Making Sense of Jihad

A Collection of Scholars

A small collection of media of various allama over the years: Tartusi, Awlaki, Mawdudi, Hawali, Sibai, Ulwan, and others.

A Little Stash of Jurisprudence

Found here (where else?):

http://ia310838.us.archive.org/2/items/1254687/

From what I could ascertain from the Google "translation" there's not much jihadi-related, but it does include the following:

http://ia310819.us.archive.org/2/items/rassail-jami3iya/1.htm

 

495 - النصر والهزيمة -  دراسة قرآنية – عبد اللطيف حسن محمد مرشود
512 - الرقابة الشرعية على أعمال المصارف الإسلامية - أحمد عبد العفو مصطفى العليات
564 – الإطار القانوني القائم في الضفة الغربية وقطاع غزة وأثره  في التنمية السياسية منذ 1994 وحتى 2004 – أنغام زكريا محمد مسعود
573 – التعبئة المعنوية في القرآن الكريم – علام عبد القادر محمود النعنع
574 – العلاقات الأسرية  في القرآن الكريم – سلوى سليم شلبي
659 – أحكام ولد الزنا في الفقه الإسلامي – أحمد عبد المجيد "محمد محمود" حسين
663 – شخصية نوح عليه السلام في القرآن – حسن محمد حسين زغل
702 – الدفاع الشرعي العام في التشريع الجنائي الإسلامي – دراسة فقهية مقارنة – علاء الدين إبراهيم محمود الشرفي
704 - الدفاع الشرعي الخاص ( دفع الصائل ) في الفقه الإسلامي ( دراسة مقارنة مع القانون الوضعي ) – زياد حمدان محمود ساخن

تجدون هذه الكتب على الرابط التالي

http://ia310838.us.archive.org/2/items/1254687/

Around the Web

Great catch, Aaron:

It seems unlikely that this 3-D animation was prepared solely for the purpose of a propaganda video. More likely it was created for training purposes, and then re-used after the fact by as-Sahab.

Intelfusion had a wonderful post last week pointing out a recent spat of cyber attacks between Pakistan and India.  Of course, what's interesting to me is the fact that the targeted websites are energy-related but there is plenty of grist for numerous mills here.

Report of Interest:  Islamic Economics:  A Survey of the Literature.  Author: Asad Zaman; June 2008

Bill has the bad news and the really bad news out of Pakistan

Update: The state of Algeria (via Western Sahara Info)

What AQ is saying in Yemen.  Jane has more:

The accusations came in context of a warning that the Yemeni security forces were gearing up to target Mareb tribal leaders and social figures under the cover of al Qaeda.

Real power?

"Nobody knows."  This is the conclusion of a recent Jamestown article on al-Qaida in China. (via The Opposite End of China)

When it comes to Gaza, Zawahiri has been a one man fitna machine:

In this strike, he said, students would not attend school and workers would not go to work. Al-Zawahiri also called upon the ‘ulama of Al-Azhar to be independent again and to lead the ummah against the “Zionist-Crusader campaign.”

Not ready yet.  I've been remiss in linking to this article by Khalil al-Anani on the real challenges faced by violent Islamist groups that are seeking a "moderate" middle way:

The question of the possibility of assimilating Gamaa Islamiya aside, which is ultimately a government decision, there remain serious impediments to the movement's ability to work effectively within the Egyptian system. Foremost among these is its religious and political rhetoric. Although it has indeed placed its bitter legacy of violence behind it with its renunciation of recourse to force and its retraction of its sweeping condemnations of heresy, its religious discourse remains little different to conventional Salafi (ultra- fundamentalist) rhetoric, especially as pertains to rules of conduct, penal jurisprudence and jihad, with regard to which it derives most of its concepts and principles from ancient theological and juristic texts.

In OSINT news:  Interested in org theory? Try this list of magazines for "org-heads"

Drum roll, please: "Top 5 Intelligence Analysis Methods" part 1 and part 2 at  Sources and Methods.

Meanwhile,  Vroom vroom - honk!  As opposed to chirp, chirp.

Two (more) from MEMRI

• Islamist Websites Launch Online Campaign for General Strike in Egypt
• Report: Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb Discussed Attack on Algerian Parliament, Army COS, Ministers

I'm sure there's a little oud plucking somewhere for Hamas:

Over the past few weeks, Hamas's international financial support network suffered a series of setbacks, most notably the U.S. federal court conviction of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF) and five of its leaders on charges of providing material support to Hamas.

A land grab?  It's an interesting question, considering the complex shariah associated with these issues. Alas, the article ends on a note of delusion:

There is a hope too that if Muslims are allowed to become part of the urban landscape rather than hidden away there will be less risk of furtive fundamentalism.

Thar be pirate stories at the Washington Post, says Eaglespeak.

Two on Dr. Q

At least I think they're both related to Qaradawi....

The metadata and the file names from their <ahem> Archive-dot-org entries suggest they are:

http://www.archive.org/details/tarbia_qrdhw

http://www.archive.org/details/fatawa_qardhawi

Lessons in Jihad

Will at Jihadica translates and analyzes a recent effort at developing a jihad curriculum:

A blogger by the name of Shamil al-Baghdadi has created a curriculum titled “Method for Building the Personality of a Terrorist Mujahid.” The curriculum is divided into three parts: ideology, physical training, and ops. I’m only interested in the ideological bit, but those who are interested in the rest can easily find it on Shamil’s blog.

Shamil begins by explaining how to find a good recruit. First, you need to study the potential recruit before speaking freely with him. Make sure he is serious before approaching him or allowing him to approach you, even if he already knows about the aims and beliefs of the global Jihadi community.

Training is divided into three parts: Sharia, physical, and technical. Begin with the Sharia training

Ever since I read about Saif al-Adl's account of the "education" of Abu Mu'sab al-Zarqawi in Afghanistan in the late 1990s, I've collected these "curricula" where ever I could find them.  After all, analyzing the kind of information the enemy intends to pass on to new recruits is one good way of understanding his priorities.  It also supports the process of thinking with the enemy.  It should not be a surprise to you that they place a lot of emphasis on what we call "ideological" training, and what they would properly characterize as "jurisprudence" or "sharia."  For them, it's theological.

The list of books that make up the core of the ideological training would make a good study list for any CT analyst, S.O.F. or US citizen interested in how the enemy defines their jihad and their role in it.

Read the whole thing.

Identifying the Enemy

Will McCants gets a Making Sense of Jihad gold star for his work identifying one of Al Qaida's active Islamic scholars:

So, who is `Abd al-Hakim Hassan? According to journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad, he is none other than Shaykh `Isa (or Sheikh Essa), who is supposed to be a high-level member of al-Qaeda and one of its main links to the Pakistani tribal insurgents. Shahzad claims that `Isa has been instrumental in pushing takfirism in the tribal regions of Pakistan. He also claims that `Isa was nearly killed by a U.S. Predator drone a day after Bhutto’s assassination, but managed to survive.

Al Qaida appeared bereft of spiritual heft since the imprisonment and abandonment of some of its best scholars like Abu Muhammed al-Maqdisi and Dr Fadl, but apparently they had a few up their sleeve.   With all the talk of the group losing its support -- and thus losing the "war of ideas" -- a little perspective on the ideological landscape is in order.  They still have scholars who toil for the sake of group and its movement. I suspect this landscape could change drastically when/if al-Maqdisi or (the other recently released scholar) Abu Qatada do a "Dr Fadl" in public, but without superpowers I couldn't even guess what is going to happen.  It will be up to the scholars themselves.

A Little on the Wright

I haven't read through Lawrence Wright's new article yet, but having been alerted to it via Jihadica, I feel obliged to post some insight on as much as I have read.  For the record, I loved Wright's The Looming Tower, but understood that it was about as close to page-turning fiction as I was willing to come, even during the summer lounging by the pool.  I come to this article with the same expectations.

Wright doesn't disappoint.  His characterizations of Zawahiri and Fadl remind me of the personality clashes you read about in rock bands:

Fadl resented the attention that Zawahiri received. (In the interview with Al Hayat, Fadl said that Zawahiri was “enamored of the media and a showoff.”) And yet he let Zawahiri take the public role and give voice to ideas and doctrines that came from his own mind, not Zawahiri’s. This dynamic eventually became the source of an acrimonious dispute between the two men.

The question I have then is which one is Paul and which one is John? 

Seriously, though, I'm not as entirely convinced as Peter Wehner at Contentions that Dr. Fadl's recent book is a sign that "the tide within the Islamic world is turning against jihadism."  For one thing, there has never been much of a tide for "jihadism."  Al Qaida's never been overflowing with sympathizers and recruits.  Rather it markets itself as a small, out-numbered "vanguard." 

The other thing to keep in mind is that the Salafist-Jihadist current predates Al Qaida by decades, and has survived astonishing violence and chaos.  Dr. Fadl's ideas may now counter Al Qaida's ideas, he may even strip Al Qaida of some of its moral authority, but Salafist-Jihadism survives intact. 

These men live to think and talk.  Fadl's book may have been a blow to Zawahiri, but he's survived these before. Does anyone recall the reactions to his group's terrorist attacks in Egypt in the 1990s?  Rather it being a death blow, it probably inspired Dr. Z to more ideas.  It opened doors to insights into new arguments, etc.  Rather then be Al Qaida's end, it may act to reinvigorate the movement, keeping the legitimacy of the idea of violent jihad relevant for a new generation.

Ideas generally don't die.  They just evolve.  Case in point: Marxism.  Everyone thought it died when the Berlin Wall came crumbling down. But in 2000, and again in 2004, the entire movement was reinvigorated by Hardt/Negri's books Empire and Multitude.  Their ideas of localized "resistance" show up everywhere, and will be on full display during this year's US presidential race.

Again, I haven't read the entire article, and so I'll come back to these and other ideas once I feel more comfortable with Wright's entire piece. 

Why They Hate Him

AKI reports on a new judgment from Yusuf Qaradawi pronouncing the legality and necessity of allowing churches to be built in Muslim countries:

Qaradawi said that "it is possible to build a church in a Muslim country for Christians who visit the country or reside there."

"There has to be a real necessity for the church and it has to be built with the permission of the local authorities," he said.

"If there really is a certain number of Christians in a specific area and there is the authorities' consent, it is the duty to ensure that they have the possibility to practise their faith."

Qaradawi then also made reference to a request often made by Western politicians for reciprocity in building places of worship.

"There are many foreigners who go to Muslim countries to work. In this way they increase the number of Christian residents," he said.

I have only indifference for Qaradawi, but even I have to admit this took a bit of chutzpah.  It may help ease the way for a fatwa to support the creation of a church in Saudi Arabia.  To open the door to such obvious display of non-Muslim religion in a region Al Qaeda calls "the land of the two holy places" is one reason why jihadis hate him so much.

There's more to it than that

"Abu Muqawama" -- at the blog that bears his name -- posts on his flatmate's discovery of the limits of terror.  He quotes:

Practically all journalistic reporting on al-Qaeda assumes the group lives to kill non-Muslims -- full stop. This idea helps justify policies built around the ideology of “we fight them over there so we don’t have to fight them over here”. Consequently, little thought is given to attempting to decipher the motivations of the group’s core or its many affiliates and supporters. And while it is true that the group doesn’t have an immediate constituency, it does have to modulate its actions keeping in mind the views of the disparate and widespread Sunni Muslim world. There are some things it must feel its international, cross class and background target audience will not swallow.

That's why they commission fatwas...like the Fahd's WMD fatwa.

Money, Money, Money

Lots of money news today.  The folks at MEMRI's Economic blog were busy today, here's only three (two from MEMRI):

Gulf Lenders Plan Islamic Bank and Exchange
Islamic Economics Can Solve World Problems: Al-Jeraisy
Qatar: Conference to highlight role of knowledge in development

MSJ Updates

I've updated my Making Sense of Jihad website.  I've eliminated the "Jihad-Lite" section and have added a new section called "Personalities," a collection of profiles and biographies of, and interviews with, prominent leaders in the global Salafist-Jihadist movement.

The section includes:

Biography and interview with Shaykh Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisî
Named author: Unknown
Publisher:  Al-Nida Magazine
Document date:  Unknown; Source material, 1997
File: MaqBio.pdf
Uploaded:  03-08-08

A Brief Biography of Shaykh Sulaymān Ibn Nāsir Ibn ‘Abd-Allāh Al-‘Ulwān
Named author: "ImaneRokneddine"
Document date: 2007, 4 pages
File: AlUlwaan.doc
Source: Recovered off a public directory
Uploaded:  03-08-08

A Brief Introduction to the Virtuous Scholar, Shaykh ‘Abd Al-Qaadir Ibn ‘Abd Al-‘Aziz
Named author: "ImaneRokneddine"
Date: 2007, 1 page
File: AbdAlAziz.doc
Source: Recovered off a public directory
Uploaded:  03-08-08

A Glimpse into the Life of the Great Mufassir, the Noble Shaykh Dr. ‘Umar ‘Abd Ar-Rahmaan
Named author: "ImaneRokneddine," “Translated by ‘Oum Dujanah’”
Date: 2007, 3 pages
File: UmarAbdArRahmaan.doc 
Source: Recovered off a public directory
Uploaded:  03-08-08

Shaykh Naasir Ibn Hamd Al-Fahd
Named author: "ImaneRokneddine," “Translated by ‘Oum Dujanah’”
Date: 2007, 2 pages
File: Al-Fahd.doc
Source: Recovered off a public directory
Uploaded:  03-08-08

A Glimpse Into the Scientific Life of Shaykh ‘Ali Ibn Khudayr Aal-Khudayr
Named author: "ImaneRokneddine"
Date: 2007, 2 pages
File: AlKhudayr.doc
Source: Recovered off a public directory
Uploaded:  03-08-08

Interview with the Imprisoned Shaykh Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdesi
Named author: "ImaneRokneddine"
Date: 2007, 7 pages; Source material: 1997
File:  AlMaqdesi.doc
Source: Recovered off a public directory
Note:  The content of this file originates from the same source at the Al-Maqdisi bio above.
Uploaded:  03-08-08

New to the Scholarship section:

Verdict Regarding the Permissibility of the Martyrdom Operations (Fatwa of the Allamah Concerning the Suicide Operations Against the Jews)
Named Author: Ash-Shaykh Abu Abdillah Sulayman Ibn Nasir Ibn Abdillah Al-Ulwan
Named Publisher:  At-Tibyan
Date: 2004, 4 pages
File: MOps.pdf
Uploaded: 03-08-08

New to the Al Qaeda section:

The East Riyadh Operation And Our War With The United States And Its Agents
Named editor:  “Abu Raudha”
Named Publisher: Center for Islamic Studies and Research
Date: 3/1/2006 (104 pages)
File: Riyadh.pdf
Uploaded: 03-08-08
“Note that this translation was originally translated by kuffar (FBIS, Document ID: GMP20031004000119)"

Inattentiveness

In his Fundamental Concepts Regarding Al-Jihad Abdul-Qadir Ibn Abdul-Aziz includes a passage justifying the use of deception during war, and under other circumstances.  The passage which constitutes section 18 (page 177-199 in the At-Tibyan edition) includes an account of the assassination of two critics of Islam who were "of the Jews"- Ka'b Ibn Al-Ashraf and Abi Rafi Ibn Abi Al-Huqayq.

What's interesting is the emphasis placed by the killers for waiting until their targets were "inattentive."   I wish I had time to think through some of the implications of this passage, but alas, I have a life.  However, read the whole section, because I think it offers a window into how Al Qaeda may think-through their plots and strategies.

Out of Germany

Der Spiegel has been covering the recent arrests throughout Europe, including this week’s arrests of key Al Qaeda media reps in Austria.   In a September 11th report on “Operation Alberich,” that resulted in recent arrests of a cell planning to attack American targets in Germany, Simone Kaiser describes the suspect’s methods of radicalization, training, and operational security, and the equally complex and sensitive methods Germany security forces used to keep track of them:

Early in the evening of Dec. 31, 2006, a car containing several passengers drove silently past the Hutier Barracks in Lamboy...The BfV's observation team later noted that the car drove back and forth in front of the barracks several times…

The presumed scouting expedition raised red flags with German intelligence. On Jan. 6, police officers in the state of Hesse searched “Abdullah” Gelowicz's [considered the plot mastermind  –- MSJ] apartment in an effort to unearth the Islamists' true plans. Gelowicz lived in an unassuming, white, six-unit apartment on the outskirts of Ulm. White shades blocked the view through the windows of Gelowicz's ground-floor apartment.

Where was he radicalized?  Germany, his home, and Saudi Arabia.  Where was he (and the other cell members) trained?  Pakistan.

Gelowicz must have begun losing interest in his studies, even though he was almost finished with the industrial engineering program. He passed his last examination in corporate management in the 2003/2004 winter semester with a mediocre grade, and then took a leave of absence for 18 months…

The core of the group must have formed during this period. German investigators and prosecutors believe that it was in Saudi Arabia that the men must have begun to acquire their belief in violence, a belief that eventually turned into a scheme to kill as many Westerners as possible.

The report includes this interested note on their online operational security:

While at the Pakistani camp in the spring of 2006, Adem Y. and Gelowicz probably discussed ways to secretly deliver messages from Pakistan to Germany. They used a Yahoo mailbox, but instead of sending messages directly, they would store them in a draft folder through which their fellow Islamists could then access the messages. But it turned out that the method they hit upon had long been known as an al-Qaida ploy. The CIA, NSA and BKA had no trouble monitoring the group's communications. Two men who went by the aliases "Sule" or "Suley" and "Jaf" kept up the contact from the IJU side.

And their methods of collecting the chemicals they needed in order to build the bombs:

The Islamists were searching for hydrogen peroxide, a chemical that is readily available in concentrations of less than 50 percent. One of its uses is as a hair bleaching solution. In one of his earlier forays, Gelowicz attempted to purchase more highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide, but he was unable to provide the chemicals dealer with the required permit. After this failed attempt Gelowicz bought supplies of the chemical at a concentration of 35 percent, which is available without a permit, in rectangular blue canisters.

An IJU manual describes how to enrich commercially available hydrogen peroxide to concentrations of up to 65 or 70 percent by adding starch, which can be derived from flour. "Abdul Malik" and Adem Y. were apparently familiar with the recipe. The authorities noticed that they were buying flour in large quantities.

Read the whole thing…

A New Issue…

… of the academic journal Islamic Law and Society is now available.

The issue includes this study of the disastrous implementation of shariah in northern Nigeria:

Uniquely, in Nigeria Islamic Criminal Law was introduced in the framework of a secular federal constitution. In 2000 and 2001, twelve Northern states adopted legislation on the hadd offences and the Islamic law on homicide and bodily harm. Reliable statistics on the number of cases tried under the new laws are unavailable. Based on information from the media and human rights organisations, I present roughly 125 criminal cases tried before Nigerian Sharī'a courts between 2000 and 2004. This sample shows that Sharī'a was particularly enforced in states dominated by the Hausa. In religiously mixed states, the bid to introduce Sharī'a became part of the religious groups' competition for hegemony and access to public resources, with violent consequences. The expectations which many Muslims attached to the introduction of Sharī'a were inflated. Its impact on the security of life and property, the fight against corruption and the promotion of good governance has probably been minimal.

Nefti

Neft, or naft, means petroleum...

And Internet Haganah has the scoop on the reposting of Al Qaeda's fatwa (nefti.doc), The Laws of Targeting Petroleum-Related. Interests and a Review of the Laws Pertaining to the Economic Jihad.

The file is also available here.

An Interview with Abu Muhammed al-Maqdisi

Laura Mansfield found the translation of a 1997 interview with imprisoned radical scholar Abu Muhammed al-Maqdisi on several jihadi forums. 

A link to the report [in Word format] is available through Counterterrorism Blog.  Unfortunately, I can't find a link to it at her website.

"Non-Combatants" in Muslim Legal Thought

I haven't read it yet, but...sounds interesting.

"Non-Combatants" in Muslim Legal Thought
by Ella Landau-Tasseron
Published on Wednesday, December 27, 2006
MONOGRAPHS
Series No. 1
Paper Number: 3

The prohibition against killing has the validity of law in regard to Muslims and their allies, but it is merely a general and non-binding directive in regard to others. The category of those who have full immunity (‘iÒma), meaning that they must not be harmed, includes only Muslims and their allies, the infidels who have a specific legal treaty with Muslims. Such a treaty may be either permanent (such as the dhimma contract) or temporary (such as amÁn, given for instance to infidel merchants in Muslim territory).3 The sanctity of the lives of Muslims and of those who have a treaty with them is defined as Îurma and is absolute. Harm may be inflicted on them only in self-defense or as punishment for a crime committed by them. Muslims and their allies have “measurable and substantial immunity” (‘iÒma muqawwama or muqawwima). This means that whoever harms any of them has to pay, by enduring punishment and/or by paying compensation as set down in the law.4

On the other hand, the lives of “non-combatants” from among the non-Muslim enemy are forfeit to begin with. If they have immunity at all, it is merely “immunity that incurs a sin” (‘iÒma mu’thima). A Muslim who harms them is a sinner, but no punishment is meted out to him, and he owes no compensation. There is general agreement regarding the exemption from punishment for a Muslim who harms “noncombatants.” It is usually said that “there is nothing wrong” (lÁ baÞs bihi) with inflicting harm on a “non-combatant;” at most, the person who inflicted this harm must ask for Allah’s forgiveness and express his remorse (istighfÁr, tawba).5

Wahhab on Tawheed

One of the standard texts of Islamist thought is Ibn Wahhab's Book of Tawheed (Kitab al-Tawheed). 

http://islamicweb.com/beliefs/creed/abdulwahab/index.htm

If you're asking "What's Tawheed?" I would suggest you check out a basic discussion of the concept of the "Oneness of God" written by and for non-Muslims before going forward.  (If I find one that's good, I'll post it)

The concept of tawheed is essential to understanding the fundamental thinking of most forms of Islamism -- quietest and violent.  It is central to Sayyid Qutb's thinking on right forms of government and the institution of shariah. And it lies at the foundation for almost every justification for violent jihad. 

Shariah Compliant Consulting

I came across this interesting article in Business Credit, the monthly of the National Association of Credit Management, that highlights the growing trend in Western companies seeking guidance on shariah compliant business and banking practices. 

There is a growing interest among Western business and banking to conduct business in Islamic countries.

The infusions of capital some of these countries have acquired through the sale of their petroleum and gas resources have made them attractive business venues. Some estimates place the value of Islamic assets at $300 to $500 billion. Along with this increase in wealth has been a growing interest among those of the Islamic faith to conduct business according to Sharia'a or Islamic law, which covers not only ritual but also everyday aspects of life. Islamic financing is a way to facilitate trade and banking transactions that are Sharia'a compliant. Therefore, for those interested in doing business in Muslim countries or with devout Muslims, it is important to learn and understand how their religious perspective shapes their approach to business.

Speaking on the subject during the FCIB Global Conference in Miami in Nov. 2006, Patrick Connelly, CCE, FICM, CGBP of Entelyx International, Inc. pointed out that it's important to learn about Islamic financing to facilitate trade between Western and Islamic countries. "Islamic followers are interested in transactions more and more with the West. They want to have these transactions compliant with the Sharia'a," he said.

<SNIP>

There are a number of established ways to structure an export sale to an Islamic country that would be Sharia'a compliant. Morabaha is the concept of cost plus or cost plus an agreed upon profit margin...

Another type of Islamic financial arrangement is the ljara or lease. Under this arrangement the bank purchases the asset and rents it to the customer or lessee. "Leasing contracts are viable Islamic contracts," [Derek Weist, Deputy CEO of ABC Islamic Bank, Islamic Asset Management] said...

Islamic financing may take Western exporters and banking officials some time to learn. However, Sharia'a offers ample opportunities for exporters to structure transactions that are very similar to those in the West. Also, the Islamic view of the world and to business is not insular and actually welcomes and encourages international trade.

Unforunately, the article isn't available on the web.  You have to go through a commercial online database like Factiva, but it's worth looking at, if only to get a peek at the business potential in shariah compliance activity.

It's an area of Islamic law mostly known in the west for its associations with Muslim Brotherhood-related money laundering schemes. However, shariah compliance business practices also have legitimate applications in multi-national commerce, and shouldn't be dismissed outright. There are very few non-Muslims who know anything about this area of Islamic law if only because it's a complex discipline that takes years to master.  However, if we're to shed light on its shadier areas of practice, non-Muslim must become proficient in it.  Besides, with a half-trillion dollar potential market in the Middle East, the real business potential in this type of consulting is astounding.

Why should the Muslim Brotherhood have all the fun?

What is this?

Mypetjawa posted this monstrosity over at the Clearinghouse.  It's entitled Mir'i Bin Abdullah Bin Mir'i jurisprudence, and was produced by Al Qaeda's media group, Global Islamic Media Front. It's 1420 pages. 

What is it?  What is so amazing about this guy's theorizing that Al Qaeda's media group produced it for distribution?  I have no idea (yet), but follow the link above and get it while it's still available through its original file transfer sites.

The Female Voice

Santa gave me a few new CDs this year, including my first full Messiah and two wonderful collections featuring the vocals stylings of jazz singer Blossom Dearie.  Blossom's sweet and playful voice is perfect in tone and grown up in manner.  She's an adult's singer, confident in her sexuality and aware of the power it holds (without abusing that power).  In other words, she's a jihadists' worst nightmare. 

When I was an intelligence analyst I used to read the debriefings of the senior Al Qaeda officials we had in custody (at the time).  Some reports included their opinions on women, and it wasn't pretty stuff.  These are men who truly hate women -- not the Hollywood caricature of a chauvinist male pig.  They're the real thing.  Everything feminine threatens, frightens and sickens them, and it manifests itself in a hatred that can only be described as pathological. 

This is why I can't believe that any woman -- especially self-styled liberal or progressive activists -- would support any leniency of justice for the men who perpetrated 9-11 and planned so many other attacks.  It's a tacit acceptance of the worst kind of misogyny, because it legitimizes hatred of the very idea of the feminine.   When these vile pigs come to justice before military tribunals, I hope, no, I pray, that the debriefing transcripts are declassified so that everyone can see what evil thinks like.

Here's a little reasoning behind the pathology:

The Female Voice and Singing

The Evils of Television, The Female Voice

Rules of Hijab and Female Voice

What Does Islam Say About Music and Singing

Women's Voice -- Is it Awrah?

Here's what frightens them so:

Jihadi Canon

The Combating Terrorism Center at West Point has produced our first comprehensive attempt at citation analysis: Militant Ideology Atlas.  Five years after 9-11, and we’re only now getting to the point where we’re analyzing sources of jihadi ideological thinking.  The enemy has had decades of deep interaction with Western political and ideological thought. And we?  – Five years.  There’s a reason why Newt Gingrich (and many others) describe this the "Long War."  This is just the first step to a deeper understanding of how our enemy reasons. We need many, many more of these before we can call ourselves expert on matters jihadi. 

According to an appendix in the report’s executive summary, the top ten most-cited Islamist scholars are:

1. Ibn Taymiyya
2. Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya
3. Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani
4. Al-Qurtubi
5. Ibn Kathir
6. Ibn Qudama
7. Al-Tabari
8. Al-Nawawi
9. Al-Shafii’i
10. Ibn Hazm

From this list we could construct an excellent reading list – or canon -- of radical Islamist thought.  However, this should be only the start of the citation analyses.  According to the report authors, the set used was limited.  I suspect that with more brain and computing power, I have no doubt that a broader set could be used and further analyzed for an even more accurate picture of who are the real authors of the jihadi canon.

My Christmas Present to You

A Bunch o' Jihadi Blogs

I've stumbled upon a mother-lode of English language jihadi blogs, including one for Somalia's Al Qaeda front group,  Islamic Courts Council.  I went through the bulk of them and weeded out anything that was inactive (no posts in two months) or soft-jihadi, ie prayers and refutations.  Of the remainin blogs, two characteristics stand out at me: 

1) Many of them are new; they've been established since July 2006. 

2) Many are hosted by WordPress.

Perhaps WordPress offers a free service, or information about it was posted to a forum or two.  I also suspect some of the more hard-core Salafist blogs were established after Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF)'s August 2006 call for more English language jihadi material.  However, the question of how many exist and why will need to be answered by someone else, someone who I hope has a research assistant.

Active Jihadi/Salafist Blogs (as of 12/23/06)

Al Khilafah InshAllah
http://alkhilafahinshallah.wordpress.com/

Crusade Watcher
http://www.crusaderwatcher.blogspot.com

All about CG (pretty Quranic recitation at this blog)
http://clearblogs.com/AllAboutGQ/

Apathy is Killer
http://killerapathy.blogspot.com

Forever Who We Are
http://oneofmany.wordpress.com

Black Lion
http://blaklion.blogspot.com

Join the Caravan
http://mujahida3001.wordpress.com

Hearts of Green Birds
http://heartsofgreenbirds.wordpress.com

Vanquishing Falsehood
http://truthline.wordpress.com

Islamophobia Watcher
http://islamophobiawatcher.blogspot.com

Al-Muwahideen
http://almuwahideen.blogspot.com

Infidel & Kafir Watch
http://infidelwatch.blogspot.com/

Small Hats on Vowels
http://www.puglu.com/smallhatsonvowels/

Islamic Law, etc
http://islamiclawetc.wordpress.com/

Men Get It, Too

There's nothing radical ulema have not considered.

Shaving the Beard; A Modern Effeminacy

Shaving the beard results in a series of Islaamic violations, as is obvious from Allaah's Book and His Messenger's Sunnah. The following is a list (not necessarily comprehensive) of such violations:
a. A Disobedience to Allaah
b. A Disobedience To the Messenger
c. A Deviation from the Appearance and Guidance of the Messenger
d. A Deviation from the Way of Believers
e. An Imitation of the Disbelievers
f. Changing Allaah's Creation without Permission
g. An Imitation of Women
h. Shaving the Beard Contradicts the Pure Fitrah (Nature)

I remember images from Afghanistan soon after the Taliban fell.  Arabs went down.  Kites went up.  And the beards and burkas (sort of) came off. 

No one cried for the Taliban.  Remember that.

An Interview with a Salafi Sheik

Asharq Alawsat recently interviewed Adel al- Moawda, former political leader of the Al Salah salafist party of Bahrain. 

The sheik discusses the difference between political "Salafism and the Salafi Jihadist movement, Iraq, terrorism and sectarian conflict in the region:"

Q) It has been argued that Salafism has caused sectarian conflict in Iraq through the practices and conduct of Salafi Jihadists. What is your reaction to this argument?

A) The tafkir ideology is what caused sectarian conflict in Iraq; however, was it Sunni or Shiite followers of this ideology? Not even the Salafi Jihadist movement caused sectarian conflict. The tafkir ideology is responsible for what is taking place in Iraq and this thinking exists amongst both Sunnis and Shiites.

There are Sunnis who follow the tafkir ideology and believe that Shiites should be killed, and vice versa. As far as we know, the Shiite followers of the tafkir ideology began to kill Sunnis in central and southern Iraq some weeks after the fall of Saddam Hussein, and the killing still takes place on a daily basis and this was before there was any Salafi Jihadists in Iraq.

Sunni followers of the tafkir ideology took the opportunity of Shiites killing Sunnis to react by killing Shiites so innocents were murdered on both sides. May God help the people of Iraq.

Q) Why is it rare to hear moderate voices from the Salafi movement?

A) There is moderation in Salafism as moderation is required to achieve justice. This is the truth behind the Salafi mission, which calls for placing everything in its correct place. We worship only Allah and we do not believe that it is just to separate religion from life. We do not condone dictatorial rule or secularism, but we call for the arbitration of Shariah law. We do not wish to tyrannize anyone or be tyrannized ourselves. The Salafi movement has a good chance of achieving this in moderation.

What is required from Muslims is to abandon exaggeration and extremism and choose moderation. However the call for moderation does not mean abandoning the fundamentals and the constants of religion.