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Friday, March 29, 2024

The Islamic State’s Mufti on Trial: The Saga of the Silsila ‘Ilmiyya

Just over a year ago, in mid-September 2017, the Islamic State issued a statement retracting its highly controversial memo on the issue of takfir (excommunication) and announcing its “return to the truth.” The seven-page memo, from May 2017, had been the subject of numerous refutations by the self-styled scholars (ulama) of the Islamic State, foremost among them being Turki al-Bin‘ali, the head of the Office of Research and Studies (Maktab al-Buhuth wa’l-Dirasat), who was killed in an airstrike in May 2017 while being detained by senior leaders of the caliphate.

The statement bearing the retraction, signed by the Islamic State’s Delegated Committee (al-Lajna al-Mufawwada), foretold of an audio series that would treat the theological issues under dispute. Titled “Silsila ‘ilmiyya fi bayan masa’il manhajiyya” (“Knowledge Series Clarifying Matters of Methodology”), it appeared in six installments in the second half of September 2017.

The purpose of the “Silsila ‘ilmiyya,” as the first episode explained, was “to unify the [Islamic] State and unite the hearts of its soldiers around the truth.” Thus far, however, it has done nothing of the sort. Far from bringing harmony, it has rather stoked further discord in the ranks of the Islamic State and its online support network. Meanwhile, al-Bin‘ali’s successor as head of the Office of Research and Studies, described by his supporters as the Islamic State’s “mufti,” is currently being detained. The charges against him may well lead to his execution, doing further damage to the group’s ideological coherence. While the Islamic State remains stronger today than is commonly thought, the internal schism over ideology is doing lasting damage in a way that has yet to be appreciated.

Read more at the Combating Terrorism Center’s Sentinel

The Islamic State’s Mufti on Trial: The Saga of the Silsila ‘Ilmiyya Homeland Security Today
Homeland Security Today
The Government Technology & Services Coalition's Homeland Security Today (HSToday) is the premier news and information resource for the homeland security community, dedicated to elevating the discussions and insights that can support a safe and secure nation. A non-profit magazine and media platform, HSToday provides readers with the whole story, placing facts and comments in context to inform debate and drive realistic solutions to some of the nation’s most vexing security challenges.
Homeland Security Today
Homeland Security Todayhttp://www.hstoday.us
The Government Technology & Services Coalition's Homeland Security Today (HSToday) is the premier news and information resource for the homeland security community, dedicated to elevating the discussions and insights that can support a safe and secure nation. A non-profit magazine and media platform, HSToday provides readers with the whole story, placing facts and comments in context to inform debate and drive realistic solutions to some of the nation’s most vexing security challenges.

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