Urgent Measures from Our Brothers in Sham Before It's Too Late
Peace be upon you and the mercy of God.
Allah the Almighty says: {There is no good in much of their private conversation, except for those who enjoin charity or that which is right or conciliation between people}.
After the events of the past week, with the killing of Sheikh Jalal Bayirli and brother Muhammad Faris, may God have mercy on them and accept them, we see an urgent need for general methodological advice that does not stop at these two incidents specifically. May God be pleased with the advice, if God wills, over the pleasure of creatures, for we consider the intention to be the preservation of everyone's religion, the prevention of bloodshed, the preservation of the image of the Syrian jihad, and the prevention of a new setback and fitna in the religion. And any sensible person understands the difference between advice, even if it is harsh, and incitement and provoking the hearts; O God, make our advice acceptable.
General Guidelines for Keeping the Word and Reconciling Differences
First: May the Muslims fear God in their speech, and may they consider that jihad will not be carried out by one group alone without others, and that there is never any good in inciting the initiation of any fighting faction, but rather it is necessary to work on reconciling differences and uniting the word on the Book of God the Almighty.
Second: Brothers, it is not appropriate to neglect the mistakes and crimes that some may commit in fighting under the pretext of "and kindle the fitna"; for fitna is kindled by treating the causes well and hastening to close its doors, not by closing the wound on corruption whose consequences are not trusted. And the experienced one knows how much leaving the remedy and not avenging the owner of the right has been a cause of the explosion of fitnas and their running without a bridle.
Stops with the Incident of the Murder of Brother Muhammad Faris
Third: There has been much preoccupation with describing the incident of the killing of brother Muhammad Faris more than what is more important, and much of this description has been incomplete or somewhat correct; for a group made it a "mistaken killing" similar to the act of Khalid and Usama, may God be pleased with them, and considered it an incidental event with no indication to stand on, and a group made it "intentional killing of a Muslim" without any doubt as if the killers intended to kill him knowing his affiliation with the Free ones of Sham. Regardless of the type of killing, this is a matter that should be decided by a council that refers to the guardians of blood and the killer for the legal ruling in the matter, and it is not valid for the opponent to be a judge.
Fourth: What we see as the most important at this juncture is to stand on the psychological motives and methodological mistakes that led the killers to this crime they committed; for the incident is a product of these motives, and if we stop at the incident and do not treat the motives and correct what should be corrected from them, others will result.
Advice to the Islamic State Group
Fifth: For what has preceded, we say to our brothers in the "Islamic State Group": There is much good in the group and individuals who are harsh on the disbelievers and merciful to the believers, but do other individuals embody the meanings of humility to their brothers from other factions, and good opinion of them, and extreme caution with blood?
So, what made them not respond to the call of brothers from the Free ones when they told them that brother Muhammad Faris, may God have mercy on him, was from them and from the so-and-so battalion specifically? And even on the report that it was said to the killers that this is a prisoner with the Free ones who have a need for him, by what right do the killers take a prisoner of their brothers and kill him without realizing the need of the Free ones? But even if he was a prisoner with the soldiers of the Islamic State Group, do they have the right to kill him in any case? And what is the role of verification and legal judgment then?
And by what evidence in the religion of God is brother Jalal Bayirli taken with testimony from non-just witnesses and killed despite his denial of their words? How without judgment or evidence? Then what is this legal body that issues such a statement, which is only an argument against them? Have the individuals been given clear constraints and controls that prevent them from exceeding the limits and falling into the forbidden blood, or is the owner of the rifle himself an emir who refers to his rifle whenever he wants?
Sixth: Brothers, therefore, and for other evidence that we spoke about at that time, we appeal to the Islamic State Group to take measures to address these mentioned motives; for the group is legally obliged to take what is necessary to prevent the occurrence of individual mistakes, let alone their repetition, asking God to guide the brothers in the state to accept it with good acceptance.
Seventh: Among these measures is the expression of the group under a name other than the name of "the State"; for this name is not a legal obligation that prohibits relinquishing it, but it has appeared that it has led to harming jihad; for there are individuals who act as soldiers of "the State" which has the right of major guardianship in Sham, and do not see other jihadi groups on an equal footing with them. Others from the soldiers of the group are not like that, praise be to God, but rather deal with themselves as a fighting group like other jihadi groups and recognize the rights of their brothers.
And if it is said that this is not the intention of the name and that it is only understood by some individuals, we say: rather, it is the assumption of the name in itself when it is said "the Islamic State". And if it is said that the group does not force anyone to pledge allegiance to it, we say: its attribution to the state is more binding, for the subjects are more obliged to the emir of the state than to the emir of jihad.
It is necessary here to distinguish between this speech and the speech of those who mock the group and deny any merit for it; for the reservation about the naming of the state does not mean anything of that, but it is because the description of the state has legal conditions that have not been realized in this group or others, and the naming has resulted in falling into sins and mistakes that we see in the behavior of many individuals. So why insist on a name that is at least said to be not commanded by law for a specific group? But the naming has caused its owners and supporters to fall into embarrassment and sin. And how can some expect us to flatter the name while they raise the banner of not flattering at the expense of religion? And we deliberately use the term "State Group" and not "State Organization" in opposition to the media to know the difference in purpose.
Eighth: Brothers, among the required measures is that the Islamic State Group should announce its position towards other jihadi factions clearly; for vague generalities are no longer sufficient. The group may announce its reservations about certain orientations or relationships - if proven to it - on these factions and the announcement of that is appropriate, and we are not asking for a kilo of praise for it, but we see it as necessary that the Islamic State Group makes its individuals and Muslims understand publicly that these reservations or denunciations do not nullify the rights of the brotherly faith of these factions, or at least refrain from them and it is obligatory to deal with them on an equal footing without guardianship or control, and without giving itself the right to retaliate against them. And the general rules are no longer sufficient in this, but it is necessary to mention the deductions and mention the names, and it is appropriate to make individuals understand that a mujahid may refrain from a permissible act in order to maintain affection and the bright image of jihad.
The Necessity of Independent Arbitration and Rejection of Internal Judgment
Ninth: Brothers, among the required procedures is that the state group accepts arbitration by neutral parties in such incidents and acts upon the words of our Prophet, peace be upon him: "None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." Legal arbitration by a neutral party is aimed at soothing hearts and relieving them of their charges, which cannot be achieved if the state group judges its members through internal trials, no matter how just they may be. It is never acceptable in the religion of God that the opponent be the judge, as in the recent judicial report issued by the state group regarding Abu Ubaidah al-Banshi. This is a sign that other groups may also resort to retaliation without judicial process, as the opponent refuses to arbitrate except with himself. Woe to the Levant if chaos ensues.
Tenth: Brothers, neutral arbitration is more likely to dispel the suspicion of infiltration, which is the greatest threat to the Syrian jihad. How easy it is for someone to cut off heads and then save himself through interpretation, leading to suspicion of those who judge the case internally, and the generalization applies to the group.
Eleventh: Among the required procedures is that the group declares that only its official statements represent it and that it is innocent of the insults spread on the internet by those known as "Supporters of the State." Some of these individuals, may God guide them, tarnish the image of the group and even jihad in general with their harshness and recklessness, as some may think they are defending the group and saving it the trouble of responding and silencing its opponents. We must all combat the extremism and excessiveness towards groups, whether it is for us or against us. The excessiveness that drives individuals to support us is the same that drives others to oppress us. Combating it, whether for us or against us, is a necessity of objectivity, prioritizing truth, and sincerity. We know that the group has previously declared that only the institution of "Al-I'tisam" represents it, so we hope they repeat this announcement and also specify the tweeters and commentators on social media sites and forums.
Advice to the Remaining Jihadi Factions
Twelfth Point: Here is a message to the other groups; just as your brothers are required to think well, you are also required to help them in that. When a person enters a place that is a source of suspicion, it is incumbent upon him to clarify to the people his reasons, which drive away the whispers of the devil. We say this not to justify the incident of killing our brother Muhammad Faris, may God have mercy on him and accept him, for it is a painful and horrifying incident with no justification. However, we say this in the context of cooperating to address the psychological motivations that led to, and may lead to, such incidents, and that everyone should clear themselves of blame in this regard.
Brothers, we have in the Messenger of God, peace be upon him, a good example when he said to two men from the Ansar: "On your camels, for she is Safiyah bint Huyay." They said, "Glory be to God, O Messenger of God!" He said, "The devil flows through a person like blood, and I feared that he might cast evil into your hearts." This is while he is the Messenger of God, peace be upon him.
Meeting with people known for their subservience to functional states is undoubtedly a source of suspicion. However, Muslims are required to think well of you while they see you presenting daily casualties from your ranks - may God accept them as martyrs - and see the hands of deceit aiding criminals to persist in killing, torturing, and violating honor until you are forced to meet with their men to take from them what you defend with the lives and honor of Muslims. We are not here to discuss the ruling on attending these meetings, for merely meeting with an infidel, hypocrite, or suspicious person is not a justification for slandering a Muslim or suspecting him. However, we say: it is the least that you clarify what happens there, then if the reality is known, it is for the people of knowledge to issue a fatwa on it with their ijtihad. Similarly, your project for the future form of the state; a person is not required to declare all his rights in every position, but reassure the Muslims - may God have mercy on you - of your innocence from the plague of democracy, the misuse of benefit and harm, and your liberation from subjugation to the international system. You have done this before, but the need to dispel suspicion increases.
Message to Supporters and Lovers of Jihad
Finally, we say to the lovers of jihad and supporters of the Mujahideen: we have preserved this hadith and repeated it: "Support your brother, whether he is an oppressor or an oppressed." A man said, "O Messenger of God, support him if he is oppressed. But what if he is an oppressor, how do I support him?" He, peace be upon him, said: "Restrain him or prevent him from oppression, for that is supporting him."
With this definition, brothers, we see many of us betraying the Mujahideen where they think they are supporting them. Their support, when they commit oppression, is by preventing them, not by defending them and making excuses for them. We are amazed by brothers, may God guide them, who respond to advice by saying, "Since you spoke about the mistakes of the state, look at what the free have done," as if they see it as a dispute between small quarrelers, while the matter is actually preserving the methodology, preserving jihad, and patching the leaks of a boat that encompasses us all.
So, may the supporters think well of their advising brothers and know that they are not more eager than them for the reputation of jihad and its people. And know that when they justify the mistakes of their faction, which they are biased towards, and raise their voices above the voices of the advisors, they are partners in the blood that will be shed due to the continuation of mistakes and the appearance of the enemy afterwards on the fractured line. Similarly, the one who doubts a faction or mocks it and tweets about it, then perhaps follows it joyfully at its widespread dissemination, does not know that with this joy he is detestable to God the Almighty, for he sought his share by slandering the Muslims and the loss of their jihad, and he does not feel it. The Messenger of God, peace be upon him, said: "Whoever spreads the news of people, God will spread their news about him, and make him small and despised."
Finally, we remind Muslims not to paint a bleak picture of jihad in the Levant following such incidents. In the Syrian jihad, there is much good, but this is a labor that the nation undergoes before the birth of its glory by the permission of God, and labor has pains. So, it is not appropriate to paint a picture that our enemies will fly with joy and claim the failure of jihad and its people. Rather, every day there are heroics and sacrifices from the general factions. The role of the advisors is to work to turn such painful incidents into something beneficial for the Muslims by igniting the feelings of faith in their hearts, and taking it as a reason for the necessity of hastening to rectify mistakes and shortcomings so that they do not repeat, so that we may be a tool of God in making the incident one that applies to it: "Do not think of it as an evil for you; rather, it is a good for you."
And God knows best, and may the blessings and peace of God be upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and peace be upon you and the mercy of God.