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The Islamic State and its Brand Name

Al-Sharq al-Awsat, London, Originally posted in Arabic on July 25

Today, every household around the world is familiar with the acronym “ISIS”. This was not the case just two years ago, when the organization was more commonly referred to as the “Islamic State”.

Since, however, its people extended their activities into Syria, the Western media quickly adopted the catchy acronym. This is exactly what the organization had hoped for: a new brand name that will give it legitimacy, credibility, and fame around the world.

The Islamic State, however, is not much different than Al-Qa’ida. Their operations and goals are one and the same. Referring to the organization as the “Islamic State” or giving it the acronym “ISIS” is dangerous on two levels.

First, it causes non-Muslims to associate the religion of Islam, as well as its innocent followers, with terror. The “God is Great” slogan on the ISIS flag surely doesn’t help people distinguish between the two, and the average American – who do not understand much about Islam – will easily conflate the two terms.

Second, the brand name increases the group’s appeal in the eyes of local Muslim populations. Young Iraqis and Syrians who want to prove their religious piety often choose to join the organization, as it claims – including by us in the media – to be the ultimate patron of Islam. Al-Qa’ida was not this clever. It was associated mostly with Osama Bin-Laden, and it didn’t even have a flag.

The Islamic State, meanwhile, works hard to brand itself and increase its recognition. Several governments – including France and Australia – have recently called on the media to stop using this name in news reports. This is an important step. What we are facing today is a war that cannot be conquered with weapons. Only ideas and beliefs will help us win this ideological war.  – Abd al-Rahman al-Rashed