Not to take away from Mr. Spencers excellent & insightful commentary, but Prof. Timothy Furnish, whose studies of Mahdiism are a bit more focused than Robert’s work, has some excellent commentary about the ideology of IS/ISIS/ISIL/whatever at his blog Mahdiwatch;
“2) Once again, creating such a glossy and lengthy publication in English demonstrates that the newly-minted caliphate is trying to manipulate Western, or at least Western Muslim, public opinion. Considering how many British (and perhaps also, now, American) volunteers it has attracted, continuing such a strategy makes sense.
3) Although, as already noted, this second installment of “Dabiq” is less eschatological than the first one, it does nonetheless continue to invoke Islamic apocalyptic themes—showing either that the IS leadership is enamored of the End Times, it knows the resonance of such a theme for many (Western/Westernized) Muslims—or both.
4) I would maintain that IS atrocities like the beheading of James Foley and the mass murders of Shi`is and Yazidis are, in effect, “bizarre rituals intended to bring about the end of the world”–or at least to spark the Mahdi’s coming. I truly think that IS has passed into the realm of trying to hotwire the apocalypse. God willing no one is stupid enough to try and find “moderate ISIS” with whom to negotiate…”*
*Cue the Obama administration…
It’s the last point of Furnish’s commentary that is most concerning. As bad as the common jihadist is, these Mahdists are of an order of magnitude worse.
To provide some flavor of the Mahdi, I always enjoyed this scene of Larry Olivier playing the Mahdi from the 1966 film ‘Khartoum’-Also with Chuck Heston. A entertaining flick, indeed. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZL_TOV9-m0
John C. Barilesays
Don’t I remember. I’ve seen Khartoum a number of times. When I saw al-Baghdadi assume the title of caliph and ascend his pulpit I thought of the movie.
EYESOPENsays
One of my favorite movies. Charlton Heston was excellent as Gen. Gordon. Much of that movie was very true, except that Gen. Gordon and “the Mahdi” never actually met, although they did communicate – one has to assume by written letters/notes.
Walter Sieruksays
With this information it’s thus necessary to reiterate, once again, that with threat of ISIS or other jihad groups with the same kind of Islamic agenda that we, as Americans need not live in fear and be afraid to go different places or do different things because of any danger from ISIS or Al Qaeda. For to live in fear would make the jihadists enemy happy . So we should go on living our own lives and have no fear at all. Nevertheless, even though it’s very important that we feel not fear we still must be aware of our surrounding and be on the outlook for anything that seems not to look quite right. Then go and tell the right person about it. As in “What’s wrong with this picture?” As for example, the Tee-Shirt vendor at NY,NY. on Times Square who saw some smoke out of that parked van and then let a police officer know about it. As it has been said “If you see something, say something.” To put this in another way, the wisdom of the words of Thomas Jefferson may very much apply even more today then they did in his own time. For Mr. Jefferson stated “Let the eye of vigilance never be closed.”
Champsays
Great comment, Walter …hear, hear!
Walter Siruksays
The cruel and murderous ISIS thugs with all their vicious evil cannot be reasoned with. For Islamic fanatics will not respond to reason. The fact is the the use of violence may very well be the only language that the Islamic fiends of ISIS understand. So if the US sends airstrikes down on the bases of ISIS it’s only because it was deemed necessary. This may be to only way to send ISIS a message in a means that they will understand. The message is “Stop murdering people by beheading them and by other heinous way. Stop all the murdering , raping kidnapping and other forms of malicious, malice vicious, hideous and terrible wicked thing that is being done and let people alone and let them live their own lives in peace.” So if many US airstrikes hit the ISIS bases and cells its because that is understood this the force of violence is the only way left handle the brutal and heinous ISIS. For the jihad ISIS members will not relate to anything else but force. As Thomas Jefferson had explained “With every barbarous people…force is law.”
Beaglesays
It seems overly parochial to focus on terrorism in the US when the IS is rampaging through provinces and military bases committing genocide, utilizing beheading and crucifixion everywhere it goes. Not that RS did it, the questioner.
I wish some media would focus on the potential of the IS to recruit Sunnis anywhere they live in the entire world instead of treating it like an isolated gang of thugs. To RS’s credit, he elaborated on the universality of the ideology, even outside IS members. Support is already germinating in far-flung places from Orlando to Asia.
John C. Barilesays
All you really need to become a part of the universal caliphate–IS–is to pledge fealty–bayah to this khaifah and signal to your bros that you have done so.
onisacsays
The United States is it’s own worst enemy. I include the administration, the Dept. of Defense, the Justice Dept., and the bulk of the citizens of the U.S..
All are like living with their heads in the sand. They could not and wont see or hear the truth. Because they don’t want to think about such a horrible thought.
We should at least try to explain this ignorance to their children and grandchildren.
AnneM says
Stand up to what is true Robert!
JamestheFin says
Not to take away from Mr. Spencers excellent & insightful commentary, but Prof. Timothy Furnish, whose studies of Mahdiism are a bit more focused than Robert’s work, has some excellent commentary about the ideology of IS/ISIS/ISIL/whatever at his blog Mahdiwatch;
“2) Once again, creating such a glossy and lengthy publication in English demonstrates that the newly-minted caliphate is trying to manipulate Western, or at least Western Muslim, public opinion. Considering how many British (and perhaps also, now, American) volunteers it has attracted, continuing such a strategy makes sense.
3) Although, as already noted, this second installment of “Dabiq” is less eschatological than the first one, it does nonetheless continue to invoke Islamic apocalyptic themes—showing either that the IS leadership is enamored of the End Times, it knows the resonance of such a theme for many (Western/Westernized) Muslims—or both.
4) I would maintain that IS atrocities like the beheading of James Foley and the mass murders of Shi`is and Yazidis are, in effect, “bizarre rituals intended to bring about the end of the world”–or at least to spark the Mahdi’s coming. I truly think that IS has passed into the realm of trying to hotwire the apocalypse. God willing no one is stupid enough to try and find “moderate ISIS” with whom to negotiate…”*
*Cue the Obama administration…
It’s the last point of Furnish’s commentary that is most concerning. As bad as the common jihadist is, these Mahdists are of an order of magnitude worse.
To provide some flavor of the Mahdi, I always enjoyed this scene of Larry Olivier playing the Mahdi from the 1966 film ‘Khartoum’-Also with Chuck Heston. A entertaining flick, indeed. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZL_TOV9-m0
John C. Barile says
Don’t I remember. I’ve seen Khartoum a number of times. When I saw al-Baghdadi assume the title of caliph and ascend his pulpit I thought of the movie.
EYESOPEN says
One of my favorite movies. Charlton Heston was excellent as Gen. Gordon. Much of that movie was very true, except that Gen. Gordon and “the Mahdi” never actually met, although they did communicate – one has to assume by written letters/notes.
Walter Sieruk says
With this information it’s thus necessary to reiterate, once again, that with threat of ISIS or other jihad groups with the same kind of Islamic agenda that we, as Americans need not live in fear and be afraid to go different places or do different things because of any danger from ISIS or Al Qaeda. For to live in fear would make the jihadists enemy happy . So we should go on living our own lives and have no fear at all. Nevertheless, even though it’s very important that we feel not fear we still must be aware of our surrounding and be on the outlook for anything that seems not to look quite right. Then go and tell the right person about it. As in “What’s wrong with this picture?” As for example, the Tee-Shirt vendor at NY,NY. on Times Square who saw some smoke out of that parked van and then let a police officer know about it. As it has been said “If you see something, say something.” To put this in another way, the wisdom of the words of Thomas Jefferson may very much apply even more today then they did in his own time. For Mr. Jefferson stated “Let the eye of vigilance never be closed.”
Champ says
Great comment, Walter …hear, hear!
Walter Siruk says
The cruel and murderous ISIS thugs with all their vicious evil cannot be reasoned with. For Islamic fanatics will not respond to reason. The fact is the the use of violence may very well be the only language that the Islamic fiends of ISIS understand. So if the US sends airstrikes down on the bases of ISIS it’s only because it was deemed necessary. This may be to only way to send ISIS a message in a means that they will understand. The message is “Stop murdering people by beheading them and by other heinous way. Stop all the murdering , raping kidnapping and other forms of malicious, malice vicious, hideous and terrible wicked thing that is being done and let people alone and let them live their own lives in peace.” So if many US airstrikes hit the ISIS bases and cells its because that is understood this the force of violence is the only way left handle the brutal and heinous ISIS. For the jihad ISIS members will not relate to anything else but force. As Thomas Jefferson had explained “With every barbarous people…force is law.”
Beagle says
It seems overly parochial to focus on terrorism in the US when the IS is rampaging through provinces and military bases committing genocide, utilizing beheading and crucifixion everywhere it goes. Not that RS did it, the questioner.
I wish some media would focus on the potential of the IS to recruit Sunnis anywhere they live in the entire world instead of treating it like an isolated gang of thugs. To RS’s credit, he elaborated on the universality of the ideology, even outside IS members. Support is already germinating in far-flung places from Orlando to Asia.
John C. Barile says
All you really need to become a part of the universal caliphate–IS–is to pledge fealty–bayah to this khaifah and signal to your bros that you have done so.
onisac says
The United States is it’s own worst enemy. I include the administration, the Dept. of Defense, the Justice Dept., and the bulk of the citizens of the U.S..
All are like living with their heads in the sand. They could not and wont see or hear the truth. Because they don’t want to think about such a horrible thought.
We should at least try to explain this ignorance to their children and grandchildren.