Islam What is the theology of IS

[mindlight]

I have heard snippets of the theology of the Islamic State. It sounds to me like an apocalyptic death cult. Clearly its members are motivated enough to give up their lives for their beliefs.

1) what do they believe?
2) is it true Islamic, more Islamic than most, or a clear heresy? Why?
3) can anyone explain the particular set of prophecies that cause them to try and provoke the West into a war in the Middle East.
4) how would you explain to a member of Daesh that his actions and commitments are more likely to land him in hell than paradise?

 

[enfyre]

They're just taking the quran literally, everything they practice is sanctioned by the quran.
A similar comparison would be if people of the judeo-christian faiths began re-practicing the Old Testament laws of Leviticus.

 

[mindlight]

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/03/what-isis-really-wants/384980/

http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/re...-bunzel/the-ideology-of-the-islamic-state.pdf

And in their own words

http://myreader.toile-libre.org/uploads/My_53b039f00cb03.pdf

 

[mindlight]

Just read the "Promise of Allah" which for anyone who believes in God is actually quite deeply stirring on first impression. Obedience to God and to His laws is paramount. These are the words of veteran soldiers who have known only combat , hardship and yet have hoped in the promise of Allah. The Caliphate is seen as the heart of the real Ummah of Allah. The leaders of the West and indeed of the Arab world offer hollow men and ideologies of secularism, nationalism and democracy but the Caliphate is authentic Islam destined to conquer the world. Its reality and its power is in its submission to God. Its people from whatever race or nation, rich or poor are united by the promise. The evidence is apparently in the territories conquered but even if it is displaced it will continue in the indomitable spirit of its warriors and rise again - the true Ummah destined to rule the world.

Now I do not believe the above. There is much that is hollow and blasphemous in Western society but the freedom to live out a calling which God sets and guides is also present in it. Who are the Caliphate to dictate to others that what God has written in their hearts is not correct!? Does the Quran not say that there is no compulsion in religion. Is the Caliphate really a shining example or a vast and oppressive disappointment, known more for its squalor, crippled wounded and low life expectancy. When the territory is taken back ,as it will be ,what is there to assure people that the inevitable and irresistable will of God drives this state. How does the massacre of the innocent and even fellow Muslims square with the notions of noble obedience to Gods will that dominate their thoughts. These people are deeply Islamic but they do not allow even for the pluralism that exists in the Muslim world under the undivided Oneness of God.

Those are my thoughts before I even begin to think about this from a purely Christian point of view. But then I become utterly scathing and all common ground disappears entirely with this devil worshipping murder cult that calls on Gods name to make sense of its insanity and fails as it will fail.

 

[mindlight]

Just read the Brookings paper. Was interested in the affinity between the Jihadi Salafism of the Saudi Wahabbis , Al Quaeda and IS.

Also that their main enemy is Shias and they have a deep fear of a Shia Crescent - from Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Given that it was American policy to oppose this Crescent under Hilary Clinton you have to wonder how close the Americans aligned themselves with Saudi and IS interests. Or given the Iran deal how many supposedly leaked Pentagon documents are just attempts at misinformation.

One of the articles main conclusions is that massive and perhaps irreparable damage could be done to IS by removing its territory from its control.

 

[Aelred of Rievaulx]

To my knowledge ISIS maintains a strict form of Wahhabism as well as some rather fringe Eschatological beliefs about the End Times.

 

[mindlight]

They're just taking the quran literally, everything they practice is sanctioned by the quran.
A similar comparison would be if people of the judeo-christian faiths began re-practicing the Old Testament laws of Leviticus.

They are taking a seventh century reading of the Quran. They oppose all other forms of Islam as innovations on that original. To me they seem better aligned with the original Islam that united broken, idolatrous and despised Arabs into a fighting nation that toppled Rome and Persia and marched to France and the gates of Vienna. In this I suppose even the golden age of Islam in the 12th century and the tolerant examples of Granada for example are abberations. On the essential doctrines of the oneness of God , commitment to Sharia law, the definition of the Ummah, their idea of Jihad - these are the original Muslims.

But this time the world is changed and has far more resources to defeat them with both sacred and secular.

 

[mindlight]

The Atlantic article was interesting in its insights into the apocalyptic prophetic framework these guys follow. They predict a battle against the forces of Rome in Dibqa which they will win and the sack of Istanbul and an antiMessiah figure from Iran.

These guys practice crucifixion, slavery, take women as concubines, hack the limbs off theives, whip fornicators, stone adulterers...

Defeat may not be bad for them as defeat in certain places where their prophecies said they would win.

I was interested in the contempt they showed for the candyfloss versions of Islam painted in the Western media and in its education systems. I share the contempt for the falsification of Islam and indeed Christianity in the classroom for the sake of the secular goal of appeasement. The mutual cooexistence of honestly expressed positions would be a better goal to aim for.

Ironically the version of Islam they espouse is the one most clearly articulated in the Quran and in its early history. In many ways Muslims ever since have apologized for this faith by seeking to accomodate it to more acceptable cultural norms. But if this is true Islam an obvious question to ask a moderate Muslim is - why are you a Muslim?

Maybe IS will achieve what centuries of Christian evangelists have not. By demonstrating the folly of Islam they loosen its hold

 

[Bethany35]

from what I understand most of the terrorists in afghan and syria are illiterate and unable to read the Quran.
There are radicals and extreme ideas in all faiths.
Interestingly I posted a video a month back about how two Imam in Afghanistan were trying to stand for women's rights and the danger for them in doing so.
The link again - http://www.theguardian.com/global-d...-taliban-contraception-video?CMP=share_btn_fb

 

[myarogancewasblottedout]

According to the 'dimensional' interpretation of Genesis/1 , "freedom" belongs to creatures of the ocean, birds (5th day = dimension of alternate futures = hope), the animals of the land (6th day = dimension of all potential possibilities = plans = freedom), and thus humans (whom are "very good" due to having laws = holy bible) .

while religious folk who deserve to know this, keep both the 10 commandments, Jesus' first 2 commandments especially Jesus' first commandment to love God every second of every minute. There are laws for people who forget the laws which the Grace of the Holy Spirit keeps us from transgressing. (and the rod .(example: murderous statutes for people who forget commandment "don't kill")

3) as for prophesies, it's ?probably? Babylon the harlot (which is the internet), America paying mercenaries to take the heat off of their baby the 20 year old internet. Isis being the only female in the Egyptian pantheon.