International Union Of Muslim Scholars, Supported By Qatar And Turkey, Welcomes Achievements Of Islamist Rebels In Northern Syria, Hopes For Collapse Of Syrian Regime

The International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), which is funded and supported by Qatar and Turkey,[1] has expressed support for the Syrian rebel factions that have taken over areas in the north of the country, chief of them the jihadi organization Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS),[2] headed by Abu Muhammad Al-Joulani, formerly the head of Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria. Writing on their X accounts, members of the Doha-based IUMS welcomed the rebels' advance into regime-held territory and hoped for the collapse of Syrian regime, headed by President Bashar Al-Assad. One of them even ascribed the rebels' current success to the leadership shown by Al-Joulani, which, he said, "combines jihadi toughness, political awareness and strategic planning."   

It should be noted that, although Syria was readmitted to the Arab League in May 2023 – some 12 years after its membership was suspended due to the regime's brutal oppression of the Syrian people since the outbreak of the Syria crisis in 2011 – and although the majority of Arab states have renewed their relations with Assad's regime,[3] Qatar persists in its opposition to this regime and has refrained from renewing relations with it.  

Logo of the IUMS

The following are excerpts from posts by IUMS members welcoming the recent developments in Syria:

IUMS President: We Wish The Rebels A Clear Victory; The End Of The Oppressor, Assad, Is Nigh

The president of the IUMS, Ali Al-Qaradaghi, wrote on his X account: "To the rebels in Syria: We pray and beseech Allah to grant a complete victory to the great Syrian people. We welcome any victory of the oppressed peoples… We are overjoyed about what has happened in Syria, especially in the city of Aleppo, and wish [the rebels] a great and clear victory. The Syrian people is great and honorable, and we ask Allah to grant it every good thing and an absolute victory… Tyranny [is destined] to end, no matter how great its power and resources."[4]

IUMS Secretary-General: Good News From Northern Syria

Ali Al-Sallabi, the secretary-general of the IUMS, wrote: "We are receiving good news from our people in northern Syria: that the invaders and usurpers are being expelled while the displaced [locals] are beginning to return to their homes. Praise Allah, praise Allah. May You complete [their] blessed [achievement]." In a separate post, he wrote: "O Allah, strengthen the Syrian people and deliver them from oppression, evil governance, corruption and tyranny."[5]  

IUMS Member: Al-Joulani's Leadership Contributed To The Development Of The Syrian Revolution

Muhammad Al-Mukhtar Al-Shinqiti, a member of the IUMS and a lecturer at Qatar University, described the events in Syria as "an important development in the structure and performance of the Syrian revolution," which occurred inter alia thanks to "the emergence of firm leadership from Abu Muhammad Al-Joulani, [leadership] that combines jihadi toughness, political awareness and strategic planning." He added: "I hope that the glorious Syrian revolution continues on this path, now that it has understood the pitfalls of the past, and will complete [the process of] improving its structure and performance until it achieves the total victory whose first glimmerings have appeared in Aleppo."[6] 

In another post, Al-Shinqiti addressed Iran and its proxies, the Lebanese Hizbullah and the Houthis in Yemen, and called on them not to intervene in Syria and to completely withdraw their support from President Assad, "the blood-spiller of Damascus." Continuing this support, he said, "is not only a mistake [in terms of] morality and humaneness – as it has always been – but is also an act of strategic and political folly. [The situation] after the [Al-Aqsa] Flood is not as used to be, and whoever understands this is wise…"[7] 

IUMS Member: This Is The Fate Of Every Murderous Tyrant Who Lives Off His People's Blood

IUMS member Wasfi Ashour Abu Zeid shared a cartoon of Assad bathing in the blood of the Syrians, and commented: "This is the end of every stubborn tyrant and murderous dictator who lives off his people's blood and off murdering and expelling them…"[8]

IUMS Member: We Pray That The Syrian Revolution Achieves Its Goals

Another IUMS member, Muhammad Al-Saghir, wrote on X under the hashtags "deterring aggression" and "Aleppo is being liberated": "We pray that Allah unite the [rebels'] ranks, guide them on the right path and [let] the Syrian revolution achieve its noble goals. I call on all Muslims to help the people of Syria and assist them."[9]