The Islamic State Of Iraq And Al Sham - 1550 Words

In his autobiography ‘Radical’, Maajid Nawaz, a former member of the radical Islamist organization, Hizb al-Tahrir (HT), outlines the differences between Islam, Islamism, and Jihadism, three different concepts that are key in understanding radical groups within the Muslim world. Firstly, Nawaz defines Islam quite simply; it is a religion, defined similarly to all other faiths. Islamism, on the other hand, is defined as â€Å"the desire to impose Islam over society as law†. It is an ideological thought that seeks to develop a coherent political system that can house all schisms within Islam. Finally, jihadism is a militant strand of Islamism that is â€Å"the merger of literalist religion with Islamist politics† (Nawaz, 13). One can make the argument that Islamism and jihadism, while obviously they do not promote the views of the overwhelming majority of Muslims, come from the same source; religion. The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) is a radical, literalist Muslim group that promotes an ideology that follows a distinctive form of Islam, with a heavy focus on the end of the world and the time leading up to this point (Wood, 14). In general, the Western world has little knowledge of ISIS, and many concepts within the organization still remain mysterious to most people not within its walls. There are many opinions and arguments, especially in the Western world, about whether ISIS can or should be defined as an Islamic movement, or rather a political organization that should notShow MoreRelatedThe Islamic State Of Iraq And Al Sham1620 Words   |  7 Pages know how dangerous these people are becoming. The Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham also known as ISIS, an Al Qaeda affiliation is not only alive but spreading and spreading fast. The group started out in Iraq as the world known Al Qaeda before rebranding themselves. Though both jihadi groups strived to establish an i ndependent Islamic state in the region of Iraq , ISIS believes in a much more brutal regimine. Threating to take over both Iraq and Syria, killing and beheading both their own andRead MoreIslamic State Of Iraq And Al Sham943 Words   |  4 Pages The Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham is a terrorist organization that began as Al-Qaeda in Iraq. Since Al-Sham can mean Syria or the Levant, media and governments usually refer to them as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL); some use the derogatory name Daesh in order to avoid recognizing the group’s claims. The Islamic State declared themselves a caliphate with Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi becoming Caliph Ibrahim. He claims authority over allRead MoreThe Islamic State Of Iraq And Al Sham1461 Words   |  6 PagesThe Islamic State, otherwise called the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), takes after an unmistakable assortment of Islam whose convictions about the way to the Day of Judgment matter to its system, and can help the West know its adversary and foresee its conduct. Its ascent to power is less like the triumph of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt (a gathering whose pioneers the Islamic State considers faithless people) than like the acknowledgment of a tragic substitute reality. The White HouseRead MoreThe Islamic State Of Iraq And Al Sham1471 Words   |  6 PagesJoshua Bacon Ed Rowe American Security Overview 26 January 2016 The Islamic State, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), follows a distinct variety of Islam whose beliefs about the path to the Day of Judgment define its strategy, and can help the West know its enemy and predict its behavior. Its rise to power is less like the triumph of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt (a group whose leaders the Islamic State considers apostates) than like the realization of a dystopian alternateRead MoreIslamic State Of Iraq And Al Sham ( Isis )838 Words   |  4 PagesWhat Are ISIS Intentions? This assignment is a qualitative study about Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). What it ISIS? Where does it come from? What are its intentions? These questions seem to be simple but can be misrepresenting. According to Schmitt, Major General Nagata, the Special Operations commander for the U.S. in the Middle East, admitted that that he had barely begun figuring out the Islamic State?s appeal. ?We have not defeated the idea,? he said. ?We do not even understandRead MoreThe Islamic State During Iraq And Al Sham ( Isis )1703 Words   |  7 Pagesindividual or society responds well to the hardships and suffering it encounters, that individual or society will continue to improve and evolve. Today, the media reports that the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) is struggling to gain power for their people through the reacquisition of land and reunification of Islamic people. ISIS has threatened attacks on the western world, should they attempt to intervene in this struggle (Ivison, 2014). The western world views this as a threat to its powerRead MoreThe Fall Of The Taliban Group809 Words   |  4 Pageswar on Afghanistan, forced Zarqawi to escape to Iraq. There his existence went widely unnoticed till the Bush administration used it as evidence that al-Qaeda was in relation with Saddam Hussein and they would get assistance through his regime. In fact, though, Zarqawi was a free agent, searching to create his own terror group organization. Briefly after the US-led Occupation of Iraq in 2003, he set up the forerunner to today’s Islamic State: Jama’at al-Tawhid w’al-Jihad (the Party of Monotheism andRead MoreWhat Is The Potential Of The Islamic State Attacks?767 Words   |  4 PagesWith the increase of Islamic State-affiliated attacks by radicalized â€Å"Lone Wolf† actors and dedicated Islamic State fighters, it is necessary to consider the potential for similar attacks in the United States. The November 2015, coordinated attack in Paris, France, and the January 2015, shooting in the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris, demonstrated the Islamic States ability to coordinate complex attacks in physical locations however, the true measure of the Islamic States potential lies in its abilityRead MoreSyria During The Middle East1666 Words   |  7 Pagescontinuously inhabited cities in the world (CIA Fact Book). Once a part of the Ottoman Empire, Syria was controlled by France following World War I until it gained its independence in 1946. Following independence, Syria has been in a rather consistent state of turmoil and government coups leading to instability in not only the country but also the region as a whole. Current Events Syria has been in a Civil War officially since July 2012 when the Red Cross declared it so that Geneva Conventions couldRead MoreThe Islamic State : An Accident Of History1579 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction: The Islamic State is an accident of history, emerging from multiple political, economic, and social tensions in the Middle East. It has challenged the territorial divisions forced in the region following the fall of the Ottoman Empire by shaping out for itself a large area of territory. But ultimately, its consequence will flow as much from its challenge to settled concepts of government, national sovereignty, and national identity. The Islamic State is most well-known for the violence