Part 1
Harith Mayar
A Study of the Foundations and Practices of ISIS
Islam, true to its very name, is a religion of peace, compassion, and mercy. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was sent as a blessing for all humanity, and the Noble Qur’an stands as a book of light and guidance for every age. At its heart, Islam is a faith of love and kindness, drawing people together beneath the shelter of justice and wisdom.
In the modern era, however, a violent and self-proclaimed movement surfaced under the banner of “ISIS.” Pretending to defend Islam, it disfigured the beauty of this merciful religion with cruelty and darkness.
Proclaiming themselves the heirs of true Islam, ISIS brandished slogans of “reviving the Caliphate” and “jihad.” Yet their deeds betrayed their words, for nothing they carried out resembled the authentic teachings of the faith. Islam rejects the murder of innocents, the destruction of mosques and sacred sites, the severing of heads, and the enslavement of children. Such acts are foreign to the Qur’an and absent from the example of the Prophet (PBUH).
To ensnare and mislead vulnerable youth, ISIS twisted profound religious concepts. They tore Qur’anic verses from their historical and spiritual context, and they distorted hadiths to justify their own violence. In doing so, they manufactured a grotesque parody of Islam: a pious mask covering a face of cruelty. Their aim was to convince the world that darkness was light and that brutality was mercy.
The truth, however, is stark. ISIS was nothing more than a shadow cast across the vast field of divine mercy, a darkness bound to disappear with the rising sun of truth. To study its foundations and practices is therefore not only a political necessity but also a moral and religious obligation. Recognizing this malignant shadow is essential if we are to reveal once again the true face of Islam: a face defined by mercy, peace, patience, and wisdom.
This essay opens a broader series of studies that will trace the phenomenon of ISIS from its ideological roots to its strategies of violence and its machinery of propaganda. By exposing the falsehoods that sustain it, the series hopes to lift the shadow and allow the light of truth to shine more clearly.
