ISIS has released issue No. 6 of Dabiq Magazine. You can read it here. Shorter version:
The Muslims will continue to defy the kāfir war machine, flanking the crusaders on their own streets and bringing the war back to their own soil.
I don't think it's as interesting as prior issues, despite the graphic photo of the captured Jordanian pilot wearing an orange jumpsuit.
There's an transcript of a purported interview with the pilot. Why would anyone believe its real, or even if he did say those things, he wasn't forced to by some fighter with a knife standing next to him?
The issue has a few informational tidbits. For example: Who can make deals for those who are captured:
[W]e do not allow any soldier to make pacts or grant security. This is only to be done by Amīrul-Mu’minīn and his deputies, for he is typically more aware of, and better capable of determining the interests of the State.
There's a long list of advice for fighters from “Abū Hamzah al-Muhājir”. Here's a few I found interesting, probably because they sound like grounds for the ISIS version of the death penalty against its soldiers.
Don’t chase after people’s flaws, especially your leader and your brothers. Conceal their faults as much as you can and Allah will conceal yours, and don’t try to discover those of their flaws that you’re not aware of. The Messenger said, “Beware of suspicion, for indeed suspicion is the falsest of speech. Do not probe for information, do not spy, do not envy one another, do not boycott each other, and do not hate one another. Be slaves of Allah and brothers.”
… Concede to your leader’s decision, and accept his opinion and direction so that there is no disunity or division, as long as it’s an opinion or an issue of ijtihād or it has a basis in the Sharī’ah and doesn’t entail any sinfulness. As long as you seek Allah’s reward, then know that the reward lies in listening to and obeying your leaders, on condition doing so doesn’t involve opposing the Sharī’ah.
….Be patient with your leader even if he has wronged you, for this is a religious obligation.
On the importance of nightly guard duty:
Wherever you may be in the land of jihād, guard duty should be observed at night. And I do not deem it permissible for three people to go to sleep without them having a leader and guard duty between them. From the advice of Abū Bakr (radiyallāhu ‘anh) to one of his commanders is the following: “Be on guard against night raids, for indeed the Arabs can take you by surprise.” And do not let anything preoccupy you from your shift on guard duty, for you are on the frontline.
Remember why you hate the enemy:
Know that the most difficult thing for a soldier of Allah to train for is getting used to a lot of combat. Make frequent mention of the grudges you have against the enemy, for they increase your boldness. Remember that the enemy raped your mothers and your sisters, prevented you from Jumu’ah and congregational prayers, and cut you off from trade and agriculture. I
Don't forget to say “Allahu Akhbar” when meeting the enemy — three times is fine, but don't scream it too loud.
It is recommended to make takbīr when you see the enemy, due to the statement of Allah’s Messenger when he saw the people of Khaybar coming out with their spades (to tend to their fields), “Allāhu akbar,” three times. “Khaybar is ruined. Indeed, when we descend into a people’s territory, then evil is the morning of those who were warned.” an-Nawawī said, “This indicates that it’s recommended to make takbīr when you meet the enemy.”
… “Do you not see them moving their lips like snakes (i.e. not making noise).”…[W]hispering dhikr is recommended when engaged with the enemy, except when charging and attacking.
Mutilating corpses is not allowed:
You fight those who have disbelieved in Allah. Do not steal from the ghanīmah, or act treacherously, or mutilate corpses…”
When a snitch is not a snitch:
Don’t conceal any issue from your leader that you believe would carry shar’ī benefits if you were to mention them to him, such as corruption that could spread, for informing him would be considered advice and keeping it from him would be considered deceit. Likewise, informing him would not be regarded as the prohibited form of backbiting or the blameworthy form of snitching as long as what you’re bringing to his attention is something you’ve concluded with certainty or with strong suspicion.
Other things I found somewhat interesting: There's a pretty scathing article about Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Umar. It starts off:
Lastly, may Allah not bless al-Qā’idah’s alleged bay’ah to Mullā ‘Umar.
ISIS accuses him of catering to the “International community” and exceeding his jurisdiction (Afghanistan). He should not have endorsed the new Al Qaida in the Indian subcontinent and Yemen should disregard him:
Is the claim of having bay’ah to Mullā ‘Umar based in Yemeni wisdom or jāhilī partisanship? They should let go of it, for it is rotten…
After pages of quotes by Mulla 'Umar to prove its points (in tiny print in footnotes) the author questions whether Mulla Umar is even still alive:
NOTE: Some muhājirīn who had been in Khurāsān for a long time informed me that there are senior commanders in Afghanistan and Waziristan who doubt that Mullā ‘Umar is still alive and are convinced that he was either killed or imprisoned, as none of them has seen him since the start of the modern crusader campaign against Afghanistan. They also quoted Mullā ‘Umar’s son as saying that he had not seen him for 12 years. Therefore, it’s possible that these expressions containing clear deviation from the truth came from someone other than him.
There's also an article with photos about the Abu Hamzah al-Muhajir Training Camp in Fallujah. (The video has been out for months.)
We are required to utilize and prepare all means available to us that would contribute to the goal of fighting in the path of Allah and bringing victory to His religion
It describes what training entails.
This preparation covers all relevant areas, including physical preparation, tactical and strategic preparation, resource and logistics preparation, and most importantly religious preparation.
…The Islamic State has established numerous training camps dedicated to providing an essential level of training to its mujāhidīn, including physical, tactical, weapons, and shar’ī training, before sending them into battle or assigning them to specific units for more specialized training. and most importantly religious preparation.
There is an article about the activities in their new states (called Wilayats) and a very long account by someone named Abū Jarīr ash-Shamālī that seems to be about the infighting between groups and a justification for taking ISIS’ side. There is also a section of quotes by enemy foreign leaders. And a somewhat farcical attempt to take credit for the Sydney hostage taker.
Issue 6 ends like Issue 5, with an article by John Cantlie. Is he still alive? Hard to say. The article was written the month before ISIS launched its new currency. The launch was in November, so the article is two months old.
I think we should let the warring factions of militants fight it out between themselves. Let them destroy each other in their fight to be dominant. War is a losing proposition. We're just serving as the proverbial chopped liver while feeding the multi-billion war industry, whose equipment keeps ending up in their hands.