Dabiq: a theological narrative analysis of Da’esh’s former flagship publication

Mustafa, Rizwan (2020). Dabiq: a theological narrative analysis of Da’esh’s former flagship publication. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

Da’esh is a proscribed terrorist organisation that rose to power in the Middle Eastern context following the US led invasion of Iraq and civil unrest in Syria. It’s designation as a terrorist organisation is a political one which has arguably impacted upon the manner in which the movement has been researched. But Da’esh presents itself as a religious organisation advocating for the establishment of a caliphate through the use of military jihad. Its communication with the world at large was partly through an official publication titled Dabiq which ran between 2014 and 2016 producing 15 volumes in total. Using an insider perspective, this investigation performs a theological examination of Dabiq’s narrative in order to better understand one question: What is/are Da’esh’s ultimate theological goal(s)? This research advocates the post secular approach to the study of religious violence in which religion is not divorced from the secular and political phenomenon. It develops a theological framework of Sunni Islam against which Dabiq’s theological propositions are critically examined. This broader theological reality is neither exclusively jurisprudential in focus nor reductive in theological engagement. Rather it is encompassing of disparate expressions within Sunni Islam creating a much needed theological backdrop against which religious actions can be understood and measured. The investigation argues that Dabiq’s overall theological objective(s) are ambiguous and ill defined. The publications focus is primarily upon temporal interests that serve Da’esh’s immediate operational needs raising questions as to the organisations overall the theological motivations.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):