Franciscan University Presents “Islam and ISIS” Robert Spencer Free handout: Is the Islamic State Islamic? By Robert Spencer The Islamic State (ISIS) very carefully patterns its behavior after the teachings of the Islamic holy book, the Qur’an, and the...
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Franciscan University Presents “Islam and ISIS” Robert Spencer Free handout: Is the Islamic State Islamic? By Robert Spencer The Islamic State (ISIS) very carefully patterns its behavior after the teachings of the Islamic holy book, the Qur’an, and the Islamic prophet Muhammad, whom the Qur’an calls an “excellent example” (33:21) for Muslims: Muslims are taught that to imitate Muhammad in all possible ways is good and righteous. The Islamic State’s very public beheadings have horrified the world; from their standpoint, however, these beheadings are a recruitment tool—one that is rooted in the Qur’an. The Muslim holy book says straightforwardly, “When you meet the unbelievers, strike the necks” (47:4). The Islamic State knows that young Muslims who are aware of that verse will not recoil in horror and disgust from their beheading videos, but rather realize that the Islamic State is acting in fidelity with the Qur’an. Thus the beheadings will bolster the Islamic State’s claim to constitu
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