrive.

With its claim to be the largest audio discovery platform in the world, SoundCloud hosts “over 250 million tracks from 30 million artists across 193 countries.” The Berlin-based streaming service is a sanctuary for IS, where supporters can find nashid tracks dating back nearly a decade, totaling millions of streams, and tens of thousands of comments. There are thousands of such current examples. Below is a small illustrative selection of anashid, all active as of July 19, 2023, and each posted multiple times by different users over many years.

Nashid sung by an IS munshid (singer) posted 8 years ago with more than 500,000 streams and nearly 4,000 likes.
IS nashid featured in gruesome videos like the brutal execution and burning of Jordanian pilot Muath al- Kasasbeh, posted 1 month ago with more than 7,000 streams and more than 100 likes.
Archive of IS’s Ajnad Media Foundation anashid (55 total) posted by a user last month.
Several IS anashid like ‘We Will Cut Off Every Head That Went Too Far’ recently posted with more than 27,000 streams.
Infamous IS nashid ‘Clanging of the Swords’ posted 1 year ago with nearly 100,000 streams and more than 1,500 likes.
IS al-Hayat Media Center nashid ‘O Soldiers of Truth, Go Forth’ posted with 168,000 streams and more than 1,000 likes.
IS Ajnad Media Foundation nashid ‘For the Sake of God’ with more than 100,000 streams and more than 1,000 likes.
IS al-Hayat Media Center nashid in the Uyghur language, with more than 50,000 streams and nearly 600 likes.
IS al-Hayat Media Center nashid in the German language, with an album cover of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokar Tsarnaev, with more than 5,000 streams and 86 likes.
IS al-Hayat Media Center nashid in the French language with more than 32,000 streams and nearly 1,000 likes.
IS Ajnad Media Foundation nashid ‘Our Sharia’ with nearly 200,000 streams and nearly 2,000 likes.