By Ajmal Ghaznawi
Who is tearing down the walls of trust among Muslims? This question is not merely an emotional reaction, but the opening of a scenario in which, with every drop of blood, a new chapter of doubt, hatred, and mistrust begins. These events do not appear to be accidental; rather, they seem to be part of a concept that seeks to distance Muslims from their shared human and Islamic identity and push them toward permanent hostility based on division.
ISIS in contemporary terrorism is not merely the name of a weapon, but a systematic project of occupying minds. This group understands that if minds are captured, geography will surrender on its own; therefore, its war is not only on the surface of cities, but deep within thought, emotion, and narrative. They interpret every event in such a way that the outcome is predetermined: doubt, distance, and lasting mistrust between Sunnis and Shias.
This is not only physical violence, but a cognitive invasion. You can see that truth is deliberately kept confused, information is presented incompletely, and emotions are constantly provoked. When truth is fragmented, the mind becomes captive to fear and speculation instead of a complete picture, and this is where the ground for cultivating hatred is prepared.
In this equation, the most dangerous point is that the historical and ideological bonds of the Ummah become the target. Although differences between Sunnis and Shias are a historical reality, they should not be turned into a tool of permanent hostility against coexistence and the unity of the Ummah. ISIS seeks to turn these differences into the fire of conflict in order to destroy the foundations of unity among Muslims.
Why is the blood of innocent people turned into the fire of division? Because such attacks are not only physical, but also create psychological and social wounds. Each incident forms a new circle of doubt in people’s minds, and doubt becomes the foundation of mistrust. When mistrust spreads, society begins to collapse from within, even without the presence of an open war.
From the perspective of Islam, the killing of an innocent person is one of the greatest violations of human values. The Holy Qur’an equates the unjust killing of one person with the killing of all humanity, which is the strongest moral declaration of the sanctity of life. Therefore, any act that targets innocent people is clearly in conflict with the spirit of Islamic principles and is considered a misuse of religion.
Why do these attacks keep recurring? Because ISIS follows a strategy of internal collapse within society instead of direct confrontation. They want people to look at each other with suspicion, because this doubt is the most dangerous poison for a society. When a society becomes divided within itself, there is no longer a need for external pressure, and the society itself moves toward collapse.
But behind all this darkness lies an important truth: although this war is written in blood, it is won through awareness. If people recognize the hidden hand of division behind every incident, then the true objective of this war fails. Victory does not lie in one side dominating another, but in saving society from the fire of division. ISIS becomes strong when we see each other as enemies, and it is defeated when we recognize one another as human beings, as brothers, and as people who share a common destiny.
This is not a war of guns; it is a war of ideas, and the war of ideas is won when truth stands in place of emotions and awareness guides instead of fear.
