This study directly contradicts the results of another new study in Germany, which found that “the widespread view that radical Muslims know little about Islam is wrong.”
Which study are we to believe? Well, this one reinforces the common view that a typical jihadi “is most likely to be male, young and disadvantaged economically, educationally, and in terms of the labour market.” Yet study after study has shown that poverty and lack of opportunity don’t really cause terrorism at all. The Economist reported in 2010: “Social scientists have collected a large amount of data on the socioeconomic background of terrorists. According to a 2008 survey of such studies by Alan Krueger of Princeton University, they have found little evidence that the typical terrorist is unusually poor or badly schooled.” In the same vein, CNS News noted in September 2013: “According to a Rand Corporation report on counterterrorism, prepared for the Office of the Secretary of Defense in 2009, ‘Terrorists are not particularly impoverished, uneducated, or afflicted by mental disease. Demographically, their most important characteristic is normalcy (within their environment). Terrorist leaders actually tend to come from relatively privileged backgrounds.’ One of the authors of the RAND report, Darcy Noricks, also found that according to a number of academic studies, “Terrorists turn out to be more rather than less educated than the general population.” The Times Online reported the following as far back as April 2005: “Three-quarters of the Al-Qaeda members were from upper middle-class homes and many were married with children; 60% were college educated, often in Europe or the United States.”
There are innumerable examples of affluent Muslims becoming jihad terrorists. One was Maher “Mike” Hawash of Portland, Oregon, a well-regarded Intel executive who made $360,000 a year at the crest of a highly successful career. Around the year 2000, Hawash began to become more religious, growing his beard long, rejecting the nickname “Mike,” and attending the supremacist Islamic Center of Portland. Ultimately he served a seven-year prison term for conspiring to aid the Taliban.
What’s more, there is plenty of evidence that Islamic State jihadis know the Qur’an well. One Malaysian Muslim said that the Qur’an led him to join the Islamic State. A Muslima in the U.S. promoted the Islamic State by quoting the Qur’an. An Islamic State propagandist’s parents said of him: “Our son is a devout Muslim. He had learnt the Quran by heart.” A Muslim politician from Jordan said that the Islamic State’s “doctrine stems from the Qur’an and Sunnah.” There are innumerable other examples of this.
So this UN study appears to be simply an advertisement for the failed policies that the West is already implementing regarding the jihad threat.
“Isis: UN study finds foreign fighters in Syria ‘lack basic understanding of Islam,'” by Lizzie Dearden, Independent, August 4, 2017:
Young men who leave their homes to fight for terrorist groups in Syria mainly come from disadvantaged backgrounds, have low levels of education and “lack any basic understanding of the true meaning of jihad or even the Islamic faith”, according to a new report.
A study for the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism found that despite claiming to protect Muslims, most of the returned fighters were “novices” in their religion and some did not know how to pray properly.
“Most saw their religion in terms of justice and injustice rather than in terms of piety and spirituality,” said the authors of the report, which was based on interviews with 43 people from 12 countries.
They found that a typical fighter “is most likely to be male, young and disadvantaged economically, educationally, and in terms of the labour market”.
“He is also more likely than not to come from a marginalised background, both socially and politically,” the reported added.
“Most were unemployed, or underemployed, and/or said that their life lacked meaning.”
Three quarters of those interviewed reached Syria but subsequently decided to leave, while others were intercepted by authorities in their own country or stopped en route.
Despite an appeal to all UN member states, the authors expressed regret that only seven countries agreed to participate in the study – three from the EU and four from the Middle East and North Africa.
Professor Hamed el-Said, of Manchester Metropolitan University, and terrorism expert Richard Barrett met most of the returnees in prison or under the watchful eye of security services.
The majority of interviewed fighters, who attempted to join groups including Isis, al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra and jihadi Ahrar al-Sham, came from large and dysfunctional families in deprived parts of cities where they were “isolated from mainstream social, economic and political activity”.
“Religious belief seems to have played a minimal role in the motivation of this sample,” the report found, saying economic factors had become more important as terrorist groups promised wages, homes and even wives.
The findings supported previous research using leaked Isis documents, which showed that most recruits profess to have only a “basic” knowledge of Sharia law, and warnings of a growing “crime-terror nexus” seeing violent criminals travel to Syria in the hope of “redemption”….
Although their accounts are highly unreliable, several imprisoned former Isis members have blamed the security services for their radicalisation….
Similar concerns have been raised about the Government’s controversial Prevent strategy, which is viewed by some to be divisive and discriminatory, while Isis itself has been attempting to capitalise on air strikes on its territory by publishing graphic images of dead children alongside calls for global terror attacks….
“It is important at least not to underestimate the motivations and determination of those who failed to make it to Syria,” the report concluded.
“There is little room for complacency, but while the risk presented by returning foreign terrorist fighters is a real one, it should not be exaggerated.
“A practical, effective and proportionate response should start from a sound understanding of the root causes of the problem.”
marina says
The Isis member are emulating ” the perfect man” Mo. How could they not have any knowledge about Islam. This study is a load of bullsh**.
John Forbes says
This study is another DENIAL SMOKESCREEN ! ISIS know exactly what ISLAM is & are FOLLOWING the DICTATES of the HOLY BOOKS to the letter !
This report is again -UTTER RUBBISH as usual from the UN !!
old white guy says
I think it means that they have to become even more bloodthirsty.
marblenecltr says
So that’s what it is! I knew something wrong had to be going on. For fourteen hundred years.
Light_n_Fluffy says
Yes, 1400 years is just a blip. Anyone can have a few off-days. No doubt when they start to take over in Western countries they’ll all be jolly nice and secular.
mortimer says
DOES THE UN KNOW ISLAM BETTER THAN CALIPH ABU BAKR AL BAGHDADID, PhD ???
Caliph Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi, who is the ISIS chief and the caliph of the Islamic State, is apparently the first Islamic Studies PhD from a Muslim background who has no idea about Islam.
Al-Baghdadi, who has obtained BA, MA and PhD degrees in Islamic studies from the Islamic University in Baghdad, has been condemned as a person who knows nothing about Islam, and as the head of an organization that has nothing to do with Islam.
The professors from the Islamic University of Baghdad, however, do not agree. They taught the caliph and believe his credentials and doctrines are sound.
“If a person who has a PhD in Islamic studies and does nothing but study the Islamic scriptures knows nothing about Islam, then who does?” questioned al-Baghdadi’s main teacher from the Islamic University, preferring to remain anonymous since the fatwa against ISIS and its chief puts his reputation into jeopardy.
“The wine-sipping Muslims, those hedonistic adulterers will tell the world what true Islam is? Obama and Cameron know more about Islam than the faculty of Islamic studies at the Islamic University in Baghdad?” the professor bellowed with rage, while talking to a journalist.
Another professor, who had taught al-Baghdadi for his BA, said off the record that the ISIS caliph was an ardent student.
“He had this obsession with Islamic studies. I used to tell him to go out and have some fun sometimes. But his idea of fun wasn’t too human friendly,” the professor said. “In any case he was a top student. One of the best I’ve ever had. Had the entire syllabus on his finger tips – to be honest, he knew more about Islamic studies than most of the professors.”
“While you can question whether they are humans or not, there is no doubt that ISIS, including Abu Bakr (al Baghdadi), are indeed bona fide Muslims,” concluded the ISIS caliph’s PhD professor.
Jack Diamond says
and Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, Al Qaeda’s favorite imam, was head of Qur’anic studies at the leading university in the Muslim world, Al-Azhar. He also apparently knew nothing of Islam or the correct understanding of the Qur’an, since he was a jihadi! Nor did the father of Al Qaeda, Abdullah Azzam, who somehow had a Master’s in Shari’a and a Ph.D in Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh) from the same illustrious university.
Lacking a basic understanding of Islam, all. Why don’t they interview the “recruits” after they’ve been trained and educated in the ISIS camps? When I hear the words “root causes” I reach for my…. Qur’an.
gravenimage says
Exactly, Jack.
moeped says
Oh the UN – they’re on our side for sure, let’s listen to them. At the same time, let’s learn from their human rights committee leader, Saudi Arabia.
Everything will turn out just fine.
Peter says
Obviously, their understanding isn’t basic; it is advanced. Al Baghdadi, to give one obvious retort, had a PhD in Islamic Studies.
SAM says
How can we infidels deal with this BS day in day out?
I am sick of the whole world protecting this evil cult
Why does not UN read the Koran? It is better to spend my tax dollars on their friends to protect this disgusting ideology I guess.
Jaladhi says
Right, Mohammad lacked basic understanding of Islam. what dos he know, he only started this murderous cult!!
john spielman says
what a stupid report from the UN ( USELESS NATIONS) – stating that they ( ISIS) ” have not even learned to pray” – yes they have; but it’s spelled “PREY”
Dawn says
Bull^^^^ ! and you can finish the rest of my word. They know it word for word and are doing exactly what it says. Don’t let them fool you !
somehistory says
All they need to know to please satan is how to rape and steal and kill…to destroy anything good, anything worthwhile, anything of value and to lie when they are asked what they intend to do when they return home.
PRCS says
Well, if the UN report is accurate, who knows less about Islam then–them or McMaster?
Santa Voorhees says
The UN probably believes that just because they are an authority in place, people will take their word for it.
Whoever reads the Quran from beginning to end knows that this is not true. You don’t even have to read the article, you can already see it from the title that this is just BS.
Jack Diamond says
The actual truth.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/25/inside-isis-training-camps
“Sharia training varies from one member to another, depending on the group’s assessment of his value or loyalty. New recruits join training that ranges from two weeks, one month, 45 days, six months up to one year. Inside the camps, students receive a mix of military, political and sharia orientation, usually given by around five instructors. During training, recruits can be dispatched to checkpoints but not to the frontlines. After they graduate, they will remain under supervision and can be expelled or punished in case of noncompliance – including being lashed if they express reservations. In some cases, new members who struggle with the brutality of the group’s acts will be sent back to receive more training to “strengthen” their faith.
“You first get the basics about religion,” said Abu Moussa, an Isis-affiliated religious cleric in eastern Syria but originally from Aleppo. “They cleanse you from religious innovations and Ba’athist ideas. Issuing fatwas is restricted to clerics and nobody can kill without a fatwa unless in the battlefield. You also study Arabic and learn how to speak in standard Arabic if you don’t know.”
Clerics in charge of religious training at Isis, known as sharii, are mostly academically qualified and have longstanding experience within the organisation’s ranks.
Because Isis bases its teachings on religious texts that mainstream Muslim clerics do not want to deal with head on, new recruits leave the camp feeling that they have stumbled on the true message of Islam.”
Westman says
Amazing! A “study” that finds explanations agreeable to the OIC – fake Muslims, uneducated, troubled, ignorant of Islam’ s true ideology. If you really believe that, let me tell you about my alien abduction.
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
Why is the UN still around!?!
lebel says
Robert Spencer: “the research does not agree with my pre-established conclusion and so I’ll just dismiss it”
You call this scholarship?
SK says
He discussed reasons that the research didn’t make sense, including recent German research on the same subject.
gravenimage says
lebel’s “quote” from Robert Spencer is, of course, completely fabricated.
Donald R Laster Jr says
lebel’s comment is standard ideologue response to inconvenient facts and opinions. But then ideologues and “Progressives” regularly ignore facts and history, as well as distort them, to advance their agenda or to justify ignoring them. We have 1400 years of history, the words of the Islamics themselves, and the text of the Qur’an and other Islamics text, that show what Islam really promotes, believes, and practices. So since it is inconvenient for the ideologue they ignore them.
FYI says
allah himself in his koran…lacks a basic understanding…. of God’s Original Commandments.
muhammed.. completely lacked any understanding of the importance of actually obeying…any of God’s Original Commandments ….
{What does God teach via His Commandments regarding murder?}
“Thou shalt NOT kill”{The Sixth}
versus
{What does allah teach in his koran regarding murder?}
“Thou shalt kill”
“Slay the unbelievers wherever you find them” k2:191
allah also disagrees with God’s Commandments on Lying,stealing,adultery,covetousness etc.
It is weird how muslims cannot see that particularly big elephant in the room:that allah in his koran not only equivocates on God’s Laws but also encourages his devout followers to feel free to break them.
They can’t seem to see that elephant in the room:or rather it is that they choose not to see.
In fact…speaking of Elephants….
THERE IS AN ENORMOUS HERD OF ELEPHANTS IN THE ROOM OF islam.
THERE ARE AT LEAST …FIVE ELEPHANTS IN THE ROOM..
islam is the religion of peace(eh,No is is not.1,400+ years of violence)
muhammed was the perfect man(Really?..LOL.Have you ever read his appalling,murderous ,Commandment of God-violating life story?)
the koran has no errors in it( …..,except for all the errors in it and some Theological howlers)
allah is God(allah’s anti-Semitic,anti-Christian nature coupled with his flagrant equivocations and violations of God’s Original Commandments would tend to suggest otherwise..)
islam is a tolerant creed(well…except towards Jews,Christians,Atheists,Gays,ex-moslems,other moslems,Hindus,Buddhists…yeah{sarc on/)sure it’s tolerant.
utis says
Aren’t you happy that your tax money helps subsidize an organization that pays academic rejects to sit around fudging data till it tells them what their bosses (who are being bribed, blackmailed or physically threatened by third parties) want to hear?
It won’t drain the Swamp, but Trump should get us out of the UN. Let the Saudis and their ilk pay up front for the United Dhimmis operations. At the very least, Trump should withhold our dues, until muslim countries start taking in their share of “immigrants.”
Ade says
Maybe it’s me … but I struggle to believe that they are GENUINELY that stupid
Donald R Laster Jr says
Just more people at the UN ignoring the teaching of Islam, which is a theocracy not a religion, its 1400 years of history, and what the Islamics clearly state Islam is. There are none so blind as those who refuse to see.
Jen says
Islam is a religion of violence and lust. Look at their heavenly “reward”….72 virgins??? What the ___? Can you imagine Jesus promising faithful Christians 72 virgins. Beyond absurd!!!
ItsReallyQuiteClear says
The UN study has serious limitations (which they somewhat acknowledge), but the Independent appears to have intentionally misrepresented the study. I call “intentionally” because they didn’t even link to it for independent (this is not a pun) vetting of their reporting. The UN study is here:
http://www.un.org/en/counterterrorism/assets/img/Report_Final_20170727.pdf
The actual title of the study is “Enhancing the Understanding of the Foreign Terrorist Fighters Phenomenon in Syria”. Hmm, doesn’t even sound remotely generalizable, with regard to claims about knowledge of Islam, does it?
While the challenges of studying or interviewing Islamic terrorists are more than noteworthy, the UN study consists of interviews conducted between 2007 and 2016. That period seems to cover quite a range of Islamic conflict and worldwide terrorism lifecycles. Would the motivations and environmental factors influencing terrorism participants vary during that period? This study is silent on that.
Of the 193 UN Member States, only 7 countries (3 in the EU and 4 in MENA) agreed to participate through access to interview returned FTF (Foreign Terrorist Fighters). 12 FTF nationalities were represented. With a total number of 43 interviewees, this sample — a non-representative, and in fact self-selected sample — seems woefully inadequate for drawing statistically significant conclusions. But, “study”, “review”, both sides of this issue will point to it as confirming their opinions. The Islamophiles at the Independent already have.
The “conclusion” this study reported, that the returning Muslim FTFs didn’t know much about Islam strikes me as being rather suspect. While the full list of actual interview questions are not disclosed, the section of the report discussing “The role of idealogy” (p.35) specifically asked about the role of ‘aquedah’, and not about the role of the interviewees’ Muslim faith. So I didn’t see *any* basis, even within the understandably weak methodology of this study, for drawing a conclusion that even this small subset of FTF, in Syrian, lack a basic knowledge of Islam.
This section goes on to note that:
“When asked about [jihad], one respondent stated that ‘we know jihad by intuition. Every Muslim knows it by intuition. You don’t need to study it.'”
So, does that one, single quote suggest that (these?) Muslims don’t understand what jihad is? Or could it also suggest that the understanding of jihad is so pervasive, and so baked into the (this?) Muslim community that it doesn’t even require conscious thought? Who knows? The study provides no further context.
As mentioned earlier, the study spans 7 countries, within both the EU and MENA, yet it discusses the role of economic factors in influencing FTFs in terms of absolute monthly salaries, employment status and types of jobs. Nuff said.
Another issue with the study if that while, presumably, all of the FTF interviewees are Muslims, the study’s conclusions don’t speak from this context. So large families are discussed only as contributing factors to economic disadvantage — and something that should mitigated by the host country. Yeah, do that and they’ll just have more kids. What about the contributions that strict adherence to Islamic ideology makes in the economic and social environments of host countries, how it sometimes leads to civil war or genocide, and how overall, it’s not particularly favorable to economic opportunity?
Oh, and isn’t the UN being Islamaphobic to view these Muslim FTFs through a lens of Western values? (/sarc)
ItsReallyQuiteClear says
Meant to add that the review of literature in this study is worth reading, and while I disagree with some of their recommendations, they do a good job identifying some important questions.
I just think they were a bit slippery with their “conclusions”.
ItsReallyQuiteClear says
Oops, got a serious copy and paste typo in my first comment. I wrote:
“While the full list of actual interview questions are not disclosed, the section of the report discussing “The role of idealogy” (p.35) specifically asked about the role of ‘aquedah’, and not about the role of the interviewees’ Muslim faith.”
and meant to say:
“While the full list of actual interview questions are not disclosed, the section of the report discussing “The role of idealogy” (p.35) specifically asked about the role of ‘aquedah’, and there is no specific information on how they they assessed the interviewees’ knowledge of Islam.”
The closest I could find to a justification for concluding, in effect, “these Muslims don’t know Islam” was on p. 40:
“However, a large number, over 50 per cent, appeared to be religious novices, lacking any basic
understanding of the true meaning of Jihad or even the Islamic faith; many did not even know
how to pray according to the Islamic tradition. Most saw their religion in terms of justice and
injustice rather than in terms of piety and spirituality.”
But what understanding of jihad were the researchers using? That it only means non-violent struggle? Did not knowing how to pray according to the Islamic tradition mean that the interviewers were disoriented in the basement of the prisons in which they were interviewed, and they faced in the wrong direction when they were asked to demonstrate their prayers? Who knows? But if the methodology was sound, why didn’t they disclose it?
rosremary hopkin says
Yes they DO lack the basic understanding of Islam, because THESE people are MERCENARIES . HIRED SOLDIERS who go from one war to another. Their WEAPONS are paid for by GOVERNMENTS of the world, including BRITAIN and AMERICA. They go whereever the next war is . One war fails, they move on to the next one they are told to go to.It IS IS about time people realized this.
Jack Diamond says
First learn how to spell your name. “These people” are only imitating the “best of Muslims.” Who do these “people” fight for except as mujahideen for the cause of Islam? Anywhere there is jihad. Explain your basic understanding of Islam to us, I’m sure it will be enlightening.
Steven says
“Misunderstanding of islam”???……UN study never mention other islamic groups such as hamas, al qaeda, hezollah and iranian islamic regime etc….. even the UAE’s top 50 terrorist group lists, most are muslims.
gravenimage says
UN study finds Islamic State jihadis “lack basic understanding of Islam”
…………………..
Uh…right. And that’s why the Islamic State is crucifying “blasphemers”, using Infidels as sex slaves, and stoning women to death–all orthodox Islam.
Who else is tired of this ludicrous claptrap?
Donald R Laster Jr says
And they are ignoring this has been going on for 1400 years ever since Mohammad created the State of Islam after his lies and other behavior were rejected by most people. Islam is Islam and it is rooted in depravity and has been from day one. The use of terms like “radical” and “moderate” are used to avoid the fact that Islam is a violent depraved theocracy. The people making these “studies” are ignoring facts and 1400 years of history.