Gearing up for jihad

An al-Qaeda mouthpiece has come up with a three-part informational series for the prospective jihadist. The imperative that jihad involves all Muslims, and the steps taken to prepare for jihad are key points of discussion. From the SITE Institute:

The first guide, concerning “self-accountability,” begins with a recall of the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington, that “not one day passes on earth that there is someone talking about these hits,” and brands any Muslim who stands in opposition and questions the need for jihad to be a “liar and a traitor.” The author then presses that President George W. Bush’s doctrine of “who is not with us, he is against us” is similar in meaning, yet different in wording to Usama bin Laden’s belief of a world divided into two camps: believers and infidel. Bush’s policy allegedly caused the world governments to “race to stand beside the cross and under its command to go after the mujahideen in any place in the world.” From this, the author questions if the Muslims have prepared and accepts their answer: “really, no.”

The second part seeks to answer how one must prepare himself for jihad, arguing that a body is a commodity and must be treated as such; controlling one’s nature to arrive at paradise. According to this section of the guide, a Muslim must commit to austerity for jihad training, not expecting to enter combat immediately, and must prepare “psychologically, physically, financially, and militarily,” though not necessarily in that sequence. Further, the guide outlines the stages of jihad for the prospective mujahid, noting that “preparation and readiness” precede battle, and “control and application of the shari’a of Allah” follow victory or “martyrdom.”