A promotional video for the Islamist faction Islamic State of Iraq and as-Sham, shot shortly before Ramadan, features an appeal to camera by a young Egyptian fighter to Muslims.
The ISIS fighter, who says his chosen name is Sayfullah al-Muhajir, explains why he joined the group and came to Syria to fight against President Bashar al-Assad, callingon other young men to follow his example.
The Egyptian says that he did not leave home because he hated his parents of becausehe was unhappy — to the contrary, he had a “good life”. Instead, al-Muhajir explains, “Allah’s religion is more beloved to us” and “Jihad is the greatest honor one can perform for one’s parents”:
Before I emigrated, I went to one of the best universities with a great future.
I used to live a comfortable life, but I could not resist answering Allah’s call
I swear by Allah, how can we remain in our homes secure, while our sisters are being raped, our children killed and our youth are slaughtered?
Sayfullah says that the Mujahideen in “as-Sham” (Syria) “live the best life” because they are following Allah’s way.
The young Egyptian links the battle against regime forces in Syria with events of the Quran, “God willing, victories will come [in Syria] in Ramadan like happened in the Prophet’s life”.
Then he defines the conflict is sectarian — Sunni versus Shia and Alawite: “[We must] return the honor of this Ummah, and stop this Shia Nusayri [Alawite] assault, their creed is to slaughter Sunni people everywhere.”
Sayfullah’s incentive is not a desire to help the Syrian insurgency defeat the Assad regime and establish their own government. For him, there is a wider religious imperative:
The Prophet chose Sham in the Hadith, “You will be groups of soldiers, soldiers in Sham, soldiers in Iraq, soldiers in Yemen… you must stick to Sham, because it is the best land of His earth, he will draw to it the best slaves of his creation”….
See, the best land and the best people! So we must take this opportunity and emigrate to this land that the Prophet chose…for Jihad.
By doing this, Sayfullah says, Muslims — not just Syrians — will be able to re-establish the Caliphate.