Islamic state

Twitter and Jihad: The Communication Strategy of ISIS edited by Monica Maggioni & Paolo Magri. Milan, Italy: ISPI, 2015. 168pp., $10 (p/b), ISBN 978-88-98014-66-8

Justice is a concept that has always been of interest to scientists and thinkers. In the Holy Quran, one of the primary purposes of sending prophets is to establish justice among the people. Achieving this great goal is the duty of governments, but it has always faced many obstacles and problems. Imam Khomeini, as a scholar of Islam and justice Seeker, with a deep understanding of the importance of justice in the Qur'an and Sunnah and the fact that many of the problems and difficulties of the society are rooted in the disbelief or confrontation of the rulers with justice has been commented on many times. This research has been done descriptively and analytically, and its findings indicate that, according to Imam Khomeini, the Islamic government is responsible for eliminating oppression, discrimination, and justice in society and should prioritize this issue and Work through practical solutions to achieve this. He points to some of the essential topics and tasks of the Islamic State in this regard, such as self-sufficiency and independence by eliminating colonial domination, emphasizing internal forces and facilities with public participation, fair distribution of wealth for the benefit of the deprived. In the face of the income and class gap, while considering the criterion of valuing science and piety, establishing equality in all dimensions, including against the law, in elections, in having cultural, political, and economic opportunities, abandoning hereditary, racial, aristocratic and similar privileges.

As an integrated political system, Islamic politics places the main objective of shaping the faith of the Muslim community in particular. This formation became the main basis for the establishment of the Islamic state. The establishment of the Ikhwan Muslimin (IM) Egypt in 1928 was a response to the fall of the Ottoman Caliphate in 1924. Its establishment was also shaped by the political thought of its founder, Hassan al-Banna and IM leadership. This paper examines the political thought of the IM leadership that is fundamental to its struggle to uphold the Islamic State in Egypt. This study uses a qualitative research metode, by analyzing the primary and secondary sources related to the thought of IM leadership. The study suggests that IM’s ideology and reflection were the main factors that influenced Egypt’s political orientation especially on issues of leadership and the system of government. IM’s political thought has also changed the development of an Islamic State in modern era.

The security threat posed by the sprawling Al-Hol camp in N.E. Syria remains a major security concern as an IS recruiting hub for minors as well as a key financial node for laundering funds to fuel its insurgency and because of the IS-affiliated networks’ attempts at exfiltrating detainees to replenish its ranks. Youth in both camps al Hol and Roj have been being exposed to IS indoctrination, training, and abuse under the influence of hardline IS women who crowdfund to keep their activities going. ICSVE' monitoring of the IS-linked financial networks of the past 4 months (November 2022- February 2023) suggest that these entities have prioritized raising smuggling capital for critically ill pro IS women detainees and youth as well as for smuggling young boys out of Camp al Hol before they can be taken to rehabilitation centers where they will be separated and protected from this malevolent IS influence. The crowdfunding networks appear on Telegram primarily, but make use of other platforms as well and some financial transactions take place in plain view even using European banks, others by cryptocurrency and in a hidden manner. 

The intersection of faith and political power represents a central debate preoccupying contemporary political theorists. This debate gains particular significance in the context of an Islamic State. In the modern world, interpretations of Islam vary widely, ranging from traditionalist views advocating for extensive religious involvement in politics to secular perspectives favoring a separation based on humanistic experience. Theoretical discourse on the extent of religion's role in politics has now entered a new phase. This study addresses the question: "What is the mechanism of religion's influence in politics?" The proposed hypothesis is that Islamic law, grounded in human needs and the epistemological source of divine revelation, promotes a maximalist interpretation of Islam. Within the framework of the divine theory of governance, this has led to the development of "Political Islam," which is presented as an evolved manifestation of the divine government theory.