ISIS & Eschatology: Apocalyptic Motivations Behind the Formation and Development of the Islamic ...

226 Pages·2016·1.27 MB·English

Western Kentucky University
TopSCHOLAR®
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects Graduate School
Spring 2016
ISIS & Eschatology: Apocalyptic Motivations
Behind the Formation and Development of the
Islamic State
Matthew Henry Musselwhite
Western Kentucky University, [email protected]
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Musselwhite, Matthew Henry, "ISIS & Eschatology: Apocalyptic Motivations Behind the Formation and Development of the Islamic
State" (2016).Masters Theses & Specialist Projects.Paper 1611.
http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1611
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ISIS & ESCHATOLOGY:
APOCALYPTIC MOTIVATIONS BEHIND THE FORMATION AND
DEVELOPMENT OF THE ISLAMIC STATE

A Thesis
Presented to
The Faculty of the Department of Philosophy and Religion
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Arts

By
Matthew Musselwhite

May 2016
4/21/16
I dedicate this thesis to my parents, Vicki Freihaut and Donald Musselwhite, who have
been my biggest supporters in all that I do. Without their continuous love and
support, none of this would have been possible.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, I wish to express my utmost gratitude to Dr. Nahed Artoul Zehr and
her continuous work with me over the last two years. Her relentless effort to push me
beyond my comfort zone in reading and writing allowed this research to develop from an
outline consisting of only a few pages into this finalized version. More importantly, her
guidance provided throughout this research goes beyond just finishing a thesis. Rather,
her example set both inside and outside the classroom allowed for me to become a better
scholar and better person during my time spent as her teaching assistant. Without her
enthusiasm, positivity, guidance, and encouragement none of this would have been
imaginable. I also wish to thank my thesis committee, Dr. Sol Kiasatpour and Dr. Eric
Bain-Selbo, for their help guiding the direction of this project over the last year. I also
would like to recognize and thank Dr. Paul Fischer for his time spent editing my drafts
over the last semester. Both his personal feedback and editorial changes helped this thesis
mature dramatically. Lastly, I would like to thank my classmates during my time at
Western Kentucky University, Emily Potter and John Abercrombie. Without the mental
support and laughs provided over the last two years, this thesis would have never
finished.
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CONTENTS
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………..1
Chapter 1 ………………………………………………………………………………19
Classic Islamic Eschatology and the Development of Apocalyptic Literature
Chapter 2……………………………………………………………………………….61
Modernity: Apocalyptic Literature and Messianic Revolutions
Chapter 3………………………………………………………………………………103
Apocalyptic Origins: From Al-Qaeda in Iraq to the Islamic State
Chapter 4………………………………………………………………………………139
Analysis of Dabiq as Apocalyptic Literature
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………..190
Where do we go from here?
Appendix A…………………………………………………………………………....207
Apocalyptic Hadiths in Dabiq
Appendix B……………………………………………………………………………212
Dabiq on Jesus
Appendix C……………………………………………………………………………214
Dabiq on al-Malhamah al-Kubra
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ISIS & ESCHATOLOGY:
APOCALYPTIC MOTIVATIONS BEHIND THE FORMATION AND
DEVELOPMENT OF THE ISLAMIC STATE
Matthew Musselwhite May 2016 218 Pages
Directed By: Nahed Zehr, Eric Bain-Selbo, and Sol Kiasatpour
Department of Philosophy and Religion Western Kentucky University
The goal of this thesis was to analysis the Islamic State’s apocalyptic nature by
studying both classic Islamic eschatology and the Islamic State’s online magazine Dabiq.
In order to conduct this research, I separated my thesis into two separate angles of
approach. The first angle (chapters one & two) exclusively looked at Islamic eschatology,
classic apocalyptic texts, shifts in how literature was written over time, and on examples
of modern messianic revolutions occurring. In this way, I attempted to emphasize how
extra-Qur’anic texts have played a large part in providing details for what Islamic
eschatology entails. I also looked at modern examples of messianic movements,
including in Mecca and Sudan. I concluded by analyzing the shift modern apocalyptic
literature underwent beginning in the late 20th century. This highlighted how apocalyptic
literature stated focusing on the actions of Western forces—much like the Islamic State
has done today.
The second angle of approach derived from the final chapters. I looked at the
foundation and development of the Islamic State beginning in the early 21st century with
Al-Qaeda in Iraq. I proceeded to emphasize how messianic speculation influenced the
actions and strategies of Islamic State in Iraq and later ISIS. The final chapter, the crux of
my thesis, was an analysis of the Islamic State’s written primary source, Dabiq. I
researched all thirteen issues of the magazine for evidence of apocalyptic nature existing.
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I highlighted how Dabiq is filled with apocalyptic references and classic apocalyptic
hadiths.
The objective of this thesis was to provide a multifaceted analysis of the Islamic State.
It attempted to approach the Islamic State from two different angles to show why
apocalyptic thought first arises, how it has led to revolution, and how the Islamic State
mirrors those cases. With the Islamic State, a wide variety of interpretations have formed
on what it wants and what it is fighting for. Whereas religious motivation has often been
dismissed, I used this thesis to emphasize that both religious and apocalyptic motivation
have been one of many influences behind the formation and development of the Islamic
State.
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Introduction
On August 19, 2014, the nation watched in horror as a man with a British accent,
dressed in black, threatened President Obama and the American military for its recent
bombings in Iraq and then, in “retaliation” beheaded the American hostage James Foley.
That man, given the title of “Jihadi John,” was later identified as Mohammad Emwazi
and has since been killed in a drone strike. In-between his threats and the execution of
Foley, Emwazi emphasized that an established Islamic caliphate had been accepted by a
“large amount of Muslims.” While the media latched onto the actions conducted in the
video, it was Emwazi’s choice of words that caught the attention of jihadists and the
scholars who study them—as he had meant to convey a specific message. An Islamic
caliphate had been established and any aggression against this caliphate from the United
States would result in warfare. For the first time, Western media and the American public
were introduced to the profoundly violent, apocalyptically inspired, Islamic militancy
calling themselves the Islamic State.
This declaration of the caliphate, a political-theological idea traced back to early
Islamic history, is an important first step to understanding ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and
Syria)1 as a distinct terrorist organization. The announcement of the caliphate in 2014
marks a pivotal moment in history for jihadists, scholars, and the American government
alike. With the declaration of a caliphate, ISIS and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi began to
demand bay’ah (oath of loyalty or allegiance) from every Muslim and all terrorist
1 Originally named ISI, Islamic State in Iraq, the group has recently been called by a variety of other names
after gaining territory in Syria. They are often referred to as ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant), IS
(Islamic State), or more recently in an effort to disclaim their legitimacy they have been given the title of
Daesh in Arabic. For the sake of clarity, I will stick to identifying them as either the Islamic State or ISIS.
To create a separation in the timeline, any information after 2013 will refer to the group as ISIS or the
Islamic State.
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organizations, including from Al-Qaeda and its current leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.2 It
will remain unknown how significant of an impact this declaration of a caliphate will
have on jihadist militancy and American foreign policy in the years to come. Yet at the
moment, it appears that global attention has shifted from Zawahiri’s Al-Qaeda to al-
Baghdadi’s caliphate—a place claiming to be open “to all Muslims.”
One of ISIS’s characterizing features—distinguishing it from Al-Qaeda, in
particular—is its emphasis on apocalyptic theology. This theology appears to be rich in
reinterpretations of the use of jihad, the purpose of fitna (civil strife or war amongst
Sunni and Shi’a Muslims), the purification of Islamic lands, and the role Muslims are to
play during events leading to the Final Hour—in which the Great War or al-Malhamah
al-Kubra will take place prior to the Day of Judgment.3 While ISIS is not the first or only
Islamic movement to advocate violence through reinterpretation of Islamic eschatology,
its end time vision of the world remains a serious component in understanding its thought
process, strategies, global appeal, and thus should not be so easily dismissed.
To better understand ISIS, we ought to investigate and take seriously the apocalyptic
narrative that it has constructed and appears to be influenced by. Therefore, I argue that
the Islamic State’s apocalyptic theology remains central in understanding a number of its
characteristics—how it began, how it interprets the use of force, its rampant killing of
Sunni and Shi’a tribes, its appeal to foreigner fighters, and why it is that the Islamic State
seeks to “govern” territory through a strict interpretation of Shari’a Law. In this way, my

2 Jessica Stern and J. M. Berger, ISIS: The State of Terror. (New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2015),
179.
3 David Cook, Studies in Muslim Apocalyptic. (Princeton, NJ: Darwin Press, 2002.), 21.
This term roughly translates to “Armageddon” according to most sources, though the phrase akhir al-
zaman (end of times) is also used in place of it in some sources. Using David Cook’s definition of
Malhamah, the term translates as “a specific type of apocalyptic battle within the genre of fitan.”
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