< Back to previous page

Project

A Study of The Islamic State's English Magazines Dabiq and Rumiyah, Analysis and Exegesis

A Study of The Islamic State's English Magazines Dabiq and Rumiyah, Analysis and Exegesis

Purpose: to investigate what role social media had in the creation of the so-called Islamic State. How did the diversion between al-Qaeda, as a central led organization, and its Iraqi branch, al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) come to exist. What was the role of ISI (The Islamic State in Iraq) in post-Saddam Iraq and how was it possible that the organization used the Syrin Civil War as a means to create The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).Crucial in this first part of our dissertation and this historical reference was theso-called Sahwa (re-awakening) in Syria and the detachment of ISIS of its mother organization al-Qaeda. An important turning point to the steep rise in power of ISIS are the conquest of the Syrian city of ar-Raqqa and later of the Iraqi Mosul. With the proper level of detail provided we look into what led to the creation of the ISIS Caliphate on June29, 2014. We will look into the role played by the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, Jabhat an-Nusra, in the early days of the Syrian war and how the enmity between both jihadi groups came to a rise. A most important phase in the short history of Jabhat an-Nusra is how it first rebranded itself as Jabhat Fath as-Sham , claiming to have cut all ties with al-Qaeda as the leading organization and later as Hay’at Tahrir as-Sham.

 

An important part of our research will look into the ideology of both groups as formed by al-Qaeda in the early 2000’s. Crucial here are the Works of Jihadi ideologues such as Abu Mus’ab as-Suri and Abu Bakr Naji. Both as-Suri as Naji with their Military Theory of Jihad as with the Management of Savagery laid the base for the takfiri, extremist ideology of The Islamic State. In this part we will look into how the schism between both Jihadi groups at First came to existence and later fully culminated.

 

Tha last part of our research will look into the social media output of both Jihadi groups, both on a qualitative as on a quantitative base. We will analyze in detail official publications such as Dabiq magazine and Rumiyah (IS) or Inspire (AQ). But also texts of important Jihadi ideologues such as Abu Qatada al-Falistini or Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi will be involved. Lesser known authors such as Ahmad Hamdan and the Dutch Nusra member Al-Maqalaat will also be included in the research as they played a significant role in the ideological war between al-Qaeda and its renegade branch The Islamic State.

 

 

Date:1 Sep 2016 →  5 Nov 2023
Keywords:al-Qaeda, The Islamic State, Social Media
Disciplines:History, Archaeology, Theory and methodology of archaeology, Other history and archaeology
Project type:PhD project