Jihad By Any Other Name

"This is part of a campaign that primarily aims to correct the image of Islam that has been tarnished in the West because of these criminal acts, and to exonerate humanity from such crimes that defy natural instincts and spreads hate between people."
"We also want to reaffirm that all Muslims are against these practices, which violate the (tolerant) principles of Islam."
Ibrahim Negm, adviser to Shawki Allam, grand mufti of Egypt

Cairo's Al-Azhar Mosque; the Dar el-Ifta, top Islamic authority in Egypt launches campaign against the Islamic State which violates all Islamic principles.

Thus is launched a media campaign by the top Islamic authority in Egypt, challenging the Islamic State, insisting it should not be called an "Islamic State". This objection should carry great weight with ISIS, no doubt about it. Of course, the Islamic State might undertake its own publicity campaign to defame Egypt's Dar el-Ifta, as representing a wishy-washy reflection of Islam, little better than apostates; otherwise why would they object to anything that ISIS does, since it follows in the tradition of Islam?

As on conquest by the sword, which is precisely what Prophet Mohammed launched, and practised and advocated. ISIS proclaims its undying adulation and respect for its heritage. Its ambition realized to restore the Caliphate has made it beloved among young Muslims who have taken up the pledge from the West Bank to Austria, from New York to Australia.

As for the Egyptian campaign to restore to the West the virtuous view of Islam as a religion of peace and tolerance, when it claims that "all Muslims are against these practices", it is clearly wishful thinking, since the atrocities committed by ISIS, well publicized as slaughter of minority religious groups, beheadings, rapes and slavery, appear to be quite popular in places as diverse as Gaza, Europe and North America where good Muslims have relocated to enrich the cultures there.

Now the world, concerned over the rise of primitive-era bestiality exemplified by the resurgence of fanatical Islam, can change its opinion over the view that Islam represents terror central. That when they see on their streets protests by Muslims against the perceived view of Western 'Islamophobia' as their North American and European neighbours recoil at the sight of flags belonging to Hamas, Hezbollah and ISIS, this represents Muslims rejecting terror.

But by issuing a fatwa, the grand mufti of Egypt, Shawki Allam and the Dar el-Ifta authority suggesting that foreign media stop using "Islamic State", and rather refer to them as "Al-Qaeda Separatists in Iraq and Syria", or "QSIS", as it better represents what they're about. Except that the Al-Qaeda leadership chose to disown ISIS, and cast it from their membership.

And ISIS is rather proud of their Islamic State credentials. And in point of fact, what the West labels them hardly matters; they simply repeat what the Islamist jihadists have labeled themselves.

Maybe rethink the campaign? Perhaps too little much, much too late?

Opinions by Islamic scholars from around the world about ISIS and its claims to represent Islam will be circulated through the social media campaign, according to the Egyptian religious authority. Which, no doubt about it, will be most helpful while ISIS continues to threaten Turkomen Shiites, Yazidis, and Kurds in Iraq and Syria.

In fact, even in Europe, the admirers of ISIS have begun to threaten to behead the Yazidis living among them in Austria, Germany, Norway and elsewhere.

The grand mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheik Abdul-Aziz Al Sheik, has also raised his voice in condemnation of ISIS, characterizing them as Islam's greatest enemy. With good reason, since Islamic State terrorists view both the Egyptian and Saudi religious authorities as sell-outs to Western ideals, anathema to true Islam, and they're therefore, in their crosshairs.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant will call itself whatever it pleases; for the West to rename it at the pleasure of Islamic scholars and clerics will accomplish precisely what....?