Al-Qaeda vs Daish: A Deadly Propaganda War
By Iftikhar Hussain Jazib
Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi and Daish have emerged from Al-Qaeda’s branch in Iraq but the violence and terror unleashed by them have even belittled Al-Qaeda and its affiliated terrorist outfits. Daish is extensively sharing videos of its crimes, atrocities and brutal executions to cast terror in the hearts of general masses in Iraq and Syria. Owing to the massive criticism on Daish’s excesses and un-Islamic practices displayed in its audio/video contents, the blowback effects are also defaming Daish. Interestingly, Al-Qaeda and its operatives are the first to criticize Daish for such audio / video contents of brutality and cruelty. Both Al-Qaeda and Daish are also making scathing criticism on the leadership and activities of each other in their online magazines, jihadi forums and social media websites.
This deadly propaganda and counter propaganda demonstrate that both Al-Qaeda and Daish are ideologically hollow and completely wrong. They have killed hundreds of Salafi / Wahabi Jihadis to overcome one another in Iraq and Syria. These propaganda campaigns indicate that Al-Qaeda and Daish are becoming more loose and disgruntle which will make them more susceptible to external exploitation and infighting in coming days. These groups brought only evil to Islam and Muslims but unfortunately, a few scholars and ulemas have become victim of their apparent deception. Some religious leaders and Islamic scholars are not paying heed to ground realities and they are found praising Al-Qaeda and Daish for no reason. Such sympathizers must open their eyes and realize that terrorist groups are not an option to address grievances of Muslims. In fact, these disgruntle groups have become a problem for each other.
Daish is posing a strange challenge to Al-Qaeda, a former branch with belief in Wahabi / Salafi ideology claiming to be true representative of Osama Bin Laden. Daish is very violent towards Al-Nusra Front, an Al-Qaeda branch for Syria and its propaganda campaign against core leadership of Al-Qaeda is even more deadly. It is publishing an online magazine ‘Dabiq’ in which scathing criticism is made on Ayman Al-Zawahiri, Al-Qaeda and its various branches and affiliates. Daish’s operatives and media experts hatefully mention Al-Zawahiri with the title of a Zionist on various online Jihadi forums and websites. The group has also declared those Al-Qaeda militants as apostates, who have not joined Daish by expressing allegiance to Baghdadi yet.
Daish also criticizes Taliban, who are hosting core leadership of Al-Qaeda in Af-Pak region. The denigration of Amir-ul-Momineen of Taliban, late Mullah Omar has been a prominent feature of Daish’s propaganda and it has been highlighting faults in his personality and religious knowledge lately. According to various issues of magazine ‘Dabiq’, most of Taliban are even not pure Muslims. In the 11th edition of Dabiq, scathing assault on Taliban and Al-Qaeda has been made, calling cover-up of Mullah Omar’s death an unprecedented hoax.
Al-Qaeda has also been running many online publications for promotion of its ideology and new recruitment but now these online magazines and jihadi forums have been consumed by this propaganda war. Recently, Al-Qaeda’s Branch, Al-Nusra Front has also launched its online magazine ‘Al-Risalah’ to counter Dabiq and Daish’s propaganda against Al-Qaeda. Much of the magazine is dedicated to justifying Al-Qaeda’s actions as legitimate while rejecting practices of Baghdadi’s Daish. According to various articles published in this magazine, Daish has painted the religion and the Jihad movement with red blood, which has compelled the people to think that Jihad only consist of slaughter and killing. Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi is not an Imam that would lead the Muslims, rather his actions have hurt Muslim Ummah severely and repeatedly, which has disappointed many Muslims. Similar criticism was made on Baghdadi and Daish in recent issue of Resurgence, a magazine published by Al-Qaeda’s media wing As-Sahab. Pakistani Taliban has also produced a 66-page booklet to falsify Baghdadi’s claim of Caliphate in order to defend Al-Zawahiri and Al-Qaeda. While many Al-Qaeda operatives are equating Baghdadi with an evil ruler ‘Sufyani’, prophesied by Prophet (PBUH) to appear in the last age in Iraq and Syria.
Undoubtedly, a view of this intensive propaganda war between Al-Qaeda and Daish clearly reflect their evil and negative nature. These terrorist groups have proved disastrous for Muslim countries and their general masses. The Muslim countries of North Africa and Middle East are currently in chaos and Al-Qaeda’s deadly strategy is solely responsible for woes of their masses. This organization not only provoked the wrath of Western countries against Muslim States by perpetrating the attacks of 9/11 but also incited sectarian violence and political rebellions within them. As a result, Mauritania, Somalia, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Iraq and Syria are in political and social ruins. This state of affair only marginalized Muslim countries in the international politics further and Muslims have become weaker in terms of military power and capability. Now Al-Qaeda is shattered and its former branch and rival Daish is bringing more devastation to the Muslim World.
In Pakistan, the Government and Security Forces are well aware of evil designs and deadly strategy of Al-Qaeda and Daish. Therefore, Army and Law Enforcement Agencies are making utmost efforts to prevent Pakistan from meeting the fate of Iraq and Syria. In view of these facts and observations, we must put our full weight behind Government and armed forces in fight against Al-Qaeda, Daish, TTP and other likeminded terrorist outfits. Every Muslim should reject leaders of these terrorist groups without any hesitation and we should only follow mainstream Muftis, Ulema and Islamic Scholars, who oppose terrorist movements and project real teachings of Islam.
The writer tweets@radiant_j_007
