‘Divine Retribution’: The Islamic State’s COVID-19 Propaganda
The Islamic
State’s narrative on the coronavirus pandemic reinforces anti-China and
anti-Shiite sentiments.
By Nur Aziemah Azman
March 24, 2020
This frame grab from video posted online March 18, 2019, by the Aamaq News
Agency, a media arm of the Islamic State group, shows IS fighters walking as
they hold the group’s flag inside Baghouz, the Islamic State group’s last
pocket of territory in Syria.
Credit: Aamaq News Agency via AP
The jihadist community has generally
done very little to actively support the Uyghur cause against China; whether
thanks to a lack of capability or focus is debatable. What has been
interesting, however, has been their reaction to COVID-19, a now-global pandemic
that originally emerged in China. Islamic State (IS) has both spoken of it as
God’s divine retribution to China while at the same time chiding its followers
for crowing about the toll the virus is taking.
While it may appear surprising for
IS to restrain its followers from gloating over “retribution” against the
oppressive China, a deeper reading of Islamic State’s position on the COVID-19
suggests no change in its antipathy toward China. The call for restraint is
pragmatic, not ideological. This divine retribution narrative also extends to
Iran following the outbreak in the country, further reinforcing anti-Shiite
sentiments.
“May God punish China with death, as
they had brought death to Muslims.” “As China beats Uyghur Muslims, coronavirus
is now beating China.” “The virus is God’s army that destroys the kafir (infidels)..”
These are the kinds of comments seen circulating within pro-Islamic State (IS)
online circles since the outbreak of COVID-19 in mid-December 2019. Online
chatter around the outbreak revolves mostly around the conviction that the
virus is divine retribution against China for its treatment of Uyghur Muslims.
IS itself, however, held back from commenting on the outbreak until February 6,
when it finally shared its views in its Arabic weekly newsletter Al-Naba’ under
the headline, “Indeed, the vengeance of your Lord is severe.”
The title is verse 12 of chapter 85
from the Quran;(+) a chapter that was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in Mecca
during a period when the persecution of Muslims was at its peak. The chapter
mainly aims to assure believers that their resolve and steadfastness in the
face of tyranny and oppression will be rewarded, and that God’s vengeance upon
their persecutors is absolute. The Al-Naba’ headline suggests
that IS believes China deserves punishment for its alleged persecution of
Uyghur Muslims, echoing the comments of its supporters. However, there was no
outright gloating by the group. In fact, IS dismissed such rhetoric, saying
that the persecution cannot be ascertained, even if China deserved to be
punished. IS criticized China’s response to and handling of the epidemic as
“arrogant,” referring to the self-interest and loyalty of Chinese government
officials to their superiors and the Chinese system that overruled their
responsibility to serve the people. But IS also warned that the epidemic could
affect Muslims in China and spread to neighboring countries with large Muslim
populations.
This surprisingly logical warning is
one that echoes WHO and other official advisories. Fearful of the virus’ spread
in this interconnected world, IS advised Muslims to avoid entering or leaving
infected areas. For those who have been infected, IS urged that they seek
immediate medical help and to avoid those who are unwell. Recognizing the need
for proper treatment and medication, it called on doctors and scientists to
work together to this end. Showing their religious conviction, IS also urged
Muslims to pray to God for protection against infection, as well as for
recovery of those infected. This advisory is then featured as an infographic in
the 225th issue of Al-Naba’, with additional guidelines that
include covering the mouth when coughing and sneezing and frequently washing
hands. IS stated that the crisis should be seen as an opportunity for Muslims
to recognize the importance of prayer, show fear of God’s retribution, and
contemplate human weakness.
More than a week after cases of
COVID-19 first emerged in Iran, IS, in the editorial of its 223rd issue of Al-Naba’ gloated
over the virus outbreak in Iran and mocked the Iranians’ management of the
epidemic. The editorial’s headline, “Lost are those you invoke except for Him,”
was also taken from the Quran, part of verse 67 chapter 17. Although not
explicitly named, IS used the terms “polytheists” and “Rafidite polytheists” to
refer to Iran and Shiites throughout the article, and “fatal illness” to refer
to the virus. IS mocked how a holy city for Shiites, presumably referring to
Qom, is now the epicenter of the outbreak, and that shrines and tombs often
visited by adherents to pray for health and wellbeing, ironically, are now
being restricted from entry for pilgrims and visitors “in fear of the illness.”
Most importantly, the article accused Shiites of hypocrisy, only turning to God
in times of crisis and returning to polytheism in times of relief and ease. The
verse in the headline as well as two subsequent verses highlighted in the
article serve to drive home this point as well as God’s retribution upon
hypocrites and ingrates. Nevertheless, IS hoped that the outbreak is seen as
not only a sign and warning from God of the Shiites’ foolishness and blindness,
but that it also brings divine guidance and leads them to discard their
polytheistic beliefs.
The extremist community has always
believed that disasters, whether natural or man-made, are God’s retribution
upon those they deem to be kafir (infidels), apostates, and
polytheists. This is especially so when these groups are alleged or known to
have committed crimes against Muslims. For IS, dismissing the gloating comments
from its supporters is a necessary step to avoid being seen as excluding
innocent Muslims who have been or could have been infected in China and
elsewhere. For those who have been affected, IS prayed that their suffering
will be kaffarah (atonement) for their sins. For those who
died, the group cited a prophetic saying that assures “one who dies of cholera
is a martyr.” In other words, Muslims who die from a plague are considered
martyrs. Compared to the Muslims killed as collateral damage in IS attacks, it
seems that the group acknowledges and sympathizes with Muslim casualties of
natural disasters. In the case of the outbreak in Iran, despite the lack of
sympathy shown for Shiite Muslims in the article, IS did express a certain
degree of hope for repentance, redemption, and salvation for Shiites. Both
cases are an IS public relations move and nothing else.
In spite of its effort to extend
some degree of “comfort” to afflicted Muslims, the Islamic State’s stand on the
COVID-19 epidemic is clear from the Al-Naba’ headline: it is
divine retribution for China. There is even a line in IS’s prayers for the
protection of Muslims, where the group implores God to “cast plagues and
diseases upon the infidels, exterminate their crops and exhaust their powers,
so that they are distracted with themselves from assaulting Muslims.” The
article talks about the deserved suffering of the Chinese people and criticism
of China’s response in the face of suffering.
On the surface, IS may attempt to
appear as consoling and calming its supporters. But in truth its advisory has
not deviated from its anti-China sentiments. While IS called for attacks on
Chinese people and interests in March 2019 to avenge the Uyghurs, it has
subsequently shown little interest in deploying any resources or efforts to that
end. If the article is anything to go by, then IS is willing to let
“God’s army,” meaning the virus, do the work. Meanwhile, the outbreak in Iran
presents an opportunity for IS to further reinforce anti-Shiite sentiments.
Nur Aziemah Azman is an Associate
Research Fellow at the International Centre for Political Violence and
Terrorism Research (ICPVTR) at the S. Rajaratnam School of International
Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. As ICPVTR’s
Informatics team lead, she monitors, translates, and analyses content in Arabic
extremist websites and social media platforms with a focus on Islamic State
propaganda and narratives online.
(+) Kur’anı Kerim 85
no.u sure “Buruc” 12nci ayet: “Gerçekten Rabbinin tutuşu çok şiddetlidir.”
Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır
Aynı sure’nin 12nci ayeti Milliyet gazetesi heyeti
tarafından biraz farklı çevrilmiştir: “gerçekten Rabbinin kıskıvrak yakalayışı
çok çetindir.”
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