Nour Rida

A slick and full-color digital magazine has been produced in English. It is Dabiq, the latest form of propaganda publication by "ISIS" [the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria]; clearly designed to lure more recruits from America and the West.
 
Even though adopted by the "ISIS", yet the English language used sounds as that of native American speakers and writers.

Dabiq documents the extents to which "ISIS" will go to achieve their goals. Its pages are littered with pictures of the mutilated corpses of "infidels," while their inaugural issue, "The Return of the Khilafah," featured a photo shopped image of Western troops engulfed in flames.

The first issue of this glossy magazine was published in July, emphasizing the "caliphate" which was announced by "ISIS" days earlier. A second edition highlighted the so-called religious basis for "ISIS's" vision, arguing that those who oppose Allah's will shall be punished, just as those who mocked prophet Noah when he built the ark where punished in the Flood.

This magazine, apparently suggesting first-language English writers exploits bits and pieces of verses of the Holy Quran and prophetic sayings that fit the context they need to justify their acts.
The third edition of Dabiq, with the cover holding the title "A Call to Hijrah" [or migration to the Islamic state] freshly released online, recalls the Islam's Prophet Muhammad's [PBUH] journey from Mecca to Medina and reads like a lustrous recruiting guide.

The 42-page third edition reports on advances the group has made in Syria and Iraq, responds to alleged US airstrikes against the group in northern Iraq, and attempts to justify the beheading of American journalist James Foley by laying the blame for his death on President Obama.

Determining who the enemies are, the issue labels Obama as "blindly following the example of "the war president" Bush. "He will continue to strengthen the ancient and historical enemy of the West - Persia/Iran. He sends comforting signals to the agents of the Iranian government in Syria and Lebanon [al-Assad and Hizbullah]. Through his decisions, he solidifies the Iranian puppet government in Iraq as well as the Iranian-backed Shiite militias allied to the puppet government."

Page 38 of the report also adds that "Obama also supports the Shiite allies of Iran in Afghanistan. He strikes the mujāhidīn - the true enemies of the Shia in Yemen - and thus emboldens the Houthi agents of Iran."

Putting all the Resistance-axis in the column of enemies, the magazine reads "He [Obama] does all this more foolishly than Bush, for Iran is a key ally of Russia, another historical enemy of the West, currently battling Western allies in the Ukraine and elsewhere! And to achieve these goals, he sacrifices the welfare of the American public for the sake of "the chosen few" benefitting from Zionism and capitalism, as America faces crisis after crisis including earthquakes in California, protests in Missouri, and the potential deaths of American prisoners held by the Islamic State..."

On another hand, it sets up the United States as the boogeyman all Muslims must fight because Americans killed thousands of Muslims during their occupation of Iraq, calling their deaths "collateral damage."

Now back to July, looking deeper into the first issues of Dabiq, several goals lay within its folds. The first issue of the magazine, comprising some 50 vivid pages of color pictures, illustrations and cleverly crafted text, tells the story of the Islamic State's success in gaining the support of Syrian tribes, reports on the success of its recent military operations and graphically portrays the atrocities committed by its enemies, as well as bright pictures of its own violence against Shi'ites.
The issue also used classic Islamic texts to explain and justify the nature of the caliphate, its intentions, legitimacy and political and religious authority over all Muslims.

The magazines include numerous quotes from the Qur'an and Islamic hadiths, providing context from the life of Mohammed to justify the group's brutal actions.
Muslims who do not embrace the caliphate are condemned as hypocrites, weak-hearted, and those who have deserted the obligation of jihad.

According to Michel Ryan, an independent consultant and researcher on Middle Eastern security issues, it is a powerful message; despite its serious shortcomings, the Islamic State will continue to create savagery and mayhem until the new state and its fighting vanguard can be checked, either by an outside force or, more likely, by the very people now under its harsh rule.

For his part, Ben Connable, the former head of the Marine Corps' cultural intelligence program and a senior analyst at the RAND Corporation, says that while "the so-called Islamic State has been less restrictive than al-Qaeda, and far more violent and willing to do just about anything to achieve their ends."

Source: Al-Ahed news