A Note on the Origin of Al Bai’aa and the Self-Appointed Caliph

by Samir Yousif (August 2014)

Introduction

Al-Mutannabbi (915-965 AC), a very famous Abbasid poet, wrote strongly against those who consider themselves to be Islamic Fundamentalists (Salafists) in his well-known poetic verse¹:

Was the aim of religion to shave your mustaches?
Your are a nation that other nations laugh at its ignorance

Ironically, the recent developments in the Near-East took many observers by surprise. The sudden self-declaration of the establishment of a Muslim Caliphate following hard-line theocratic rule in the Near East in the year 2014, with visible backing and support from regional powers and local tribesmen, surprised all including the Iraqi Government. I will refer to this Muslim Caliphate throughout this paper as ISIL² (The Islamic State in Iraq and Levant which was its original name).

This swift and shocking development cannot be explained unless the consequences of Saddam Hussein’s regime collapse are well-understood. Saddam’s regime was replaced by a more balanced government representing the various religious and ethnic minorities. In practice, this meant that the Arab Sunni monopoly over Iraq was suddenly over. Iraq’s neighbors responded disproportionately to these developments. Iran took the opportunity to infiltrate Iraq as much as possible. Iraq’s Sunni neighbors were seemingly paralyzed in fear that such changes might well go over the border and produce further drastic changes regionally. I hold the belief that countries like Turkey, which is run by the Turkish Muslim brotherhood, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which are both controlled completely by the Wahhabi doctrine, have involved themselves directly in Iraq. Their objective is common to all: to move the clock backwards and regain the lost power of the Arab Sunnis in Iraq. The objective of this paper is not to go into such details, but to mention the background for today’s events that led to the rise of the ISIL. It was the continuous and unlimited support provided by Iraq’s Sunni neighbors that re-created the possibilities of turning the clock backwards and capturing the city of Mosul. One cannot assume that ISIL was the creation of all the Sunnis but for sure they created the circumstances that paved the way for its rise. Within the Sunni sect there are various competing factions, and it is clear now that ISIL is the strongest. ISIL made another move that alienated itself from many of its classical supporters. It declared itself to be an independent Islamic Caliphate established in the areas east of Syria extending deeply into Iraq.

The origin of Al Bai’aa in Islam, (June 632 AD)

The very idea of offering full allegiance to the Caliph (the word Caliph corresponds to the English word successor, and in this context: Successor to God’s prophet on Earth) appeared several times during the early days of Islam. The most significant event of Bai’aa took place with the death of Muhammad year 632, as Umar ibn al-Khattab, nominated Abu Bakr to be the first Caliph to lead the Muslims. This nomination required confirmation by all other Muslims, or at least the majority.³ Such a confirmation implies offering their full allegiance, a process known in Islam as Al Bai’aa (the word turns in Arabic to the noun “Muba’aa” having the same meaning but referring to the process of offering their allegiance). Throughout Islamic history one finds out that every time a Conqueror or the “Crown Prince” assumes power, his first action was to require Al Bai’aa from his subjects. For without such Bai’aa the new Caliphate cannot rule the land and his subjects have not offered their full allegiance.

This practice was adopted by ISIL from the first day of its inauguration. The self-proclaimed Caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi ordered all the Muslims to offer their allegiance through Al Bai’aa to him. Those who would not were executed publically.⁴

The Agenda of the Islamic Caliphate (ISIL)

To run the areas under its control “ISIL” issued a number of “announcements.” The following are the most important:

1. The implementation Sharia in its fundamentalist version. In this regard, one can mention numerous practical implications on the ordinary citizen.

• According to Sharia all women becomes second to all men. In a court of justice a woman cannot be a witness although she witnessed the crime. She cannot present a statement to the Court. The witness has to be a male.
   
• All women are not allowed to go outdoors without a male companion. This applies to travel also as the written consent of the husband determines the wife’s right to travel.
   
• All women are forbidden from attending educational institutions, but Qur’anic traditional Schools.
   
• The last condition also applies equally to women’s right in holding public posts. Simply women are not allowed, under Sharia, to hold public posts.
   
• Women’s Uniform. According to the Salafist interpretation of Sharia, women are not allowed to show their faces in public places. Their uniform resembles a traditional Afghani women’s uniform – the burqa.
   
• Forced marriage of women. Unmarried women are distributed to the Mujahedeen to become their wives, as women have no objection rights.
   
• In addition, all women between the age of 14 and 45 to be circumcised.⁵ A practice alien to Iraqi society. This fatwa has not been definitely confirmed.
   
• Living under the rule of ISIL requires attending the mosque for prayers five times every day. A complete ban on satellite TV, internet and social media is imposed. Smoking is forbidden. Smoking one cigarette means cutting one finger, smoking two leads to cutting two fingers. Alcohol is forbidden. All kinds of parties are forbidden. Men are not allowed to shave their beards but are encouraged to shave their mustaches. This development implies closing all hair-style shops

 

2. Jihad al Nikah⁶

• Introduction of new concepts (alien to Salafist ideology) like Jihad al Nikah. A number of pro-terrorism Imams stated publically the validity of Jihad al Nikah. This concept encourages women to participate in Jihad alongside the fighters (the terrorists) through providing free sex services to all of them. Each woman receives a “table of action” that clearly shows the names of the terrorists and the time (in hours) for sexual intercourse. So woman No.1, for example, will have sex on Monday from 09:00-11:00 with Ahmad, while the same woman will have sex with Abu Mujahad from 11:00-13:00, then the same woman will have sex from 13:00-14:00 with Marzuk…etc. This is called Jihad al Nikah. It was the Tunisian women who first participated in such sexual intercourse in Syria before it moved across the borders into Iraq and became a wide practice defining the role of women in Jihad.

 

3. The Principle of Jizya⁷ and Zakat⁸

• Applying the principle of jizya – a tax on the Christians communities and other non-Muslims living under Islamic rule. The original purpose of this tax was to find religious justification to exempt the Christians from serving in Muslim Armies as the Roman Christian Empire at that time was considered to be the first enemy to Muslims. ISIL applied jizya on the Christians living in Mosul and the surrounding areas, this jizya amounted to 450 USD on each Christian family per month.
   
• One of the core principles of Sharia is zakat. Every Muslim is obliged to pay a tax on his wealth. The practice of zakat is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Due to the fact that zakat is applied to Muslims only, Christians (and other non-Muslims) were exempted from zakat. Due to this fact ISIL looks for new ways to draw incomes from the Christians. It confiscated all the properties and wealth of the ancient churches of Mosul.

4. Abolishing of historical symbols, statues, religious shrines, churches and ruins of ancient civilizations. The Salafists draw their religious understanding and practice from Wahhabi thought. ISIL has in addition burnt 1400 invaluable ancient manuscripts taken from churches.⁹
    
5. The two core principles of Wahhabism are rejection of history and hatred.¹⁰ While Ibn Tamiya (1263-1328)¹¹ furnished the basis for Hatred against other understandings and interpretations of religion; Muhammad Ibn Abd Al-Wahab (1703-1792)¹² completed the previous work by his message for fundamentalism. This message implied, basically, a rejection of historical development of Islamic thought. In other words he rejected all the theoretical work, and religious explanations that took place after the death of Ali ibn Abu Talib.(661 AD), or the end of the Rashidun Caliphate. For him the days of Muhammed ruling over Mecca and Medina, in addition to the Rashidun period, teach us everything we need, and from this the word Salafist¹³ (Fundamentalist) is derived. It refers to the first, ie the first generation of Muslims and the way they lived.
    
6. What is of special interest is taking Mosul City to be the Capital of the new Caliphate. This city was the capital of the Assyrian Civilization, and many conquering forces have passed through its history without being able to touch its glorious past. However, the Islamic Caliphate managed in few days to blow up many of its most famous historical sites. The Islamists started first with destroying the tomb of the biblical Prophet Jonah¹⁴ and continued their destruction to all historical features including the statue of Abu Tam’mam,¹⁵ a famous Abbassid poet who was born in this city.

The conclusion: The Quran and the need for change

A review of the Quran, Hadith and Sira indicates the complexity of Islam’s contradictions. Such contradictions paved the way for all kinds of understanding and explanations, which in one way or another, created what we call today terrorism. This terrorism, born out of the “sacred” texts of Islam, will grow with time, as we have witnessed recently. The ingredient for its growth is the availability and abundance of Qur’anic texts calling for hatred and terrorism. The recent developments have transformed the debate on Islam and terrorism from the theoretical level into geopolitics. The mujahedeen have shown no mercy for prisoners of war (they have been executed en masse) nor any respect for international treaties such as the Geneva Convention at all. Indigenous Christians, Non-Wahhabi Muslims, and other ethnic minorities are facing extinction. In addition, ISIL is ready to use all available means to achieve its objectives, and if WMD becomes available to such groups, then the consequences become unimaginable. The World has not faced such a situation before.

It also seems that their financial sources are endless, significant and enough to pay for the creation of a “State” and an army. Terrorists have been organized and sent across the globe wherever they are needed. Terrorist cells organizing young men as well as women and sending them to jihad areas can be found today everywhere including the USA and Western Europe. Although the Security Council in 2005 issued unanimously Resolution 1618 related to terrorist activities, member states are still under-rating such threats to their national security.

Martin Luther (1483-1546) and the process that is known today as the Reformation played the central role in changing the history of Christianity not only in Europe, but the whole world. The need for such a process of reformation within Islam itself is required today more than ever. While Martin Luther faced the Pope Leo X and kept to his beliefs, the vested interests in the Muslim World are so strong that they can refute (they have the Islamic texts on their side), or just assassinate any revolutionary thinker. It is stated clearly and openly in the Qur’anic text that any attempt to change or modify the Qur’an is strictly prohibited. He who even thinks of such an act is doomed to death. In all Muslim countries, the vested interests managed to legalize the killings of those who ask for religious or political change. Facing such a reality, the only possibility left for changing or reforming Islam (if it exists at all) has to come from modern Muslims living in the USA or Europe.

 

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[1] Eccentrically Abu at-Tayyib Ahmad ibn al-Husayn al-Mutanabbi al-Kindi (915-965) lived during the heyday of the Muslim Empire in Baghdad and yet he was very critical of Islam. During his childhood he claimed to be a prophet and was forced to pull back publically his claims. Due to that he was referred as al-Mutanabbi. For more details, see the following link: http://www.alshindagah.com/sepoct2003/almutanabbi.html. For  an excellent summary of the poetry and life of Al-Mutanabbi see the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Mutanabbi#Poetry

[2] See the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant

[3] The nomination of Abu Bakr after the death of Muhammad year 632 to be the first Caliph created far reaching historical consequences within the Muslim community itself as other Muslims nominated Ali ibn abu Talib instead. Those who stood on the side of Abu Bakr are referred to today as Sunni Muslims whereas those who supported Ali are referred to as Shi’a Muslims. For further details, see section “Post Muhammad” in the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad. Regarding the disagreement after Muhammad’s Death and the nomination of Abu Bakr see “Election of Abu Bakr to Caliphate” in the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abubakr

[4] see the following: https://www.google.no/search?q=public+executions+of+ISIL&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=2S7fU8aVHsrV4QSgmYHoAQ&ved=0CBsQsAQ&biw=1506&bih=1067

[5] http://www.iraqinews.com/baghdad-politics/urgent-un-confirms-isil-fatwa-requiring-circumcision-women-mosul/

[6] See for details the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_jihad

[7] See for further details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jizya

[8] See the following link:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zakat

[9] For details please go to the following link: https://www.google.no/search?q=ISIL+destruction+of+tomb+and+shrines&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=QR_fU7D9M4yP4gT4_oCoAg&ved=0CBsQsAQ&biw=1506&bih=1067

[10] For further details see, Theoretical Foundations of Terrorism, New English Review, Jan 2011.

[11] See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn_Tamiyah, especially section : Madh’hab.

[12] See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_ibn_Abd_al_Wahab, especially section: Teachings.

[13] See the following reference; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salaf, and also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salafi_Theology

[14] For details : http://rt.com/news/175636-iraq-jonah-tomb-mosul/

[15] During the Syrian civil war, the Islamist opposition has destroyed the statue of Abu Tammam in his native town , see:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Tammam

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