Magdeline E. Bell
Denison Univeristy
Islam 218 – Religious Seminar
Dr. Ryan Schaffner
May 13th, 2019
The rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, also known as ISIS, has created an influx of fear upon the entire world’s population, specifically populations
that identify with western culture. Though ISIS is a very new organization, their radicalism and extremist goals have not only evoked fear but resulted in brutal
attacks throughout the world. One of their key successes, despite their recent loss of territory in 2018, is a continuation of recruitment and guidance towards
their organization. By using extraordinary interpretations of the Qur’ān, ISIS has successfully recruited large numbers of people to join their organization through
means of social media platforms, online chat rooms, video games, music and promotion of extremist theorists in prisons and schooling systems. Within each of these
platforms, ISIS manages to manipulate the religion of Islam to justify their actions and bring more people to their organization. As a result, large demographics
of people have been leaving their normal lives to join the cause. In point, nations have been able to attack and destroy their hold on land but have barely become
close to destroying their ideas, which is the fuel that keeps the fire of ISIS going. This paper aims to hone in on the recruitment methods that ISIS uses to
attract its members as well as the demographics of these members through nationality, age and personal characteristics.
Unlike popular thought, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is a new organization that was officially formed in 2013. Looking at its incredibly complicated history,
Islamic extremism stemmed from Afghanistan in 1979 when the Soviet Union invaded and ruled much of the country. Out of that time, Osama Bin-Laden and Abu Musab
Al-Zarqawi both began forming their own ideologies around the Qur’ān and the Islamic religion, specifically interpreting the scripture literally and applying their
interpretations to modern day life. Osama Bin-Laden continued to form what is known as Al Qaeda with Afghani rebels at the time who resulted in extremism against the
Soviet Union. His growing organization expanded its ideology in order to recruit sympathizers and start fighting the “enemies of Islam.” For example, Al Qaeda is
notorious for its September 11th attacks in the United States that killed a total of 2,996 people.
Three main events perspired in the Middle East that really formed the pressure cooker in which extremists were bred. Firstly, in Iraq, Muslims from the Shia sect ran
the majority of powerful positions, causing tensions in the country with the Sunnis who felt underrepresented and strongly disagreed with the Shia traditions such as
self-flagellation and the praising of Imams, which is deemed to be separate from Qur’anic scripture to the Sunnis. As a result, many Sunnis began joining jihadist
groups in order to counter or take down Shiite rule. Secondly, in response to the terrorist attack against the US, president George W. Bush started the “war on terrorism,”
and ordered the attack on Iraq and Afghanistan, where a plethora of troops were into spaces with already high tensions between the Sunnis and Shias. Finally, the Syrian
Civil war had a great influence as the Syrian president, Bashir Al-Assad, released jihadist prisoners in order to infect the Syrian rebels with extremism, making it more
difficult for foreign aid to support them. Though that plan was minimally successful, the jihadists began joining extremist groups and added to their terrorist organizations.
While all of these events are transpiring, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi resided in Iraq where he started a branch of Al Qaeda called Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), which became the most
ruthless and violent sect of the group. Even though Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi was killed in a US air strike in 2006, his predecessor Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, altered the groups named
to Islamic State in Iraq (ISI), which later turned into Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in 2013 (ISIS) when the group expands into Syria and takes over all Al Qaeda sects
throughout both countries. Differences between the ideology of Al Qaeda and Al Qaeda in Iraq caused a split between the two groups and ISIS began to take over territory in
Syria based on acceptance of the organization from Al-Assad, and an easy fight against the Iraqi army who had become increasingly weakened over time.1 At its height, ISIS held
large amounts of territory larger than the state of Maine and had formed a very controlled and successful caliphate that was able to rule efficiently and evoke terror around
the world. In 2018, Donald Trump announced that “ISIS is 100% defeated,”2 but that is far from the end of ISIS and its terror that it has caused around the world. We may have
seized their land, but we are far from destroying their ideology.
ISIS is known for its radical ideology, from its interpretations of the Qur’ān to its goals and actions. As a whole, ISIS’s main goal is to create a worldwide caliphate that
simulates 7th century Arabia at the time of the prophet Muhammad. With the control of such territory, the Islamic State predicts that they will live out the prophecy that is
depicted in the Qur’ān, where they come to an ultimate battle against “Rome,” or the westerners, which will provoke the end of the world, and thus proceed to the day of Judgment
where believers will return to the land of Milk and Honey, and nonbelievers will suffer for their sins. In order to obtain these goals, the Islamic State has very strict rules
that come directly from hadith and the Qur’ān. As Graeme Wood, a journalist for the Atlantic, states, “But Muslims who call the Islamic State un-Islamic are typically, as the
Princeton scholar Bernard Haykel… told me, ‘embarrassed and politically correct, with a cotton-candy view of their own religion’ that neglects ‘what their religion has historically
and legally required’.”3 Though the majority of Muslims don’t see extremists as true Muslims, the reality is that ISIS strictly follows the Qur’ān and Hadith closely in order to
make judgements and laws among their own organization. For example, the laws such as never shaving the beard and wearing pants that are above the ankle, and punishments such as
“destroying one’s crops” translated to running over people with a van, are all deeply contextual.4 Many of these theories can be brought back to several main theorists that have
helped form what ISIS believes today. Writers such as Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi, a Jordanian author, influenced an incredible number of Jordanians to join ISIS through his published
works.5 Sayyid Qutb, an Egyptian writer, poet and theorist, offered critical perspectives of Islam in its religious and political opinions, and was notorious through the Islamic
State for his harsh criticism of the United States, and advocated for violence against it.6 Ibn Taymiyyah, an ancient theorist who has long been controversial for his radical
thoughts on Islam and the way to practice.7 One person who had a huge effect on modern jihadists is Anwar al-Awlaki, a United States citizen who became emphatic with islamophobia
in the western world and completely altered his ideas to complete extremism.8 His lectures and written pieces are easily accessible on the internet and have become a main source
of referral that ISIS recruiters use.
Within recruitment, there are three main ideologies that are used which have been specifically taken from al-Awlaki. The first is “Al Tawhid Wal Hakamina,” meaning Allah is the
law giver and Sharia law in its totality is the true law given by God. Though this tends to be a basic belief among Muslims, ISIS sharpens this belief to consider that if the law
is not being followed to its totality, one is not a true Muslim. They even go a step further saying that Sharia law is the only law one should follow. This implies that any type
of other law, such as the law of one’s own country, is not the proper law, and therefore, by following that country’s law, you are disobeying your religion. For example, a Muslim
who votes or pays taxes in Germany is considered to be breaking this rule. Recruiters use this in order to cut people off from their previous responsibilities to their homelands
and begin a psychological tie to extremist rules. The second, “Kufr Bit Taghut,” or the rebellion against false idols is the next rule. This comes directly from the tales told
about Muhammad going to the Kaaba and destroying the idols that were stored inside. Extremists take this to mean that not only should one reject the existing laws in their country
if they are not proper Sharia law, but they must destroy false idols that the country worships. For example, anything in which one’s culture views as important such as the ballot
box, money, sex, materialism, should be not only looked down upon, but also deconstructed and ultimately destroyed. The third and final rule is “Al Wala Wal Bara,” translated
literally to “loyalty and hatred,” but can be expressed as one’s loyalty should be to Muslims and true Muslims only, everyone else should be hated. This is the ultimate “us versus
them” theory in which there is one way of living and everyone else are apostates. For example, if one’s Muslim mother does not wear a head covering, one must abandon their family,
or if they have any friends of a different religion. With this final step, most people who are being recruited have distanced themselves so far from their current lives, and
indoctrinated themselves so deeply into extremist ideology, that the recruiters are capable of any type of manipulation.9
The biggest hidden pieces of information that people are not aware of are the platforms and ways in which ISIS is capable of recruiting their members. The biggest and most accessible
place is through the internet. Surprisingly, there is an extensive amount of information on the internet about the Islamic State’s ideology and ways to get in contact with them.
One of the biggest platforms that ISIS and Islamic State sympathizers use to share their doctrine and bring more people to their organization is Twitter. Though the social media
platform has attempted to take as many posts that relate to extremism as possible, the social media and the rapid speed in which information is spread over the internet is practically
unstoppable. For example, in 2014, the #AllEyesOnISIS hashtag as part of the Billion Muslim campaign generated 30,000 tweets alone. ISIS and sympathizers used this platform to spread
propaganda and “create an ideological stance that aims to intimidate and cause fear.”10 In addition, they were spreading their word but posting with other popular hashtags such as
#worldcup in order to display their message to many different audiences. By using this platform, people from a younger demographic, such as ages twelve to twenty, can be exposed to
ISIS ideology and propaganda, allowing them to delve deeper into ISIS out of curiosity. Similar activity can be seen on Facebook, where ideology, propaganda and fear tactics have been
shared across the site in order to not only provoke curiosity but bring people to their sight. One way in which they “promote their brand” is through videos, which have been notoriously
effective, especially on YouTube. Propaganda videos attempt to display young Muslim men who are easily relatable to the viewer, and display them as kindhearted fighters, helping civilians
and offering children sweets. One video entitled ‘There’s No Life Without Jihad’ uses men from all over the world speaking all different languages to speak about commonly used ideology
such as “the Muslim community is an entire body. If one part of it is sick, the rest of the body is sick, and you can’t just sit back and watch the world burn.”11 Even recruiters will
reference videos that contain ISIS ideology with majestic, almost heavenly, music in the background. These are all tactics that are used to not only attract support but keep the support
of potential recruits. While curious internet searchers are watching these tweets, posts and videos unfold, recruiting trolls are capable of watching and tracking one’s patterns in the
internet usage regarding their sights, and have easy ways of connecting the users to chat rooms, in which they can speak with someone directly about their curiosity and interest in Islamic
extremism. By this point, recruiters are able to indoctrination with the three rules spelled out by Anwar al-Awlaki.
Though social media has been the largest platform in which recruitment for ISIS has thrived, other platforms have also been used by ISIS as well as other Jihadist groups such as video games and music.
Both sources have been surprisingly popular with extremists and their attempt to recruit the younger generations. Regarding video games, studies have shown that virtually participating in an imaginary
life of a game has been significantly more influential of violence and inherent bias than watching regular television programs. For example, a game called “Special Force” launched in 2003 by the Hizballah,
was a virtual interaction with recreated battles in Lebanon using Israel and their prime minister as an objective target. By the end of 2003, over 10,000 copies had been sold around the United States,
Australia, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.12 Through video games, extremists attempted to dehumanize virtual victims and lessen the weight of killing which is a crucial aspect of
participating in ISIS’s frontline fighters or religious police. Radical Islamic groups used music to spread their propaganda. Many musical groups associated with extremist organizations use hip hop
style music with radical lyrics to do anything from selling Jihad bandanas, to promoting violence. For example, in one song by an anonymous British group, called “Dirty Kuffar,” has lyrics that are
promoting extremism saying, “Peace to the Hamas and the Hizballah/ OBL [bin-Laden] pulled me like a shiny star/ Like the. The way we destroyed the two twin towers ha-ha/ The minister Tony Blair,
there my dirty Kuffar/ The one Mr. Bush, there my dirty Kuffar/ Throw them on the fire.”13 On YouTube, this song alone got 98,000 views. Not only would this type of music appeal to some people but
it promotes the propaganda and ideology that extremists want to provide to the public.
Another major way in which ISIS translates its ideology is through its own magazines. The magazine series Dabiq and Rumiyah are self-written, designed and published forms of propaganda that contain
extensive amounts of ideology, imagery and advertisements for more information about the Islamic State. These pieces of work are incredibly interesting from a design perspective, as they are promoting
fear and violence through a news-letter format where ISIS is casually updating the reader on their recent terror attacks. For example, this this juxtaposition is shown in a Rumiyah Issue 2 magazine where,
“Raising one’s children in the Khilafah is a great blessing,” underlines a picture of an ISIS soldier assisting his two-year son hold an automatic assault rifle, proudly wearing the Islamic State bandana.
14
By devaluing the weight of killing and brutality performed by the Islamic State, and adding positive and reassuring sayings, ISIS aims to psychologically unify their horrific deeds with positive affirmations.
Not only does this allow outsiders to see a perspective of what ISIS wants them to see about the inside, but it also keeps the members settled if they were having doubts about the amount of violence or the
harm that ISIS has done to so many people around the world.
Demographically, the majority of these platforms have mainly attracted people from ages thirteen to twenty-three, based on the ages of people that are using social media, video game and
modern music platforms as influential aspects of their indoctrination. Despite popular thought, a large part of those recruits are coming from western cultures such as Belgium, the UK,
the United States, Australia and other European countries.15 One young man named Abu Huzaifa, from Canada joined ISIS right before they declared the Caliphate, after he had been searching
for further information about ISIS. After engaging with recruiters in chat rooms, Huzaifa quickly took interest in the organization and said that the logistics of going to Syria were
completely simple, “they had everything planned out, all you had to do was take the first step.”16 Another aspect about recruiting demographics is the personality and tendencies of that
person. The popular opinion is that ISIS members were previously sociopathic monsters needing an outlet for their rage, and while occasionally that is true, the statistics show that the
majority of people being recruited are usually thrill seekers, moral crusaders, and outcasts looking to form a strong identity.17 It is also important to take into consideration places in
which extremism is bred such as in prisons and schooling systems. Within prisons, many people pick up extremist views easily based on the demographic of people that are being put into jail.
With a sense of hopelessness and frustration, being influenced by that ideology is quite simple. The simplicity of indoctrination can be seen in schooling systems, where they are aware that
children are the most vulnerable to indoctrination, and when constantly surrounded by a certain ideology, that is the one that sticks. On top of all of these recruitment pieces, at the
height of ISIS’s territorial reign, many Syrian and Iraqi citizens under ISIS rule felt it extremely difficult to find well-paying jobs or felt that it would be safer being part of the
organization, and out of resource, many people joined ISIS. Continuing into the small details for reasons and demographics of ISIS members are very particular difficult to know fully mainly
because of the lack of information that is able to be taken, but what is known for sure is a plethora of effective methodology that is bringing in large amounts of people from all over the world.
The Islamic state of Iraq and Syria is such a complex and multilayered organization that has continued to create success for themselves out of nothing but pure will and extreme forms of ideology.
ISIS has been by far the most radical Islamic group that has been successful in seizing and maintaining power over a period of time. Through their ideology of strict and literal interpretations
of the Qur’ān, ISIS members have had the goal to take control of the entire world, which will invoke the end of the world and proceed to the judgment day as referred to in scripture. Cutting
themselves off from anyone who doesn’t follow their definition of being a proper Muslim, and attacking the disbelievers, is seen to be the route to their end goal. Through its short-lived reign
over much of Iraq and Syria, ISIS has been able to promote and recruit thousands of people in so many different ways, and still successfully inflict terror on specifically western societies.
Using their ideology, ISIS successfully indoctrinated people from all around the world and from different platforms, in order to recruit them for their organization. This can be seen through social
media platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and other online chat rooms. Radicalism can also be found within propaganda promotions in their magazines, video games and music that is shared
across the world. Extremism is also capable of growing within prisons and can be taught in schooling systems, all of which allow for the recruitment process to be much easier. There is a misconception
that ISIS is defeated because they no longer hold territory, but looking at them historically, they have done their “best” work in the shadows. The most terrifying aspect about all of this is the minimal
information that we truly know about the group now. For example, the demographics of people who have been proven to participate in the Caliphate or be recruited for ISIS are obtainable, but there is
still a lack of information about their current success rates of recruitment, their numbers or where they are. In fact, the world has now put itself in the dark, as ISIS continues to run from the
shadows, carrying out terror attacks while we still come to more questions than answers. In this day and age of technology, cyber-connectivity and radicalism within governments around the world,
there is a foreseeable future for ISIS and that should certainly not be undermined.
-Forest, James J. F. The Making of a Terrorist: Recruitment, Training, and Root Causes. I, Praeger Security International, 2006.
-Forest, James J. F. The Making of a Terrorist: Recruitment, Training, and Root Causes. II, Praeger Security International, 2006.
-Gerges, Fawaz A. ISIS: A History. Princeton University Press, 2017.
-Napoleoni, Loretta. ISIS: The Terror Nation. Seven Stories Press, 2017.
-Pargeter, Alison. The New Frontiers of Jihad: Radical Islam in Europe. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013.
-Gambetta, Diego, and Steffen Hertog. Engineers of Jihad: The Curious Connection between Violent Extremism and Education. Princeton University Press, 2018.
-Awan, Imran. “Cyber-Extremism: Isis and the Power of Social Media.” Society, vol. 54, no. 2, 2017, pp. 138-149
-Almohommad, Asaad. “ISIS Child Soldiers in Syria: The Structural and Predatory Recruitment, Enlistment, Pre-Training Indoctrination, Training, and Deployment.” ICCT Research Papers, vol. 8, no. 14, 2018, pp. 1-29
-“Dabiq: The Strategic Messaging of the Islamic State.” Institute for the Study of War, www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/dabiq-strategic-messaging-islamic-state-0.
-“Caliphate.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Mar. 2018, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/podcasts/caliphate-isis-rukmini-callimachi.html
-“Dabiq.” Online Version, Issue 11. http://clarionproject.org/docs/Issue%2011%20-%20From%20the%20battle%20of%20Al-Ahzab%20to%20the%20war%20of%20coalitions.pdf
-“Rumiyah.” Online Version, Issue 2. http://clarionproject.org/wp-content/uploads/Rumiyh-ISIS-Magazine-2nd-issue.pdf
-El-Kadi, Ahmed. “Sayyid Qutb.” Syed Qutb, www.islam101.com/history/people/century20/syedQutb.htm.
-Laoust, Henri. “Ibn Taymiyyah.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 1 Jan. 2019, www.britannica.com/biography/Ibn-Taymiyyah.
-Press Release - May 13, 2019, and 2019 Press Release - May 9. “Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi.” Counter Extremism Project, 31 Mar. 2017, www.counterextremism.com/extremists/abu-muhammad-al-maqdisi.
-Rogers, Katie, et al. “Trump Declares ISIS '100%' Defeated in Syria. '100% Not True,' Ground Reports Say.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 28 Feb. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/02/28/world/middleeast/trump-isis-territory.html.
-Vox, director. The Rise of ISIS. YouTube, YouTube, 16 Dec. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzmO6RWy1v8.
-Wood, Graeme. “What ISIS Really Wants.”The AtlanticAtlantic Media Company, 22 June 2018, www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/03/what-isis-really-wants/384980/.
-Vox, director. The Rise of ISIS. YouTube, YouTube, 16 Dec. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzmO6RWy1v8.