Part 10
By Ehsan Sajadi
Bloody Unity: An Examination of ISIS’s Sectarian Deviations in Light of Its Claims to Islamic Unity
Islamic unity is one of the firmest foundations of the religion of Islam. It nurtures brotherhood, mutual support, and a shared sense of responsibility, especially in moments of hardship, and it remains essential to the strength of the Muslim community. The Holy Quran and the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, repeatedly remind believers of the blessings of unity and warn them against division and discord.
In today’s world, with political, social, and cultural pressures growing on every side, the need for a united Ummah is clearer than ever. Unity is not only a religious virtue but also a practical safeguard against fitna and the schemes of those who seek to weaken Muslims. For this reason, understanding the true meaning of Islamic unity is a matter of real importance.
Yet groups like ISIS, despite claiming to defend the unity of the Ummah, have caused some of the deepest splits within the Islamic world. They ignored the divine command to “hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together,” and by twisting sacred teachings to suit their aims, they pushed forward an agenda entirely at odds with Islam, even as they tried to dress it in the language of unity.
These takfiri groups, manipulated by the enemies of Islam, misused religious texts to such an extent that they violated the very principles they claimed to uphold. Their propaganda hollowed out Islamic values from within. Behind slogans such as unity under the Caliphate, ISIS and its affiliates spread hostility, distrust, and sectarian conflict among Muslims, presenting Islam to the world in a distorted and ugly light.
The Quranic concept of the Ummah embraces all Muslims, regardless of their language, culture, or ethnicity. Islam is built upon the idea of a community bound together by faith. As the Quran states: “Indeed, this Ummah of yours is one Ummah, and I am your Lord, so worship Me.” ISIS, however, ignored this universal message and reduced the Ummah to the narrow limits of its own faction.
To the movement’s leaders and followers, only those who accepted their rigid ideology were considered true Muslims. Everyone else was labeled an apostate or an enemy. Such thinking stands in direct opposition to Islam’s constant emphasis on brotherhood and its recognition that differences can exist within a united community.
A further feature of ISIS’s ideology was its attempt to create false hierarchies among Muslims. The group insisted that only its members represented authentic Islam, while anyone who questioned their views or refused to submit to their extremism was cast out or even condemned to death. This narrow and destructive mindset contradicts the Quranic teaching that “the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.”
In Islam, a person’s worth is measured by piety, character, and righteousness, not by loyalty to a takfiri faction. By replacing these values with unquestioning allegiance to their group, ISIS not only abandoned essential Islamic teachings but also planted fear and division throughout the Ummah. Their exclusionary and hostile approach created deep wounds, far removed from the true spirit of unity that Islam calls believers to uphold.
