On July 1, 2014, the Islamic State (IS) released an audio message by the group’s leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. The message comes two days after IS declared the establishment of a caliphate and appointed Al-Baghdadi as the caliph.
Al-Baghdadi’s message carries several themes: a celebratory message on the occasion of the month of Ramadan, which Al-Baghdadi says is the month for waging jihad for the sake of Allah; a call for IS’s soldiers to pay attention to the suffering of Muslims in all parts of the world, while urging them to “raise your ambitions … for your brothers all over the world are waiting for your rescue, and are anticipating your brigades;” a call for Muslims to rise up against their corrupt rulers, while reminding them that they are living in a new era now that the caliphate has been established; a criticism of the West’s and the unbelievers’ selective definition of the term “terrorism;” a call for Muslims, especially those with needed skills and professions, to waste no time and emigrate to the IS; and finally, a series of recommendations from Al-Baghdadi to IS’s soldiers regarding the treatment of Muslim populations in the IS. “This is my advice to you,” concludes Al-Baghdadi, which “if you hold to it, you will conquer Rome and own the world…”
The message, which is 19:46 in duration, was released on Al-I’tisam’s twitter account. ISIS also released English, German, Russian, Albanian, and French translation of the message, which was provided by ISIS’s subsidiary media company Al-Hayat. The majority of the following text was taken from the provided English-language version:
“And There Is No Deed In This Virtuous Month [Of Ramadan] Or In Any Other Month, Better Than Jihad In The Path Of Allah”
“…We congratulate the ummah … of Islam, in the East and in the West, on the advent of the blessed month of Ramadan, and we praise Allah … for allowing us to reach this virtuous month… So congratulations to you, O slaves of Allah, as Allah has allowed you to reach this noble month. Praise Allah and thank Him for having granted you long lives, thereby giving you a chance to correct your past deeds. Meet the month of Ramadan with sincere repentance and truthful resolve…
“And there is no deed in this virtuous month or in any other month better than jihad in the path of Allah, so take advantage of this opportunity and walk the path of your righteous predecessors. Support the religion of Allah through jihad in the path of Allah. Go forth, O mujahideen, in the path of Allah. Terrify the enemies of Allah and seek death in the places where you expect to find it, for the dunya [worldly life] will come to an end, and the hereafter will last forever.
“And blessed is the one who parts with his dunya in Ramadan and meets his Lord on a day from amongst the days of forgiveness. O mujahideen in the path of Allah, be monks during the night and be knights during the day. Bring joy to the hearts of a believing people, and show the tawaghit [idols] what they are wary of.
“O mujahideen in the path of Allah, truly the matter is that of Allah’s religion and His commodity. You only have one soul, and an appointed time of death that will neither be hastened nor delayed. It is a matter of Paradise and Hellfire, happiness and misery. As for the religion of Allah, then it will be victorious. Allah has promised to bring victory to the religion. And as for Allah’s commodity, then it is precious and valuable. Indeed His commodity is costly. Indeed His commodity is Paradise. As for the soul, then what a lowly, miserable, wretched soul it is if it does not seek what is with Allah and does not support the religion of Allah.
“By Allah, we will never be mujahideen as long as we are stingy with our lives and our wealth. By Allah, we will never be truthful as long as we do not sacrifice our lives and wealth in order to raise high the word of Allah and bring victory to the religion of Allah.
“So take up arms, take up arms, O soldiers of the Islamic State! And fight, fight!
“Beware of becoming deluded and losing strength. Beware, for the dunya has come to you reluctantly, so kick it down, trample it, and leave it behind you. Indeed, what is with Allah is better and more lasting.”
“So Raise Your Ambitions, O Soldiers Of The Islamic State! For Your Brothers All Over The World Are Waiting For Your Rescue… By Allah, We Will Take Revenge! By Allah, We Will Take Revenge!”
“Indeed, the ummah of Islam is watching your jihad with eyes of hope, and indeed you have brothers in many parts of the world being inflicted with the worst kinds of torture. Their honor is being violated. Their blood is being spilled. Prisoners are moaning and crying for help. Orphans and widows are complaining of their plight. Women who have lost their children are weeping. Mosques are desecrated and sanctities are violated.
“Muslims’ rights are forcibly seized in China, India, Palestine, Somalia, the Arabian Peninsula, the Caucasus, Al-Sham, Egypt, Iraq, Indonesia, Afghanistan, the Philippines, Ahvaz, Iran … Pakistan, Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, and Morocco, in the East and in the West.
“So raise your ambitions, O soldiers of the Islamic State! For your brothers all over the world are waiting for your rescue, and are anticipating your brigades. It is enough for you to just look at the scenes that have reached you from Central Africa, and from Burma before that. What is hidden from us is far worse.
“So by Allah, we will take revenge! By Allah, we will take revenge! Even if it takes a while, we will take revenge, and every amount of harm against the ummah will be responded to with multitudes more against the perpetrator… And the one who commences is the more oppressive.”
“So Listen, O Ummah Of Islam… Stand Up And Rise; For The Time Has Come For You To Free Yourself From The Shackles Of Weakness, And Stand In The Face Of Tyranny, Against The Treacherous Rulers – The Agents Of The Crusaders And The Atheists, And the Guards Of The Jews”
“Soon, by Allah’s permission, a day will come when the Muslim will walk everywhere as a master, having honor, being revered, with his head raised high and his dignity preserved. Anyone who dares to offend him will be disciplined, and any hand that reaches out to harm him will be cut off.
“So let the world know that we are living today in a new era. Whoever was heedless must now be alert. Whoever was sleeping must now awaken. Whoever was shocked and amazed must comprehend. The Muslims today have a loud, thundering statement, and possess heavy boots. They have a statement that will cause the world to hear and understand the meaning of terrorism, and boots that will trample the idol of nationalism, destroy the idol of democracy, and uncover its deviant nature.”
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http://www.memrijttm.org/in-new-message-following-being-declared-a-caliph-islamic-state-leader-abu-bakr-al-baghdadi-calls-for-jihad-promises-support-to-oppressed-muslims-everywhere-calls-for-people-with-expertise-to-emigrate-to-the-islamic-state.html
