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A English-language Salafi-jihadi Telegram channel recently published posts criticizing the "tamed, non-threatening version of Islam" promoted by Western powers, which prevents Muslims from uniting to wage jihad and restore the caliphate, and endorsing terrorist attacks in non-Muslim countries as serving Muslims' interests.
Unbelievers Justify Killing Of Women And Children, Offensive Wars, Just Like Jihadis
In an April 16 post,[1] the channel asserted that just as Islam views some lands as "dar al-harb" [the abode of war], which legitimizes the killing of all their inhabitants and taking their possessions, the "Zionist kuffar [unbelievers] do the same with Gaza, justifying the killing of its population because they are "terrorists" and allowing even the targeting of women and children, especially as "collateral damage." The "Asadist kuffar" in Syria have the same attitude toward the people of rebel-controlled Idlib, as did the U.S. toward the Islamic State (ISIS) and Russia toward the people of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.
The post adds that the unbelievers also justify offensive wars, claiming that the Zionists do so with the belief that "God has promised them the land of Palestine." It claims that America sees "spreading freedom and democracy and wiping out 'terrorism'" as legitimate causes of war, when its real reason is "to protect their assets and imperialist interests in the lands of the Muslims and the 'Third World' as well as to maintain the global riba [interest]-based fiat financial system."
Enemies Of Islam Prevent Restoration Of Caliphate By Dividing Muslims With National Borders, Promoting Islam That Delegitimizes Jihad
According to the channel, the unbelievers fear the return of the caliphate and reinstatement of offensive jihad, even though "violence on a much larger and more brutal scale is already being perpetually waged in many parts of the world."
The end of the post
In order to prevent the restoration of the caliphate, they "keep the lands of the Muslims divided into artificial nation-states with artificial borders and identities" and "spend billions of dollars on spreading a tamed, non-threatening version of Islam propagated by modernists and scholars of the secular sultan."
Some of the beliefs advocated by this version of Islam include: it is obligatory to obey rulers of secular nation-states; jihad or boycotts may not be carried out without their permission; peace treaties may be signed with unbelievers preventing jihad against them; visas and passports grant unbelievers security in Muslim lands; only military targets may be targeted; unbelievers should not be hated but rather treated with "brotherhood and fraternity"; and it is permissible to live in the West. Asserting that such beliefs "hold the Muslims back from resisting our oppressors and deterring them from attacking us," the channel declares them part of the "psychological warfare" waged by the "enemies of Allah" against Muslims, and urges them to resist and "defend ourselves on this weak, largely undefended front."
Terror Attacks In Non-Muslim Countries Benefit Muslims, Fighting Non-Muslim Armies In Muslim Countries Weakens Them
On April 17,[2] the channel wrote that "controversial methods of waging asymmetric warfare" in non-Muslim countries – an apparent reference to terrorist acts – will have one of two outcomes: either they will lead the unbelievers to "stop their aggression in the lands of the Muslims, and stop subsidizing our enemies including the Zionist occupation and secular puppet regimes," or else such attacks will cause them to increase their aggression. Either outcome benefits the Muslims, according to the channel, since increased aggression will mobilize Muslim masses, increase their al-wala' wal-bara' [loyalty to fellow Muslims and disavowal and hatred of unbelievers], and strengthen support for the mujahideen.
The channel adds that "fighting the kuffar [unbelievers] in the lands of the Muslims leads to them becoming less and less financially capable of sustaining their occupation of Muslim lands and funding our enemies." It continues: "Even if we lose one war, it'll still significantly drain the wealth, resources, and morale of the enemy and give us an edge in the next war," declaring that "the kuffar will not win in the end, for Allah has promised us victory."
The channel appears to be unaffiliated with either ISIS or Al-Qaeda, asserting that the differences between the organizations are minor and their rivalry only benefits enemies of Islam.[3]
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