Political Islam in the News

CSPII Commentary: Dr. Mahmoud bin Ahmed al-Dosari is a preacher with the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs. He invokes Koran 9:73 and 9:41 and a hadith about striving against polytheists with one’s tongue, person, wealth, and hand. He says Saudi military and political institutions undertake jihad against unbelievers and polytheists, while preachers participate through sermons as “verbal jihad”.

CSPII Commentary: The committee states that peace is the default with a non-Muslim state when no treaty exists, yet says the ruler may choose either continued peace and invitation to Islam or fighting, defining the latter as jihad al-talab (offensive jihad) and a collective duty for those appointed. It cites Koran 2:190, 8:61, 9:1 and 60:8.

CSPII Commentary: Verse 8:60 is familiar because it starts with the word "WaaAAiddoo" ("And prepare"), which is the word that appears on the Muslim Brotherhood flag. The context of the previous verse 8:59 is important: "And let not those who disbelieve suppose that they can outstrip (Allah's Purpose). Lo! they cannot escape."

CSPII Commentary: A Hizb ut-Tahrir commentary condemns Erdogan for celebrating Ottoman history while preserving Turkey’s secular democracy. It argues that genuine historical continuity requires restoring the Islamic Caliphate, abolished in 1924, and rejecting Western-imposed secularism, democracy, republicanism, and nationalism. Accusing Erdogan of serving Western interests and exploiting Muslim sentiment for votes, it calls for replacing Turkey’s political system with a Hizb ut-Tahrir-led Caliphate, envisioning renewed Islamic conquest extending beyond Vienna to Washington.

CSPII Commentary: Muhammad Salih al-Munajjid says "The scholars have unanimously agreed on the obligation to pursue the disbelievers in their own lands, to call them to Islam, and to fight them if they do not accept submission to the rule of Islam."

CSPII Commentary: In Qalqilya, a sermon addressing the question, "What do Muslims need to lead the world and break free from the West?" It called on Muslims to control strategic straits—such as Hormuz, Bab al-Mandab, Gibraltar, Suez, and the Bosphorus—for political and military purposes, and urged them to work day and night to establish the Islamic Caliphate, a prospect "the infidels would not welcome".

CSPII Commentary: In an Arabic sermon defending Saudi Arabia as the “land of monotheism,” Ahmad bin Ibrahim al-Ubaid prays: “O God, strengthen Islam and Muslims; humiliate polytheism and the polytheists; forsake the tyrants, atheists, Magians and Rafida, and all other enemies of the creed and religion”. “Rafida” is a sectarian slur for Shi’a Muslims, while “Magians” historically denotes Zoroastrians but is often used polemically for Iranians or Shi’a; the sermon is directed chiefly against Persian/Iranian enemies.

CSPII Commentary: In a sermon titled “The Virtue and Status of the Companions in Islam,” Saudi scholar Ali al-Shibl says hatred or abuse of specified companions constitutes unbelief that removes a person from Islam, and he recites Koran 48:29 describing Mohammed’s followers as “harsh against the unbelievers, merciful among themselves.” The sermon closes with the prayer asking Allah to exalt Islam, the Sunnah and their adherents, and to abase unbelief, polytheism, religious innovation and their adherents.

CSPII Commentary: An Arabic sermon by Abdullah al-Basri praises Mohammed’s companions as men through whose blood and sacrifices “the strongholds of unbelief and hypocrisy fell” (هَوَت مَعَاقِلُ الكُفرِ وَالنِّفَاقِ). It says Allah sent them “to conquer lands” (لِفَتحِ البِلادِ), credits them with defeating unbelievers and apostates and toppling Persian and Roman thrones, and presents them as models whose deeds Muslims should emulate.

CSPII Commentary: Mosque preacher Abd al-Rahim Hassain says creed is the only bond that should unite Muslims and portrays nationalism as a Western and colonial implant that divided Muslim lands and installed rulers he calls traitors. He tells listeners to teach their children this creed-based unity and closes with a prayer for an order in which God’s allies are honored, God’s enemies are humiliated, and obedience to God is implemented.