Part 4
Osama Nahzat
The slogans of unity and solidarity among Muslims were among the most deceptive tools persistently used by the leaders and commanders of the modern-day Khawarij, ISIS, to mislead the public, particularly by manipulating the sentiments of the Ummah’s youth and drawing them into their ranks. Though cloaked in the language of Islamic brotherhood, these slogans were in fact hollow claims, masking an agenda rooted in sectarianism, extremism, and violence.
Phrases such as “Unity of the Ummah” and “Islamic Solidarity” were frequently repeated in the speeches of ISIS leaders. Among them was Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, who on June 29, 2014, delivered a speech titled “This is the Promise of Allah,” in which he formally declared the group’s so-called caliphate. Under the guise of sacred Islamic concepts such as Caliphate, Unity of the Ummah, and Brotherhood, ISIS engaged in extensive propaganda, portraying itself not merely as a jihadist movement but as the embodiment of a legitimate Islamic state.
The group presented itself as the savior of Muslims, pledging to eliminate division, restore Islamic dignity, and revive the Caliphate by tearing down colonial borders. Yet in practice, their actions directly contradicted these lofty promises and actively undermined the very unity they claimed to champion. Rather than healing sectarian wounds and reconciling differences, ISIS spread discord, hatred, and division throughout the Muslim world.
Through these deceitful slogans, ISIS succeeded in attracting hundreds of recruits, including youth from Western countries. Their rhetoric, supposedly based on principles like unity, faith-based brotherhood, and the elimination of Taghuti (tyrannical) regimes, was little more than a smokescreen. In truth, ISIS’s concept of unity was deeply perverted. It was defined by blind allegiance to a self-appointed leader, unquestioning acceptance of distorted beliefs, and absolute obedience, often in violation of Islamic law and ethics.
Anyone who refused to conform to these false principles, whether a renowned scholar, a sincere mujahid, or an ordinary Muslim, was branded an apostate, subjected to takfir (excommunication), and often sentenced to death. In territories under its control, ISIS’s actions starkly contradicted its stated ideals. Instead of unifying the Ummah, they kindled the fires of internal conflict and fear, plunging communities into chaos and distrust.
The venomous actions of these Khawarij destroyed genuine opportunities for Muslim unity and paved the way for foreign intervention and enemy infiltration into Muslim lands. Their deviant ideology not only deepened divisions within the broader Ummah but also sowed discord among its most dedicated members, jihadist groups striving sincerely for Islamic causes. Their malicious tactics triggered infighting, internal wars, and devastating losses among the mujahideen.
Though ISIS emerged under the banner of Islamic unity, in reality, it became one of the most destructive forces of fragmentation and hostility within the Ummah. True Islamic unity cannot be built on takfir, bloodshed, and coercion. Rather, it must be rooted in a deep understanding of the Qur’an and Sunnah, grounded in divine mercy, mutual respect, and a balanced, moderate path anchored in authentic Islamic teachings.