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The Way of the Strangers: Encounters with the Islamic State
From Graeme Wood, author of the explosive Atlantic cover story “What ISIS Really Wants,� comes the definitive book on the history, psychology, character, and aims of the Islamic State. Based on Wood’s unprecedented access to supporters, recruiters, and high-ranking members of the most infamous jihadist group in the world, The Way of the Strangersis a riveting, fast-paced deep dive into the apocalyptic dogma that informs the group’s worldview, from the ideas that motivate it, to the “fatwa factory� that produces its laws, to its very specific plans for the future. By accepting that ISIS truly believes the end is nigh, we can understand its strategy—and predict what it will do next.
317 pages, Hardcover
First published December 20, 2016
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December 26, 2016
In poker, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is to underestimate your adversary. The Islamic State (IS) is one adversary that both Westerners and Muslims have underestimated *and* misunderstood.
‘Cause let’s face it � who really gets IS anyway? Even to an educated audience, they seem like a jumble of names (ISIS? ISIL? Da’esh? different from Al Qaeda?), leaders, factions and philosophies falling somewhere between incoherence and chaos. How did they come about? Are these guys even Muslim? What’s up with the beheadings, amputations, and sex slavery? What compels so many seemingly nice young men to leave everything behind and join them in Syria? And why are they so damn mean? “The Way of the Strangers� places IS in an historical, religious, geographic and ideological context so by the end of it we can all say, “Aahh, *now* I get it.�
First of all, IS is definitely Muslim, even though most Muslim scholars and laymen hate to admit it. Wood shows how IS goes out of its way to justify its odious behavior with Muslim scripture. Its interpretations may be capricious and biased towards bloodthirsty nihilism, but they’re not coming out of thin air.
I particularly appreciated Wood’s taxonomy of the various interrelated Islamist movements. He does a great job of tracing the IS ideology back to its sources, showing the fault lines that cause communion and clash amongst the extremist factions. The descriptions are precise; never again will you conflate Wahhabis, Salafis and Dhahiris at a cocktail party.
Where the book really shines is in Wood’s encounters with flesh-and-blood IS devotees, many of them converts. Musa (born Robert) Cerantonio the Australian; Hesham Elashry, the Egyptian tailor; Hassan Ko Nakata, the mild-mannered Japanese academic; “The Avenger� (really); and the family of the gnomic Yahya Abu Hassan, who grew up a mere 20min away from Wood’s own childhood Dallas home.
Through these characters � mentally nimble but ideologically pigheaded, hospitable in manner but advocating brutish violence � you come to appreciate the internal logic of IS, and how a token bookish, socially awkward young man could get drawn into its certainties. You also apprehend the incredible darkness of it all.
Even as they try to invest IS with a patina of their own Utopian desires, Wood shows the underlying ambivalence and disappointment of the IS adherents he interviews. Unfortunately, “the tragedy is that even those inverted visionaries who live to realize their error will never be able to undo the misery the have inflicted on so many others.�
What’s most remarkable about the book is that it exists all. Wood is apparently fluent in Arabic and conversant in a fistful of other languages, as he goes to Cairo, Tokyo, Oslo, Mindanao (Philippines), Alexandria, London, Dallas and lord knows where else to meet these characters. He’s knowledgeable enough about Islamic history and scripture as to debate, gain the grudging respect and even *befriend* many of these people of odious creed. They pay for his meals and invite him in their homes without even poisoning him once. Maybe they all gave him a pass in hopes of the big prize for converting an atheist. Nevertheless, he probably ended up endangering his life several times to write this book.
Don’t know about you, but if some faction out there hated me and were hell-bent on annihilating me, my civilization and everything I value, I’d like to know more about them. Graeme Wood gives you an authoritative, level-headed peer into the abyss of IS to better understand the origins and intentions of this formidable enemy.
‘Cause let’s face it � who really gets IS anyway? Even to an educated audience, they seem like a jumble of names (ISIS? ISIL? Da’esh? different from Al Qaeda?), leaders, factions and philosophies falling somewhere between incoherence and chaos. How did they come about? Are these guys even Muslim? What’s up with the beheadings, amputations, and sex slavery? What compels so many seemingly nice young men to leave everything behind and join them in Syria? And why are they so damn mean? “The Way of the Strangers� places IS in an historical, religious, geographic and ideological context so by the end of it we can all say, “Aahh, *now* I get it.�
First of all, IS is definitely Muslim, even though most Muslim scholars and laymen hate to admit it. Wood shows how IS goes out of its way to justify its odious behavior with Muslim scripture. Its interpretations may be capricious and biased towards bloodthirsty nihilism, but they’re not coming out of thin air.
I particularly appreciated Wood’s taxonomy of the various interrelated Islamist movements. He does a great job of tracing the IS ideology back to its sources, showing the fault lines that cause communion and clash amongst the extremist factions. The descriptions are precise; never again will you conflate Wahhabis, Salafis and Dhahiris at a cocktail party.
Where the book really shines is in Wood’s encounters with flesh-and-blood IS devotees, many of them converts. Musa (born Robert) Cerantonio the Australian; Hesham Elashry, the Egyptian tailor; Hassan Ko Nakata, the mild-mannered Japanese academic; “The Avenger� (really); and the family of the gnomic Yahya Abu Hassan, who grew up a mere 20min away from Wood’s own childhood Dallas home.
Through these characters � mentally nimble but ideologically pigheaded, hospitable in manner but advocating brutish violence � you come to appreciate the internal logic of IS, and how a token bookish, socially awkward young man could get drawn into its certainties. You also apprehend the incredible darkness of it all.
Even as they try to invest IS with a patina of their own Utopian desires, Wood shows the underlying ambivalence and disappointment of the IS adherents he interviews. Unfortunately, “the tragedy is that even those inverted visionaries who live to realize their error will never be able to undo the misery the have inflicted on so many others.�
What’s most remarkable about the book is that it exists all. Wood is apparently fluent in Arabic and conversant in a fistful of other languages, as he goes to Cairo, Tokyo, Oslo, Mindanao (Philippines), Alexandria, London, Dallas and lord knows where else to meet these characters. He’s knowledgeable enough about Islamic history and scripture as to debate, gain the grudging respect and even *befriend* many of these people of odious creed. They pay for his meals and invite him in their homes without even poisoning him once. Maybe they all gave him a pass in hopes of the big prize for converting an atheist. Nevertheless, he probably ended up endangering his life several times to write this book.
Don’t know about you, but if some faction out there hated me and were hell-bent on annihilating me, my civilization and everything I value, I’d like to know more about them. Graeme Wood gives you an authoritative, level-headed peer into the abyss of IS to better understand the origins and intentions of this formidable enemy.
June 26, 2017
I initially came across this book while listening to the author discuss it on Sam Harris' podcast (a really thought provoking podcast by the way, regardless of how you may feel about Harris).
Admittedly, I'm not as educated about ISIS as I should be and sometimes feel overwhelmed by the massive amount of material that's been written about them. Yet this book does something very unique, it describes what ISIS believes in the words of ISIS supporters. This is not to say the author doesn't have opinions of his own, but they take a backseat to letting its followers tell him what ISIS is all about.
The results range from shocking (the emphasis on punitive suffering, dismemberment, and apocalyptic gore is terrifying and ubiquitous) to downright humorous at times. One example of the latter is a lecture one supporter gives the author about how the Wizard of Oz is a fable for jihad (George W. Bush as Glinda the witch and the wicked witch of the West being true Muslims). It's so ridiculous and almost sad that when the author observes:
"It occurred to me that Musa was an advocate of religious genocide but also a huge dork."
I could only nod my head and laugh.
What's instructive about this however is that the people who join or are sympathetic to ISIS, are not a monolithic bloc of people. There are scholars, doctors, Europeans, Americans, women, graphic designers, and yes, dorks. What they share in common however is a decidedly monolithic worldview that while embracing certain technological innovations, (they are particularly skilful utilising social and mass media) involves some pretty horrific views that seek to morally and culturally bring civilisation back 1500 years.
Rather than pretend to ignore them, dismiss them as not representative of Islam, or pointlessly argue about what we should call them, the author instead suggests that we simply listen. Judging by the wide variety of people willing to speak openly for this book, ISIS are very up front and willing to talk about what they want and what they believe. We cannot begin to confront or understand the challenge they present until we stop to listen. Or as Wood says:
"This studied ignorance has been a costly mistake.Our enemy has invited us to know more about it, and we have been so repulsed that we have declined the offer."
Admittedly, I'm not as educated about ISIS as I should be and sometimes feel overwhelmed by the massive amount of material that's been written about them. Yet this book does something very unique, it describes what ISIS believes in the words of ISIS supporters. This is not to say the author doesn't have opinions of his own, but they take a backseat to letting its followers tell him what ISIS is all about.
The results range from shocking (the emphasis on punitive suffering, dismemberment, and apocalyptic gore is terrifying and ubiquitous) to downright humorous at times. One example of the latter is a lecture one supporter gives the author about how the Wizard of Oz is a fable for jihad (George W. Bush as Glinda the witch and the wicked witch of the West being true Muslims). It's so ridiculous and almost sad that when the author observes:
"It occurred to me that Musa was an advocate of religious genocide but also a huge dork."
I could only nod my head and laugh.
What's instructive about this however is that the people who join or are sympathetic to ISIS, are not a monolithic bloc of people. There are scholars, doctors, Europeans, Americans, women, graphic designers, and yes, dorks. What they share in common however is a decidedly monolithic worldview that while embracing certain technological innovations, (they are particularly skilful utilising social and mass media) involves some pretty horrific views that seek to morally and culturally bring civilisation back 1500 years.
Rather than pretend to ignore them, dismiss them as not representative of Islam, or pointlessly argue about what we should call them, the author instead suggests that we simply listen. Judging by the wide variety of people willing to speak openly for this book, ISIS are very up front and willing to talk about what they want and what they believe. We cannot begin to confront or understand the challenge they present until we stop to listen. Or as Wood says:
"This studied ignorance has been a costly mistake.Our enemy has invited us to know more about it, and we have been so repulsed that we have declined the offer."
February 7, 2017
I’ve been struggling to understand the militant Islamist mindset since 9/11, when supporters of Osama Bin Laden destroyed the World Trade Center and attacked the Pentagon. In time, I learned something about Bin Laden's hatred of America because what he saw as (1) U.S. one-sided support for Israel at the expense of Palestinian concerns; (2) our support of authoritarian regimes in Mid-Eastern countries at the expense of their oppressed Muslim citizens; and (3) our military presence in Saudi Arabia which is contrary to Islamic doctrines.
More recently, with the rise of ISIS, I had to work even harder to begin trying to understand the appeal of the Islamic State. Graeme Wood's book "The Way of the Strangers: Encounters with the Islamic State", helped a lot. It may be that "The Way of the Strangers" would have been the only book I needed to gain an understanding of ISIS, but it's also probable that previous readings helped provide additional background which helped make Wood's book so insightful. These previous books, such as Jihad Academy, by Nicolas Henin; Black Flags, by Joby Warrick; and ISIS: The State of Terror, by Jessica Stern and J.M. Berger. certainly helped by providing key information and background.
In this book, Graeme Wood shares his understanding of ISIS as obtained by his detailed studies of their statements, as well as insights he gained by his travels through Muslim Countries, and finally through his interviews with a variety of Muslim scholars and leaders. He really did his homework, and instead of simply observing or reading about the reports from the Islamic State, he met with and discussed the workings of ISIS with knowledgeable Muslim leaders. Thus, he was able to provide new insights into ISIS ideology, and the intentions of the new Caliphate. He manages to tell us how ISIS justifies their horrific violence against non-believers, whether Westerners, Christians, or even some Muslim sects as well. Their beliefs are justifiable (to them), and are based on original teachings of Muhammad, as they understand them, reflecting a medieval era of jihad when Islam was being spread by the sword.
ISIS leaders and fighters are throwbacks to early Islam, following past practices such as slavery and beheadings, as found in the original teachings of Islam from periods of war over a thousand years earlier. Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, preaches the importance of establishing the Caliphate, and how it's the duty of all Muslims to swear allegiance to the Caliphate, become members, and follow the examples of Muhammad. Those who do join the Caliphate, and strictly follow the teachings of ISIS, may find a social welfare system in place which works for them. Those who fail to follow the rules may find themselves subject to medieval style punishments such as amputations, beatings, stoning, crucifixion, or beheadings.
Wood also points out that if ISIS is to be defeated, those fighting against it must gain a better understanding of their beliefs and intentions. Since they follow strict interpretations of the Quran and Hadith, knowing that should be helpful in understanding what may work in fighting them, and what is likely to fail. Since end-of-time prophecies predict a great war between Islam and the non-believers, making a great war happen by putting troops on the ground against them only fulfills their dogma and may bring in more supporters. And should they lose that great war, it's not likely to diminish their appeal, since prophecies also discuss losing battles before the ultimate victory. Thus, slowly bleeding ISIS over time may be the better choice, discrediting the leaders, bringing dissatisfaction to the followers, and gradually causing the Caliphate to lose ground, and therefore lose legitimacy.
More recently, with the rise of ISIS, I had to work even harder to begin trying to understand the appeal of the Islamic State. Graeme Wood's book "The Way of the Strangers: Encounters with the Islamic State", helped a lot. It may be that "The Way of the Strangers" would have been the only book I needed to gain an understanding of ISIS, but it's also probable that previous readings helped provide additional background which helped make Wood's book so insightful. These previous books, such as Jihad Academy, by Nicolas Henin; Black Flags, by Joby Warrick; and ISIS: The State of Terror, by Jessica Stern and J.M. Berger. certainly helped by providing key information and background.
In this book, Graeme Wood shares his understanding of ISIS as obtained by his detailed studies of their statements, as well as insights he gained by his travels through Muslim Countries, and finally through his interviews with a variety of Muslim scholars and leaders. He really did his homework, and instead of simply observing or reading about the reports from the Islamic State, he met with and discussed the workings of ISIS with knowledgeable Muslim leaders. Thus, he was able to provide new insights into ISIS ideology, and the intentions of the new Caliphate. He manages to tell us how ISIS justifies their horrific violence against non-believers, whether Westerners, Christians, or even some Muslim sects as well. Their beliefs are justifiable (to them), and are based on original teachings of Muhammad, as they understand them, reflecting a medieval era of jihad when Islam was being spread by the sword.
ISIS leaders and fighters are throwbacks to early Islam, following past practices such as slavery and beheadings, as found in the original teachings of Islam from periods of war over a thousand years earlier. Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, preaches the importance of establishing the Caliphate, and how it's the duty of all Muslims to swear allegiance to the Caliphate, become members, and follow the examples of Muhammad. Those who do join the Caliphate, and strictly follow the teachings of ISIS, may find a social welfare system in place which works for them. Those who fail to follow the rules may find themselves subject to medieval style punishments such as amputations, beatings, stoning, crucifixion, or beheadings.
Wood also points out that if ISIS is to be defeated, those fighting against it must gain a better understanding of their beliefs and intentions. Since they follow strict interpretations of the Quran and Hadith, knowing that should be helpful in understanding what may work in fighting them, and what is likely to fail. Since end-of-time prophecies predict a great war between Islam and the non-believers, making a great war happen by putting troops on the ground against them only fulfills their dogma and may bring in more supporters. And should they lose that great war, it's not likely to diminish their appeal, since prophecies also discuss losing battles before the ultimate victory. Thus, slowly bleeding ISIS over time may be the better choice, discrediting the leaders, bringing dissatisfaction to the followers, and gradually causing the Caliphate to lose ground, and therefore lose legitimacy.
July 14, 2018
Incredible amount of hype around this book by someone who, according to The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg, has become the world's "leading interpreter" of ISIS. It's a pretty high standard for someone whose principle work on the terrorist group's adherents leaves a lot to be desired. ŷ doesn't allow for half-stars, but I'd give it a 2.5/5.
In sum, Wood waits til way past the halfway mark of the book to make his main argument (though one gets the feeling that he doesn't really make in a very overt way), which he never really expands on beyond a few sentences. He chides mainstream Muslim scholars for not engaging theologically or intellectually with the scholars of ISIS (a debatable assertion). Yet Wood's work too is mostly devoid of substantial theological explication vis a vis the ISIS/mainstream-Muslim debate. This makes more sense when the reader discovers, about 70% into the book, that Wood's assumption--the one that he walks into the work and leaves with--is that religions (and thus religious scripture) are essentially artifacts of infinite relativism.
No matter who says what, there's no right answer. And so if the scholars of ISIS use Quranic verses and ahadith to justify rape/slavery, their scholarly legitimacy and interpretive accuracy automatically matches the legitimacy and accuracy of learned scholars who refute those pro-rape/slavery claim.
And so ISIS is really just the ugly face of Islam that mainstream Muslims are too embarrassed to show or acknowledge. Terrorism in the name of Islam is as Islamic as charity in the name of Islam because there's no right or wrong when it comes to interpreting scripture.
As a Muslim who lives according to branches of the multidimensional (thanks to 1000+ years of deliberation) Islamic consensus on issues ranging from violence to prayer to diet, I find Wood's ultimate assumption to be pretty vacuous. It's hard to write a book on this subject and to make the arguments he does (however covertly) without delving deeply into hermeneutic analysis and debates--something Wood is ostensibly untrained to do.
The book's high notes come from a few pages where he profiles the idiosyncrasies and backgrounds of ISIS supporters. But these handful of chapters could've been abridged into something much shorter. Likewise, the last two chapters--a bloated discussion of ISIS's apocalyptic outlook and a conclusion of how the vision of its terrorism will endure--could easily have been a single, brief chapter. The whole thing could've been at least 100 pages shorter, though it's a very breezy read.
Yet one gets the feeling that, given the issues and theological points being discussed and sweepingly assessed, the read should've been a lot heavier (had Wood bothered to delve deeper into the religious issues he touches on). Overall a work that makes theological assumptions and arguments while more or less pretending to be a laid back piece of narrative journalism. Worth a read but should've been a lot more.
In sum, Wood waits til way past the halfway mark of the book to make his main argument (though one gets the feeling that he doesn't really make in a very overt way), which he never really expands on beyond a few sentences. He chides mainstream Muslim scholars for not engaging theologically or intellectually with the scholars of ISIS (a debatable assertion). Yet Wood's work too is mostly devoid of substantial theological explication vis a vis the ISIS/mainstream-Muslim debate. This makes more sense when the reader discovers, about 70% into the book, that Wood's assumption--the one that he walks into the work and leaves with--is that religions (and thus religious scripture) are essentially artifacts of infinite relativism.
No matter who says what, there's no right answer. And so if the scholars of ISIS use Quranic verses and ahadith to justify rape/slavery, their scholarly legitimacy and interpretive accuracy automatically matches the legitimacy and accuracy of learned scholars who refute those pro-rape/slavery claim.
And so ISIS is really just the ugly face of Islam that mainstream Muslims are too embarrassed to show or acknowledge. Terrorism in the name of Islam is as Islamic as charity in the name of Islam because there's no right or wrong when it comes to interpreting scripture.
As a Muslim who lives according to branches of the multidimensional (thanks to 1000+ years of deliberation) Islamic consensus on issues ranging from violence to prayer to diet, I find Wood's ultimate assumption to be pretty vacuous. It's hard to write a book on this subject and to make the arguments he does (however covertly) without delving deeply into hermeneutic analysis and debates--something Wood is ostensibly untrained to do.
The book's high notes come from a few pages where he profiles the idiosyncrasies and backgrounds of ISIS supporters. But these handful of chapters could've been abridged into something much shorter. Likewise, the last two chapters--a bloated discussion of ISIS's apocalyptic outlook and a conclusion of how the vision of its terrorism will endure--could easily have been a single, brief chapter. The whole thing could've been at least 100 pages shorter, though it's a very breezy read.
Yet one gets the feeling that, given the issues and theological points being discussed and sweepingly assessed, the read should've been a lot heavier (had Wood bothered to delve deeper into the religious issues he touches on). Overall a work that makes theological assumptions and arguments while more or less pretending to be a laid back piece of narrative journalism. Worth a read but should've been a lot more.
November 15, 2018
During the extensive IS upheaval three years ago or so, I was extremely frustrated by the official self-proclaimed "modest" Muslim scholars' failure to address the Islamic State's theology and deconstruct its doctine. They resorted to pathetic lectures on love and mercy in Islam.
Instead of active intellectual engagement with their narratives and interpretations, they chose to depict them as uncouth barbarians, unfamiliar with the scriptures and classical heritage of the Ulamaa', or mentally-hijacked deserters, and only rarely excommunicating them.
That confusing stand left the concerned western citizen buzzled, and eager to learn about those deranged black banners who promised the world an apocalypse.
Wood interviews in this book a group of IS sympathisers and enablers, trying to figure "what they really want". He is rewarded with free meals, proselytizing, and a peek inside their minds. They turn out to be overeducated regarding even the trickiest theological nuances. So the ignorance myth busted.
The proplem with this book, is that even though he interviewed a heterogeneous group, they all ended up sounding the same—what he calls the Manchurian Candidate effect. But he continues further elaboration. Throwing sporadic historical information that he sometimes get tragically wrong, e.g: he said that amidst the war of Great Fitna, the Shiite supported Ali, while "the Sunni favored Muayyiah".
The book's strong suit is the human element, laborious bios of those who take shots with severed heads, and people who cheer for them from the comfort of their infidel homelands.
But all in all, I was not stunned by the effort, given the fact that I already knew what they wanted.
Instead of active intellectual engagement with their narratives and interpretations, they chose to depict them as uncouth barbarians, unfamiliar with the scriptures and classical heritage of the Ulamaa', or mentally-hijacked deserters, and only rarely excommunicating them.
That confusing stand left the concerned western citizen buzzled, and eager to learn about those deranged black banners who promised the world an apocalypse.
Wood interviews in this book a group of IS sympathisers and enablers, trying to figure "what they really want". He is rewarded with free meals, proselytizing, and a peek inside their minds. They turn out to be overeducated regarding even the trickiest theological nuances. So the ignorance myth busted.
The proplem with this book, is that even though he interviewed a heterogeneous group, they all ended up sounding the same—what he calls the Manchurian Candidate effect. But he continues further elaboration. Throwing sporadic historical information that he sometimes get tragically wrong, e.g: he said that amidst the war of Great Fitna, the Shiite supported Ali, while "the Sunni favored Muayyiah".
The book's strong suit is the human element, laborious bios of those who take shots with severed heads, and people who cheer for them from the comfort of their infidel homelands.
But all in all, I was not stunned by the effort, given the fact that I already knew what they wanted.
December 21, 2023
"The Way of the Strangers" by Graeme Wood offers an insightful exploration of the ideology and motivations driving the Islamic State (ISIS). He provides a detailed and gripping analysis of the group's beliefs and delves into their interpretation of Islam in comparison to more mainstream Muslim beliefs. While the narrative is packed with complex theological and historical issues, Wood's writing style makes it easy to follow his ideas. He weaves in-depth interviews with several ISIS supporters, detailed analysis and extensive contextual research into a compelling and interesting story.
I learned a lot, particularly regarding the theological roots of ISIS and how radicalization tends to occur.
I learned a lot, particularly regarding the theological roots of ISIS and how radicalization tends to occur.
June 17, 2018
'The Way of the Strangers' is a fantastic book with disturbing stories and extensive historical and theological information. The author's encounters with ISIS members, ISIS supporters, family members, Muslim opposition leaders, etc., give the reader a wide view of ISIS and the lives in has affected. The background information, and the amount of it, is what sets this book apart, as not many book on Islam analyze the origins of Jihad.
I also had the opportunity to interview the author Graeme Wood, after reading the book and was able to ask Graeme about the public's reaction to the book and how his encounters with Islamic State members affected him.
Listen here:
I also had the opportunity to interview the author Graeme Wood, after reading the book and was able to ask Graeme about the public's reaction to the book and how his encounters with Islamic State members affected him.
Listen here:
April 27, 2017
Deducting a star for organization and the occasional feeling of being dropped in different place with little context. (Book jumps around the globe and from macro to micro level randomly) Otherwise a chilling and comprehensive primer on the subject that assumes a certain base knowledge, but also is really informative without being overwhelming.
January 10, 2019
I really enjoyed this peek behind the curtain on the philosophy of extreme ideologies. The author is engaging and I thoroughly enjoyed the horrific stories. It's scary to think how brainwashed people can get if they're in the right mindset.
April 21, 2020
Fantastic book by Graeme Wood (journalist; teaches at Yale University, Department of Political Science). If you want to learn a lot of interesting stuff about Islam’s history or just plain theology (Sunni-Shia split, the role of Jesus in Islam, relationship between Islam and politics, various interpretation of political Islam, etc.), you can’t do better than this book. Also, most academics and commentators on Islam can’t comprehend that some people might actually believe in scripture as anything in the real world and those beliefs might drive actions (have consequences). Highly recommend.
Some quotes:
"In my conversation with scholars of Islam, few of the people who dismissed the Islamic State as a product of false Islamism—Jacobinism with an Islamic veneer—were able to name a single cleric or scholar associated with the Islamic State, or a fatwa or other statement by that scholar. The level of ignorance is as appalling as if a scholar of Marxism declared the Soviet Union ‘not Marxist� and turned out to be unfamiliar with the name Trotsky or Lenin, or the title of anything either of them wrote. Since 2012, tens of thousands of men, women, and children have migrated to a theocratic state, under the belief that migration is a sacred obligation and that the state’s leader is the worldly successor of the last and greatest of prophets. If religious scholars see no role for religion in a mass movement like this, then they see no role for religion in the world."
"It takes astonishing levels of denial to claim, as uncountable Muslims and non-Muslims have, that the Islamic State has 'nothing to do with Islam,' merely because the group's heinous behavior clashes with mainstream or liberal Muslim interpretation."
Some quotes:
"In my conversation with scholars of Islam, few of the people who dismissed the Islamic State as a product of false Islamism—Jacobinism with an Islamic veneer—were able to name a single cleric or scholar associated with the Islamic State, or a fatwa or other statement by that scholar. The level of ignorance is as appalling as if a scholar of Marxism declared the Soviet Union ‘not Marxist� and turned out to be unfamiliar with the name Trotsky or Lenin, or the title of anything either of them wrote. Since 2012, tens of thousands of men, women, and children have migrated to a theocratic state, under the belief that migration is a sacred obligation and that the state’s leader is the worldly successor of the last and greatest of prophets. If religious scholars see no role for religion in a mass movement like this, then they see no role for religion in the world."
"It takes astonishing levels of denial to claim, as uncountable Muslims and non-Muslims have, that the Islamic State has 'nothing to do with Islam,' merely because the group's heinous behavior clashes with mainstream or liberal Muslim interpretation."
February 7, 2017
This book is fascinating, but not an easy read. I now truly appreciate how the supporters of the Islamic State do not represent the majority of Muslims, but Wood makes an equally valid point that their minority status does not make them illegitimate. Indeed, their very literal approach to the Koran - disregarding centuries of Islamic scholarship - is not different from the way certain Christians read the Bible, and it was interesting to see how difficult it is for respected Islamic scholars to counter the arguments of supporters of the Islamic State on their terms:
I was also intrigued by how opinions differed about the construction of the caliphate and end of the world, which to me, only emphasizes how much interpretation matters and who is doing the interpreting.
Two things would have made this book easier to digest: a chart of the different variations of Islam, and a glossary of Arabic terms.
The problem was not, and has never been, a failure of mainstream Muslims to condemn terrorism, or to denounce the Islamic State. The problem is their reluctance to seriously acknowledge or engage with the Islamic State intellectually. Instead, their defense of Islam is typified by the refrain "Islam is a religion of peace," combined with happy-talk about mercy and love. They do not address the scriptures the Islamic State cites about war or hate. Such apologism is the photonegative of sweeping claims that Islam is essentially harsh and murderous. It is ever bit as simplistic and pointless.
I was also intrigued by how opinions differed about the construction of the caliphate and end of the world, which to me, only emphasizes how much interpretation matters and who is doing the interpreting.
Two things would have made this book easier to digest: a chart of the different variations of Islam, and a glossary of Arabic terms.
April 25, 2017
This is a very interesting text that is a compilation of interviews with different jihadist Muslims that argues that the Islamic State raison d'etre is based in their deeply religious apocalyptic beliefs that they are approaching the end of days.
While "Christian messianism has been historically a more deadly disease than Muslim messianism", the author states: this new iteration has the potential to be equally as violent. Graeme Wood also points out that secular historians have a way of projecting secularism on past historical events such as the Reformation and the violence that followed the break with England and Rome under Henry the Eight, and ignores the deep theological basis for these these breaks with the Established form of Christianity represented by Roman Catholicism that led to uncounted wars which slaughtered a large percentage of the European population. It was noted that these challenges occurred about 1500 years after the formation of Christian hierarchy.
In our country we have many apocalyptic sects of Christianity that also imagine the end of days is near. This can be seen in the fundamentalist support of Israel because they believe that there will be some great battle in which Israel along with their Christian armies will smite the non-believers, and the Temple will be rebuilt at which time the Jews will then be annihilated and Christ will return to earth and after devastating the world will take all worthy Christians with him into paradise. As I have listened to some of these preachers I have been amazed that the State of Israel has embraced their support led by their most fundamentalist citizens when the end game of these apocalyptic Christians, after saving the Jews from the unbelievers they will then annihilate them to fulfill the prophecies that they firmly believe in.
It is no surprise that sects within Islam have groups with equivalent beliefs based on their own apocalyptic predictions.
The author asks Choudry "...where [is] all this suffering---not just the amputations, but the mass killings and the war---was leading?" [He] answered 'that it was leading to less suffering---terror will save lives, and in the end make it [terror] obsolete." In other words we must slay you until you see our truth and convert and when the entire remaining world is either destroyed or has embraced Islam, but only the Islamic State's definition of Islam will the end of days come and paradise will be achieved. A 'we are destroying you to save you' doctrine. This ideology reminds me if those who bought into the dream of Communism and its eventual perfection to the point that they could forgive Stalin the 20-40 million people he slaughtered to allow this mythical world to come into being, because it was so perfect and pure a concept that millions and millions of deaths would be worth it.
The Islamic State while an actual physical group of true believers also embodies a religious ideal that will survive its existence until the next iteration. The ideas that it embodies and the caliphate it imagines is quite fungible, and as the author points out the propaganda coming out of IS is already to some extent acknowledging that as Mosul and Raqqa and other currently occupied territories fall that the caliphate will relocate to other areas where chaos and famine, criminality and corruption leave the citizens with no option but to embrace the promise of the afterlife. Areas such as Africa and the Philippines are ripe for this reiteration of IS.
Deep within Islamic texts is the concept of converting the entire world to the true faith. This same strain runs through Christianity which is evident in the missionary work that seeks to convert all heathens, and while this doesn't entail slaughtering or enslaving those who fail to convert in today's world: its past history was replete with slavery and slaughter until the heathen bent to the will of the true God and embraced his Son as their Saviour. I have even heard American preacher state that we should allow in more Syrian refugees, not for humanitarian reasons, but because it is easier to convert them if they are here than by sending missionaries to Syria.
The concepts of the Islamic State cannot really be addressed by western powers, it can only be addressed by the Muslim scholars and believers who must find a way to stay true to their beliefs and doctrines as they reject the approach and violence that the Islamic State imposes on everyone within the Muslim world who they have labeled apostates and all foreigners who seek to thwart them. This will not be an easy task as there is much hatred and distrust within Islam not only between Sunni and all of their sects and Shia and their sects and Sufi and the many other Muslim sects that make up Islam Unfortunately during this period there will be much violence, hopefully it will not rise to the level of violence of our own Reformation where people were slaughtered and expelled for hundreds of years before the many denominations of Christianity could live some what at peace in the midst of each other.
I think it would help if more people within the political sphere could also view some of the realities of what is occurring that is creating the level of instability in the Middle east and Southwest Asia....but too often they revert to the "they hate us because of our belief in freedom..." and other politically simplistic sound bites. It seems we would do much better if we increased our humanitarian aid than to flex hard power which has been pointed out repeatedly by people steeped in deep knowledge of the areas where IS-- operates, than by providing them their dream of doing physical battle with the militaries of the western powers which is what they are hoping for, as it would prove their primary belief that this is a grand battle of civilizations. A meme that many in our political sphere repeat back at them, fulfilling beliefs that the West is at war with Islam.
I think this point of view presented by the author should be read by more people. I understand that many will twist what he has presented. The Islamophobes will seize it as proof that Muslims intend to destroy us rather than seeing the Islamic State as a group no different from some of our more violent messianic Christian sects....and many Muslims will be dismayed that it paints a picture of their faith as less than peaceful.
While "Christian messianism has been historically a more deadly disease than Muslim messianism", the author states: this new iteration has the potential to be equally as violent. Graeme Wood also points out that secular historians have a way of projecting secularism on past historical events such as the Reformation and the violence that followed the break with England and Rome under Henry the Eight, and ignores the deep theological basis for these these breaks with the Established form of Christianity represented by Roman Catholicism that led to uncounted wars which slaughtered a large percentage of the European population. It was noted that these challenges occurred about 1500 years after the formation of Christian hierarchy.
In our country we have many apocalyptic sects of Christianity that also imagine the end of days is near. This can be seen in the fundamentalist support of Israel because they believe that there will be some great battle in which Israel along with their Christian armies will smite the non-believers, and the Temple will be rebuilt at which time the Jews will then be annihilated and Christ will return to earth and after devastating the world will take all worthy Christians with him into paradise. As I have listened to some of these preachers I have been amazed that the State of Israel has embraced their support led by their most fundamentalist citizens when the end game of these apocalyptic Christians, after saving the Jews from the unbelievers they will then annihilate them to fulfill the prophecies that they firmly believe in.
It is no surprise that sects within Islam have groups with equivalent beliefs based on their own apocalyptic predictions.
The author asks Choudry "...where [is] all this suffering---not just the amputations, but the mass killings and the war---was leading?" [He] answered 'that it was leading to less suffering---terror will save lives, and in the end make it [terror] obsolete." In other words we must slay you until you see our truth and convert and when the entire remaining world is either destroyed or has embraced Islam, but only the Islamic State's definition of Islam will the end of days come and paradise will be achieved. A 'we are destroying you to save you' doctrine. This ideology reminds me if those who bought into the dream of Communism and its eventual perfection to the point that they could forgive Stalin the 20-40 million people he slaughtered to allow this mythical world to come into being, because it was so perfect and pure a concept that millions and millions of deaths would be worth it.
The Islamic State while an actual physical group of true believers also embodies a religious ideal that will survive its existence until the next iteration. The ideas that it embodies and the caliphate it imagines is quite fungible, and as the author points out the propaganda coming out of IS is already to some extent acknowledging that as Mosul and Raqqa and other currently occupied territories fall that the caliphate will relocate to other areas where chaos and famine, criminality and corruption leave the citizens with no option but to embrace the promise of the afterlife. Areas such as Africa and the Philippines are ripe for this reiteration of IS.
Deep within Islamic texts is the concept of converting the entire world to the true faith. This same strain runs through Christianity which is evident in the missionary work that seeks to convert all heathens, and while this doesn't entail slaughtering or enslaving those who fail to convert in today's world: its past history was replete with slavery and slaughter until the heathen bent to the will of the true God and embraced his Son as their Saviour. I have even heard American preacher state that we should allow in more Syrian refugees, not for humanitarian reasons, but because it is easier to convert them if they are here than by sending missionaries to Syria.
The concepts of the Islamic State cannot really be addressed by western powers, it can only be addressed by the Muslim scholars and believers who must find a way to stay true to their beliefs and doctrines as they reject the approach and violence that the Islamic State imposes on everyone within the Muslim world who they have labeled apostates and all foreigners who seek to thwart them. This will not be an easy task as there is much hatred and distrust within Islam not only between Sunni and all of their sects and Shia and their sects and Sufi and the many other Muslim sects that make up Islam Unfortunately during this period there will be much violence, hopefully it will not rise to the level of violence of our own Reformation where people were slaughtered and expelled for hundreds of years before the many denominations of Christianity could live some what at peace in the midst of each other.
I think it would help if more people within the political sphere could also view some of the realities of what is occurring that is creating the level of instability in the Middle east and Southwest Asia....but too often they revert to the "they hate us because of our belief in freedom..." and other politically simplistic sound bites. It seems we would do much better if we increased our humanitarian aid than to flex hard power which has been pointed out repeatedly by people steeped in deep knowledge of the areas where IS-- operates, than by providing them their dream of doing physical battle with the militaries of the western powers which is what they are hoping for, as it would prove their primary belief that this is a grand battle of civilizations. A meme that many in our political sphere repeat back at them, fulfilling beliefs that the West is at war with Islam.
I think this point of view presented by the author should be read by more people. I understand that many will twist what he has presented. The Islamophobes will seize it as proof that Muslims intend to destroy us rather than seeing the Islamic State as a group no different from some of our more violent messianic Christian sects....and many Muslims will be dismayed that it paints a picture of their faith as less than peaceful.
November 13, 2017
At the simplest level this is a an expansion of Wood’s article What ISIS Really Wants ( ) . But at a deeper level he is asking “What is religion� , and he is pushing the point that ISIS is in truth only explainable as Islam and is a "valid" religion as any. I think his contention that if you think the idea of Religion is acceptable then you have to acknowledge when those principles that lead one person to a just peace can lead another to justifiable (in their eyes) horror.
A particular bugaboo for him is the idea that ISIS is the opposite of true Islam and Islam is a religion of peace.
The notion that religious belief is a minor factor in the rise of the Islamic State is belied by a crushing weight of evidence that religion matters deeply to the vast majority of those who have traveled to fight. Pg.73
And the fact remains: Islam is not a science but religion. It is highly � though not infinitely � malleable, with no definite conclusions. And hard though it is to admit, the Islamic State’s claims often fall within the bounds of rational, if not decent, debate. Pg. 243
Depending how you feel about religion as a valid and desirable human endeavor may color what you think of this book. But probably not now that I think about it, since for the truly confident religionist he or she has the “right� religion and it is obviously those other guys that are way off base. And if you are an hard nosed Atheist they are all a load of bull.
He doesn’t really view it this way but I think it is useful to make a clear distinction between those religious traditions that accept or even embrace uncertainly or even contradiction. And obviously ISIS is not a fan of uncertainty. However I have to admit to myself that those liberal leaning denominations and groups are largely dismissed or even deemed heretical by many.
That said, ISIS is pretty special in how far it goes down the crazy path while its proponents are screaming about how rational and logical it is.
(the Japanese student studying religion in Japan) He converted (to Islam and moved to the very conservative end of the spectrum) at the end of the school year, at the age of twenty-two, for reasons that will sound familiar. He considered Islam “logical�, “following a set of detailed laws.� It required none of the complicated, hand-waving explanations, that he encountered in Christianity. Everything made sense, he says, and was “easy.� Pg. 198
And there is the ease that ISIS reconcile with more modern civilization traditions...basically they don’t.
Part of the task of Salafis who proselytize to fellow Muslims is to reach them at this stage of cognitive dissonance � torn between modern sensibilities and realization that slavery is part of the history and present of Islam � and convince them the modern sensibilities must go. Pg. 21
Regarding why seemingly random non Muslims convert to this especially violent version of Islam...I don’t know how this is quantifiable but it sound believable to me...
Often a personal crisis � triggers existential contemplation, and the meaning seeking behavior that leads one to religion...Jihadists are also overwhelmingly left-brained, analytic types. Pg. 147.
An interesting observation is how ISIS is actually kind of like the Christian reformation movement, and this makes dismissing other sects that rely on past scholarship and tradition.
I have talked to many Islamic State supporters who have ended our conversations by urging me to “let YouTube be your sheikh� Pg. 144
Of course you can be sure if you personally misinterpreted something you might get your head chopped off. So think for yourself until it contradicts what ISIS thinks.
As an aside it is worth remembering that the Reformation did not bring an age of religions tolerance and in fact many of the reformed were way more cruel than the bureaucracy they rebelled against.
ANYWAY, about the oddness of otherwise bright people performing “pseudo cognitive acrobatics”� to explain their beliefs was somehat address in The Tenacity of Unreasonable Beliefs: Fundamentalism and the Fear of Truth by Solomon Schimmel . /review/show...
Back to this book. What do I conclude?
I conclude it is hopeless. There is no reasoning with these people and they just don’t care about how you or I feel. And as for the less severe sects but that basically have same outlook, they are trying to have it both ways, be fundamentally true to the ways of the 7th century but maintain national stability. So I guess I do agree with him in drawing a connecting line between the Wahhabism of Saudi Arabia and ISIS. Even if ISIS wants to get rid of the kings, ISIS is the logical conclusion of Wahhabism.
My own personal rambling is that for all the cruelty Christianity has inflicted on the world it does have the advantage of being contradictory as all get out. And while the Atheists might lambaste it for its inconsistencies, that is actually what makes it more palatable. If you read the Koran literally you end up with ISIS and if you read the Old and New Testaments literally (and honestly, not skipping over the parts you don’t like) you end up with a big ol� mess. OK, OK, I haven’t ready the Koran at all and not that much of the Bible, but I think my point still holds.
Or maybe the thing is when you read any ancient text literally you end up with a violent and cruel world view. That sounds like an over generalization...maybe it is. I might rephrase that later.
Finally point, good book, easy to read but really just a longer version of his magazine article which has the main points.
A particular bugaboo for him is the idea that ISIS is the opposite of true Islam and Islam is a religion of peace.
The notion that religious belief is a minor factor in the rise of the Islamic State is belied by a crushing weight of evidence that religion matters deeply to the vast majority of those who have traveled to fight. Pg.73
And the fact remains: Islam is not a science but religion. It is highly � though not infinitely � malleable, with no definite conclusions. And hard though it is to admit, the Islamic State’s claims often fall within the bounds of rational, if not decent, debate. Pg. 243
Depending how you feel about religion as a valid and desirable human endeavor may color what you think of this book. But probably not now that I think about it, since for the truly confident religionist he or she has the “right� religion and it is obviously those other guys that are way off base. And if you are an hard nosed Atheist they are all a load of bull.
He doesn’t really view it this way but I think it is useful to make a clear distinction between those religious traditions that accept or even embrace uncertainly or even contradiction. And obviously ISIS is not a fan of uncertainty. However I have to admit to myself that those liberal leaning denominations and groups are largely dismissed or even deemed heretical by many.
That said, ISIS is pretty special in how far it goes down the crazy path while its proponents are screaming about how rational and logical it is.
(the Japanese student studying religion in Japan) He converted (to Islam and moved to the very conservative end of the spectrum) at the end of the school year, at the age of twenty-two, for reasons that will sound familiar. He considered Islam “logical�, “following a set of detailed laws.� It required none of the complicated, hand-waving explanations, that he encountered in Christianity. Everything made sense, he says, and was “easy.� Pg. 198
And there is the ease that ISIS reconcile with more modern civilization traditions...basically they don’t.
Part of the task of Salafis who proselytize to fellow Muslims is to reach them at this stage of cognitive dissonance � torn between modern sensibilities and realization that slavery is part of the history and present of Islam � and convince them the modern sensibilities must go. Pg. 21
Regarding why seemingly random non Muslims convert to this especially violent version of Islam...I don’t know how this is quantifiable but it sound believable to me...
Often a personal crisis � triggers existential contemplation, and the meaning seeking behavior that leads one to religion...Jihadists are also overwhelmingly left-brained, analytic types. Pg. 147.
An interesting observation is how ISIS is actually kind of like the Christian reformation movement, and this makes dismissing other sects that rely on past scholarship and tradition.
I have talked to many Islamic State supporters who have ended our conversations by urging me to “let YouTube be your sheikh� Pg. 144
Of course you can be sure if you personally misinterpreted something you might get your head chopped off. So think for yourself until it contradicts what ISIS thinks.
As an aside it is worth remembering that the Reformation did not bring an age of religions tolerance and in fact many of the reformed were way more cruel than the bureaucracy they rebelled against.
ANYWAY, about the oddness of otherwise bright people performing “pseudo cognitive acrobatics”� to explain their beliefs was somehat address in The Tenacity of Unreasonable Beliefs: Fundamentalism and the Fear of Truth by Solomon Schimmel . /review/show...
Back to this book. What do I conclude?
I conclude it is hopeless. There is no reasoning with these people and they just don’t care about how you or I feel. And as for the less severe sects but that basically have same outlook, they are trying to have it both ways, be fundamentally true to the ways of the 7th century but maintain national stability. So I guess I do agree with him in drawing a connecting line between the Wahhabism of Saudi Arabia and ISIS. Even if ISIS wants to get rid of the kings, ISIS is the logical conclusion of Wahhabism.
My own personal rambling is that for all the cruelty Christianity has inflicted on the world it does have the advantage of being contradictory as all get out. And while the Atheists might lambaste it for its inconsistencies, that is actually what makes it more palatable. If you read the Koran literally you end up with ISIS and if you read the Old and New Testaments literally (and honestly, not skipping over the parts you don’t like) you end up with a big ol� mess. OK, OK, I haven’t ready the Koran at all and not that much of the Bible, but I think my point still holds.
Or maybe the thing is when you read any ancient text literally you end up with a violent and cruel world view. That sounds like an over generalization...maybe it is. I might rephrase that later.
Finally point, good book, easy to read but really just a longer version of his magazine article which has the main points.
September 22, 2017
Solid overview of IS from the perspectives of multiple strains of Islamic Jihadist thought by a former logistics contractor in Iraq who later became a journalist. Makes a compelling case that Islamic State is Islamic, if maybe not a State.
Since it was largely interviews with fairly idiosyncratic guys, someone without a reasonable degree of familiarity with the sects and movements within Islam might find it a bit hard to follow; a more structured overview of the topic would be a better introduction.
Since it was largely interviews with fairly idiosyncratic guys, someone without a reasonable degree of familiarity with the sects and movements within Islam might find it a bit hard to follow; a more structured overview of the topic would be a better introduction.
February 20, 2017
A good overview of ISIL but heavy on the theological aspect
Not bad, by any means, but the last hundred or so pages were a bit of a chore to get through.
Not bad, by any means, but the last hundred or so pages were a bit of a chore to get through.
September 26, 2023
كتاب قوي. أكتفي بذلك.
July 6, 2017
"Jihadists can make good tour guides" (120). That one quote encapsulates the spirit of The Way of the Strangers. This here is an invaluable book that goes where few books do, because author Graeme Wood went where few authors do. He personally entered into correspondence, and carried out face-to-face interviews, with numerous Islamist figures, some of whom were ISIS recruiters.
A large portion of the book is in relaying these encounters, and doing research to peel back the pseudonyms (e.g., identifying "Yahya al-Bahrumi" as John Georgelas) and get the real story of these and other characters - revealing them, not as stereotypes, but as real people with real histories, real personalities, even real hobbies and interests - some of whom, as it turns out, are total "dorks," in Wood's quite-fair estimation.
The historical and ideological parts of the work are largely structured as offering context for these encounters. A journey through the endnotes was as enjoyable for me as the text itself, because Wood is clearly conversant with the latest literature, and lots of it. More provocatively, he argues that ISIS' beliefs and actions do have plausible precedent (not to say univocal or unequivocal precedent) within Islamic tradition, and that ISIS is an undeniably Islamic phenomenon.
That said, I think he was far too quick to dismiss some powerful Islamic critiques of ISIS, like the famed Open Letter to Baghdadi among others. I also wonder how Wood's journey might have gone differently if he were himself a Muslim or a Christian rather than, as he confesses early in the book, an atheist. But in any event, this is an excellent book � one of relatively few I could seriously contemplate reading again from the start.
A large portion of the book is in relaying these encounters, and doing research to peel back the pseudonyms (e.g., identifying "Yahya al-Bahrumi" as John Georgelas) and get the real story of these and other characters - revealing them, not as stereotypes, but as real people with real histories, real personalities, even real hobbies and interests - some of whom, as it turns out, are total "dorks," in Wood's quite-fair estimation.
The historical and ideological parts of the work are largely structured as offering context for these encounters. A journey through the endnotes was as enjoyable for me as the text itself, because Wood is clearly conversant with the latest literature, and lots of it. More provocatively, he argues that ISIS' beliefs and actions do have plausible precedent (not to say univocal or unequivocal precedent) within Islamic tradition, and that ISIS is an undeniably Islamic phenomenon.
That said, I think he was far too quick to dismiss some powerful Islamic critiques of ISIS, like the famed Open Letter to Baghdadi among others. I also wonder how Wood's journey might have gone differently if he were himself a Muslim or a Christian rather than, as he confesses early in the book, an atheist. But in any event, this is an excellent book � one of relatively few I could seriously contemplate reading again from the start.
September 14, 2017
Excepting a couple of structural/organizational gripes, this book is an excellent and incisive case study of the reasons people may be drawn to the Islamic State. It stands counter to the dangerously oversimplified assumptions many make regarding the motivating forces creating and fueling Islamic extremists, including the deep religious conviction and eschatological fetishism that is often brushed off in favor of strictly social or political readings. According to Wood, understanding their beliefs is key to building a combat strategy.
The book gets into the weeds of the various threads of belief and sects of Islam that even I could follow. He also dives into the lives of various supporters of the Islamic State, examining their writings in print and social media as well as immersing himself in the lives of those who would have him.
For any layman trying to understand all of this nonsense, this is a very good place to start.
I discovered this book through an interview with the author on the Godless Spellchecker podcast, which I also recommend, though it's irregular.
The book gets into the weeds of the various threads of belief and sects of Islam that even I could follow. He also dives into the lives of various supporters of the Islamic State, examining their writings in print and social media as well as immersing himself in the lives of those who would have him.
For any layman trying to understand all of this nonsense, this is a very good place to start.
I discovered this book through an interview with the author on the Godless Spellchecker podcast, which I also recommend, though it's irregular.
March 19, 2018
It's honestly just shocking how not only do many of the people Wood interviews, disagrees with not only, any non-follower/believer of Islam but the vast majority of followers it seems also disagree with each other, they all simply contradict one another and it's actually quite laughable. I do share the opinion of one of the quotes on the back of the book, stating that we can bomb ISIS in Raqqa and Mosul into oblivion but it doesn't matter if we do not understand and wipe-out the ideology first which is a much harder task. A great piece of insightful journalism.
May 13, 2018
Maybe the best book about the ideology if IS and its supporters. Nothing new for me, but for a layman this is a good, fun and easy read about the most evil terrorist group in history. For my part i will take a brake on books about jihadism.
February 2, 2025
Wood delivers on the “encounters� as he travels around the world meeting the vast characters that make up not only the Islamic State, but Islam itself. By exploring these characters, from educated European scholars to midwestern U.S. hoodlums, he eloquently lays out the motivations and reasoning that continues to fuel the Islamic State today.
March 24, 2025
I made a commitment to myself at the beginning of the year to, when news felt overwhelming, to find a book about important geopolitical or social topics and be immersed in longform research and writing. This is how I found my way to this book, after carefully reading reviews of books covering Syria and terrorism that this seemed to be a good option. It was so funny and entertaining for a book about the Islamic State, but at the same time serious and considerate of the complexity of the theological issues. A page turner, and now I feel equipped to read news stories about ISIS to catch up to what happened in the 10 years since this book's action largely takes place.
March 7, 2017
I was given a copy of this book. It intimidated me with a heavy subject but was a lot lighter to read than expected. Think Jon Ronson's Psychopath Test written from someone with a track record of serious journalism. It didn't exactly make me laugh but as the author gets deeper and deeper into the bizarre beliefs of ISIS recruiters and their teachers, the experience becomes intensely surreal.
He also is stubborn enough to ask awkward questions to Islamic scholars and listens carefully to the answers.
This is a book that many people would benefit from reading. He shows the ways our misperceptions are playing into exactly what these apocalyptic cultists want and how they are on a spectrum of religious beliefs that have already shaped our history.
He also is stubborn enough to ask awkward questions to Islamic scholars and listens carefully to the answers.
This is a book that many people would benefit from reading. He shows the ways our misperceptions are playing into exactly what these apocalyptic cultists want and how they are on a spectrum of religious beliefs that have already shaped our history.
October 5, 2017
As much as I enjoyed this book, let me start by saying the title is a little misleading. It should really be called "Encounters on the Edge of the Islamic State" because he doesn't actually go to Syria or even interview a lot of ex-IS personnel. However, that caveat does not make this book any less interesting. What this book actually is is a journey through the theological minds of IS and its supporters. Some of these, like Turki al-Binali (now dead) or Yahya Abu Hassan (an American from Texas), actually did become major players in IS. Others, like Musa Cerantonio or Anjem Choudary never made it to Syria but nevertheless support and propagandize for the Islamic State. Wood takes you through a very interesting tour of their thought and its place in Islam today and in Islamic history.
This book is not thesis-driven, but Wood's main point is that the theologians of IS are not ignorant of Islamic traditions and scholarship and that IS is, to put it simply, Islamic. Many have argued that the motives of IS members has nothing to do with religion, that they simply use it as a cover for baser motives. Wood shows quite convincingly that their interpretations of Islam animate and drive their entire worldview and identity in big and small ways. While they may have a multiplicity of motives . Wood's more subtle point is that we shouldn't expect them to follow religious dictates completely inflexibly: this is still a strategic group that can find (and not find) what it needs in holy texts. Their interpretations may be extreme, but they are not without precedent in Islamic scholarship and history (Wahabbism, Ibn Taymiyya, other radical groups). To say they are selective doesn't mean they are not Islamic; the people he talks to know Arabic and know the Qur'an exceptionally well, and other schools of thought are, by necessity, selective too. It may be comforting to a more secular mind to say they aren't really Islamic or they don't really believe this stuff, but I agree with Wood that without this sincere belief it would be harder to do what they do and that they appear quite willing to die and suffer for these beliefs when push comes to shove. I understand why politicians avoid giving legitimacy to IS by saying they are Islamic, but analytically we shouldn't avoid saying this. Not having the most plausible (or humane) interpretation of a faith does not mean you are not a member of that faith. FYI: he does give people who disagree with him significant space to make their cases in this book, in the spirit of fairness.
However, this book also shows the very human (by which I mean tawdry, not humane) side of these characters. The IS-backing intellectuals he focuses on are clearly caught up in personal, often masculine fantasies of playing a starring role in cosmic drama. They are obsessed with purity and order in the universe; this seems to explain why so many of them have engineering backgrounds. They are possessed by bloodlust and hatred, fixating on the bloodiest commands or stories from the holy texts, especially those involving hell. Interestingly, many of their beliefs about what IS is (and why it is good, in their view) reflect what they believe the failings of their own society are. One British jihadist, for instance, fixated on IS's ostensible social safety net as better than Britain's, showing his disappointment with the society he grew up in. They are both incredibly sincere and devoted to their version of Islam, but they also show these very human flaws and tendencies
I would recommend this book if you are interested in the ideas that animate Islamic State supporters, including what drives them to leave the West to join the fight in Syria and Iraq. It is a good second book about IS. If you don't know much about al-Baghdadi, Zarqawi, AQI, the Iraq insurgency, the split with al-Qaeda core, etc, this book might be confusing to you. I recommend reading something like Joby Warrick's Black Flags to get this core story before jumping into this slightly more obscure story. Still, I found it quite engrossing and personal.
This book is not thesis-driven, but Wood's main point is that the theologians of IS are not ignorant of Islamic traditions and scholarship and that IS is, to put it simply, Islamic. Many have argued that the motives of IS members has nothing to do with religion, that they simply use it as a cover for baser motives. Wood shows quite convincingly that their interpretations of Islam animate and drive their entire worldview and identity in big and small ways. While they may have a multiplicity of motives . Wood's more subtle point is that we shouldn't expect them to follow religious dictates completely inflexibly: this is still a strategic group that can find (and not find) what it needs in holy texts. Their interpretations may be extreme, but they are not without precedent in Islamic scholarship and history (Wahabbism, Ibn Taymiyya, other radical groups). To say they are selective doesn't mean they are not Islamic; the people he talks to know Arabic and know the Qur'an exceptionally well, and other schools of thought are, by necessity, selective too. It may be comforting to a more secular mind to say they aren't really Islamic or they don't really believe this stuff, but I agree with Wood that without this sincere belief it would be harder to do what they do and that they appear quite willing to die and suffer for these beliefs when push comes to shove. I understand why politicians avoid giving legitimacy to IS by saying they are Islamic, but analytically we shouldn't avoid saying this. Not having the most plausible (or humane) interpretation of a faith does not mean you are not a member of that faith. FYI: he does give people who disagree with him significant space to make their cases in this book, in the spirit of fairness.
However, this book also shows the very human (by which I mean tawdry, not humane) side of these characters. The IS-backing intellectuals he focuses on are clearly caught up in personal, often masculine fantasies of playing a starring role in cosmic drama. They are obsessed with purity and order in the universe; this seems to explain why so many of them have engineering backgrounds. They are possessed by bloodlust and hatred, fixating on the bloodiest commands or stories from the holy texts, especially those involving hell. Interestingly, many of their beliefs about what IS is (and why it is good, in their view) reflect what they believe the failings of their own society are. One British jihadist, for instance, fixated on IS's ostensible social safety net as better than Britain's, showing his disappointment with the society he grew up in. They are both incredibly sincere and devoted to their version of Islam, but they also show these very human flaws and tendencies
I would recommend this book if you are interested in the ideas that animate Islamic State supporters, including what drives them to leave the West to join the fight in Syria and Iraq. It is a good second book about IS. If you don't know much about al-Baghdadi, Zarqawi, AQI, the Iraq insurgency, the split with al-Qaeda core, etc, this book might be confusing to you. I recommend reading something like Joby Warrick's Black Flags to get this core story before jumping into this slightly more obscure story. Still, I found it quite engrossing and personal.
June 28, 2017
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), or the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) has been continuously losing territory in Iraq and Syria, and there seems to be no doubt among experts that it will be comprehensively defeated in just a matter of time. There is even an unverified claim by the Russian Government that the chief of ISIS, the CaliphAbu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has been killed. Will we soon, thankfully, see the end of the Islamic State (IS)? Or will we have another version of the horror and terror that was unleashed in the Middle East? Graeme Wood thinks this is not the end, and to comprehend why, he takes us into the minds of a few of ISIS's supporters in his brilliant book The Way of Strangers : Encounters with the Islamic State. Apart from understanding the motives of ISIS, we get a fair idea of Islam as a religion, and the various divisions within it.
We start before the advent of Islamic State in the current form with Hesham Elashry, an Egyptian tailor who lived in Brooklyn and grew up without much of an interest towards religion, until he stumbled upon the Blind Sheik's (The Blind Sheik is a prominent Iman currently under arrest in the USA for jihadist propaganda) sermons. Having converted to Salafism, one of the strictest forms of Islam, Hesham meets Graeme Wood in Egypt and attempts to seduce him into the religion. Hesham is not technically a part of the Islamic State as far as we know, but he exemplifies perfectly the mindset that would lead people to support the IS once the Caliphate is declared. Graeme Wood's narration during this episode is so gripping that this could be a John Le Carre novel, complete with a victim in the form of a non-suspecting Japanese woman caught in unfathomable circumstances. We then travel to Australia to meet Musa Cerantino, the centerpiece of the book as well as of an earlier long form article by Graeme Wood for The Atlantic. Musa Cerantino was, at one point of time, among the three most prolific online recruiters for the IS, apart from doubling up as their unofficial English language spokesperson. Astonishingly, Musa is normal in most ways, so much so that Wood forms a sort of friendship with him. Through the longest chapter in the book, we learn Musa's views on why a Bay'a, or fealty, to the Islamic State is the duty of every true Muslim.
Some investigative journalism leads Wood to Yahya, an American who is just a loser in the eyes of his parents, but turns out to be one of the most influential characters within the IS. Though we do not get to meet Yahya, we get a complete character sketch by meeting people around him and exploring the circumstances that led him to make the decisions he made. Yahya's case proves that the Islamic State attracts many despite their being from geopolitically and economically stable backgrounds. Apart from a few other characters, Graeme Wood then meets a couple of prominent American Muslim scholars who, despite their fierce disagreement with each other, vehemently condemn the Islamic State.
Contrary to the perception of most outsiders, Islam is a religion of logical reasoning, or Qiyas. Reading Graeme Wood's books made me realize that Islam is one of the few religions with really devout followers in current day society. A lot of time is spent on interpreting the religious texts and deriving the right way to live. If you buy into a certain premise, you can reach a conclusion that may sound horrifying to outsiders, but is still logically sound. The premise on which the logic is derived is often what causes factionalism within Islam, and through Graeme Wood's book we get to meet Salafis, Wahabbis, Sufis, Dhahiris and Quiet Salafis, among others. Wood's contention is that if you follow the premise of a devout Salafi who thinks Jihad is okay, it would be extremely tough to not end up supporting the Islamic State. Of course, Graeme Wood is conscious that this is not the only reason for people to join Islamic State. There is always a geopolitical angle, an economic angle, a psychological reason. There is also an apocalyptic perspective, luring people by prophesying that in the near-future, "The earth will suffer a drought - a third of the planet will go without rain one year, and two-thirds the next. We will live in a age of miracles, both counterfeit and real; of inconceivable suffering, bloodshed, and tribulations; of global war waged with tools ranging from sabers to thermonuclear weapons. Those who survive - Muslims and not - will wish for death." However, Graeme Wood strongly disagrees with the view that the IS is just "an army of psychopaths and self-dramatizing losers.", pointing out that many followers of Islamic State are more well-versed in the reading of the religious texts than the average Muslim.
There is also a commentary on research focused on religion. While Wood appreciates Princeton University for their extensive research on Jihad, he laments the lack of such work elsewhere. He disagrees with Karl Marx's opinion that "Religion is always reducible to a material explanation", and argues that religion itself is a prime motive in many cases. ISIS, he implies, is not the exploitation of religion to meet political ends. It is rather the exploitation of politics to meet religious ends. And he adds that a secular outlook would inhibit us from seeing this truth. This is not to imply that Graeme Wood is anti-Islamic at any point of time. He seems to have an extensive knowledge of Islamic texts, and seems to be respected enough by Muslim scholars (at least the ones portrayed in the book). His point is simply that a lot ideological arguments of an entity like ISIS can only be answered with ideological debate, and this can be done only once we concede that ISIS is an Islamic group. In his own words, "Since 2012, tens of thousands of men, women and children have migrated to a theocratic state, under the belief that migration is a sacred obligation and that the state's leader is the worldly successor of the last and greatest of prophets. If religious scholars see no role for religion in a mass movement like this, then they see no role for religion in the world."
Graeme Wood is a terrific writer. The writing has a journalistic economy of words, and The Way of Strangers is engaging throughout. Apart from a command of English that made me reach for the dictionary every few minutes to look up meanings, he seems to be versed in Arabic, German, Italian, Spanish, French, Russian, and probably other languages he has not revealed to us about. This mastery of languages probably plays a large role in the fact that Graeme Wood is able to connect with a variety of people and get their unencumbered views. He also has a good sense of humour, and inappropriately for such a book, I laughed out loud a few times. Especially when he describes how a Japanese propensity to punctuality irritated a potential ISIS supporter enough to move out of ISIS region. The one complaint I had with the book is of a typographical nature. The notes and references which provide essential insights are placed at the end of the book and it was extremely inconvenient shifting from the main narrative to the notes section. I would personally prefer these in the form of foot-notes. On the other popular complaint that Graeme Wood does not visit the ISIS territory at all, I wouldn't say I missed it a lot.
Islam is the most popular religion in the World, and it is still the least understood among the non-practitioners. The two major narratives surrounding the religion are, to use Graeme Wood's words, that "Islam is essentially harsh and murderous", or that "Islam is a religion of peace". Graeme Wood convinces us that both these views are wrong, and when major global decisions are made with either of these view-points, it would turn counter-productive and act as fodder for groups such as the Islamic State. And the sad thing is that, as an idea, Islamic State is probably not dead yet, at least in the minds of many Muslims. He points out regions which are ripe for another Islamic State (prominent among them is Mindano in Philippines). "Wherever there is grievance, savagery can be sown. Wherever there is savagery, it can be used and exploited. Wherever it can be exploited, the nightmare can endure", he says. Humanity should work towards reducing grievances on one hand. On the other hand, as one Islamic State advocate puts, "the fact is, even if you were to stop bombing us, imprisoning us, torturing us, vilifying us, and usurping our lands, we would continue to hate you because our primary reason to hate you will not case to exist until you embrace Islam". This can be curtailed only by the scholars of Islam. It is not a fight the outsiders, the infidels, can win.
We start before the advent of Islamic State in the current form with Hesham Elashry, an Egyptian tailor who lived in Brooklyn and grew up without much of an interest towards religion, until he stumbled upon the Blind Sheik's (The Blind Sheik is a prominent Iman currently under arrest in the USA for jihadist propaganda) sermons. Having converted to Salafism, one of the strictest forms of Islam, Hesham meets Graeme Wood in Egypt and attempts to seduce him into the religion. Hesham is not technically a part of the Islamic State as far as we know, but he exemplifies perfectly the mindset that would lead people to support the IS once the Caliphate is declared. Graeme Wood's narration during this episode is so gripping that this could be a John Le Carre novel, complete with a victim in the form of a non-suspecting Japanese woman caught in unfathomable circumstances. We then travel to Australia to meet Musa Cerantino, the centerpiece of the book as well as of an earlier long form article by Graeme Wood for The Atlantic. Musa Cerantino was, at one point of time, among the three most prolific online recruiters for the IS, apart from doubling up as their unofficial English language spokesperson. Astonishingly, Musa is normal in most ways, so much so that Wood forms a sort of friendship with him. Through the longest chapter in the book, we learn Musa's views on why a Bay'a, or fealty, to the Islamic State is the duty of every true Muslim.
Some investigative journalism leads Wood to Yahya, an American who is just a loser in the eyes of his parents, but turns out to be one of the most influential characters within the IS. Though we do not get to meet Yahya, we get a complete character sketch by meeting people around him and exploring the circumstances that led him to make the decisions he made. Yahya's case proves that the Islamic State attracts many despite their being from geopolitically and economically stable backgrounds. Apart from a few other characters, Graeme Wood then meets a couple of prominent American Muslim scholars who, despite their fierce disagreement with each other, vehemently condemn the Islamic State.
Contrary to the perception of most outsiders, Islam is a religion of logical reasoning, or Qiyas. Reading Graeme Wood's books made me realize that Islam is one of the few religions with really devout followers in current day society. A lot of time is spent on interpreting the religious texts and deriving the right way to live. If you buy into a certain premise, you can reach a conclusion that may sound horrifying to outsiders, but is still logically sound. The premise on which the logic is derived is often what causes factionalism within Islam, and through Graeme Wood's book we get to meet Salafis, Wahabbis, Sufis, Dhahiris and Quiet Salafis, among others. Wood's contention is that if you follow the premise of a devout Salafi who thinks Jihad is okay, it would be extremely tough to not end up supporting the Islamic State. Of course, Graeme Wood is conscious that this is not the only reason for people to join Islamic State. There is always a geopolitical angle, an economic angle, a psychological reason. There is also an apocalyptic perspective, luring people by prophesying that in the near-future, "The earth will suffer a drought - a third of the planet will go without rain one year, and two-thirds the next. We will live in a age of miracles, both counterfeit and real; of inconceivable suffering, bloodshed, and tribulations; of global war waged with tools ranging from sabers to thermonuclear weapons. Those who survive - Muslims and not - will wish for death." However, Graeme Wood strongly disagrees with the view that the IS is just "an army of psychopaths and self-dramatizing losers.", pointing out that many followers of Islamic State are more well-versed in the reading of the religious texts than the average Muslim.
There is also a commentary on research focused on religion. While Wood appreciates Princeton University for their extensive research on Jihad, he laments the lack of such work elsewhere. He disagrees with Karl Marx's opinion that "Religion is always reducible to a material explanation", and argues that religion itself is a prime motive in many cases. ISIS, he implies, is not the exploitation of religion to meet political ends. It is rather the exploitation of politics to meet religious ends. And he adds that a secular outlook would inhibit us from seeing this truth. This is not to imply that Graeme Wood is anti-Islamic at any point of time. He seems to have an extensive knowledge of Islamic texts, and seems to be respected enough by Muslim scholars (at least the ones portrayed in the book). His point is simply that a lot ideological arguments of an entity like ISIS can only be answered with ideological debate, and this can be done only once we concede that ISIS is an Islamic group. In his own words, "Since 2012, tens of thousands of men, women and children have migrated to a theocratic state, under the belief that migration is a sacred obligation and that the state's leader is the worldly successor of the last and greatest of prophets. If religious scholars see no role for religion in a mass movement like this, then they see no role for religion in the world."
Graeme Wood is a terrific writer. The writing has a journalistic economy of words, and The Way of Strangers is engaging throughout. Apart from a command of English that made me reach for the dictionary every few minutes to look up meanings, he seems to be versed in Arabic, German, Italian, Spanish, French, Russian, and probably other languages he has not revealed to us about. This mastery of languages probably plays a large role in the fact that Graeme Wood is able to connect with a variety of people and get their unencumbered views. He also has a good sense of humour, and inappropriately for such a book, I laughed out loud a few times. Especially when he describes how a Japanese propensity to punctuality irritated a potential ISIS supporter enough to move out of ISIS region. The one complaint I had with the book is of a typographical nature. The notes and references which provide essential insights are placed at the end of the book and it was extremely inconvenient shifting from the main narrative to the notes section. I would personally prefer these in the form of foot-notes. On the other popular complaint that Graeme Wood does not visit the ISIS territory at all, I wouldn't say I missed it a lot.
Islam is the most popular religion in the World, and it is still the least understood among the non-practitioners. The two major narratives surrounding the religion are, to use Graeme Wood's words, that "Islam is essentially harsh and murderous", or that "Islam is a religion of peace". Graeme Wood convinces us that both these views are wrong, and when major global decisions are made with either of these view-points, it would turn counter-productive and act as fodder for groups such as the Islamic State. And the sad thing is that, as an idea, Islamic State is probably not dead yet, at least in the minds of many Muslims. He points out regions which are ripe for another Islamic State (prominent among them is Mindano in Philippines). "Wherever there is grievance, savagery can be sown. Wherever there is savagery, it can be used and exploited. Wherever it can be exploited, the nightmare can endure", he says. Humanity should work towards reducing grievances on one hand. On the other hand, as one Islamic State advocate puts, "the fact is, even if you were to stop bombing us, imprisoning us, torturing us, vilifying us, and usurping our lands, we would continue to hate you because our primary reason to hate you will not case to exist until you embrace Islam". This can be curtailed only by the scholars of Islam. It is not a fight the outsiders, the infidels, can win.
February 6, 2017
You've probably heard this story: ISIS militia stops a Christian family travelling in their car, asking them if they are Muslim. The man says that yes, they are. "Prove it!", demands an ISIS soldier. In response the man recites a passage from the Bible, and the soldier lets them go. The man's wife, scared to death, asks her husband how he could do such a thing and put them at such a risk. "I didn't", responds the man. "If they knew Koran, they wouldn't be doing what they are doing". The tale is to teach us, Western liberal progressives, that ISIS has nothing to do with Islam, despite its very name. In his book Wood proves that this view on ISIS is just patently wrong.
Some time ago I asked my friends to recommend me some books/articles that could help me understand the situation in the Middle East. One of my friends responded with a long email listing lots of interesting reads, among which I found Wood's article for the Atlantic of 2015 (). The book actually builds on this article (some passages are directly incorporated into the book), which was not quite what I expected. Throughout the pages of the book, we make a closer acquaintance with Wood's interlocutors mentioned in the article, ISIS ideologues, acolytes or followers, none of whom is ignorant of Islam, Koran, hadiths, islamic history, schools or teachings. Their convictions and beliefs are repulsive and scary, but contrarily to what we are often told, none of them is dumb.
One of the topics in Wood's book is the unwillingness of islamic scholars to intellectually engage in a critique of the teachings of ISIS. The reasons we are nudged to deduce from his interviews range from moral repulsion, to the fear of political damage to Muslim community to the awareness of the proximity of ISIS's dogmatic position to one's own. I wish the author elaborated on this subject a little more. It is one of a few interesting adds-on to the original article.
I hesitated between four and five stars, but in this age of fake news, alternative facts and falshoods giving one extra star seems the least one can do to appreciate solid research and fact-based reporting.
Some time ago I asked my friends to recommend me some books/articles that could help me understand the situation in the Middle East. One of my friends responded with a long email listing lots of interesting reads, among which I found Wood's article for the Atlantic of 2015 (). The book actually builds on this article (some passages are directly incorporated into the book), which was not quite what I expected. Throughout the pages of the book, we make a closer acquaintance with Wood's interlocutors mentioned in the article, ISIS ideologues, acolytes or followers, none of whom is ignorant of Islam, Koran, hadiths, islamic history, schools or teachings. Their convictions and beliefs are repulsive and scary, but contrarily to what we are often told, none of them is dumb.
One of the topics in Wood's book is the unwillingness of islamic scholars to intellectually engage in a critique of the teachings of ISIS. The reasons we are nudged to deduce from his interviews range from moral repulsion, to the fear of political damage to Muslim community to the awareness of the proximity of ISIS's dogmatic position to one's own. I wish the author elaborated on this subject a little more. It is one of a few interesting adds-on to the original article.
I hesitated between four and five stars, but in this age of fake news, alternative facts and falshoods giving one extra star seems the least one can do to appreciate solid research and fact-based reporting.
March 5, 2017
Via its absorbing retelling of probing interviews with supporters of the Islamic State, and a compelling analysis of publications by its adherents, "The Way of the Strangers" provides important insight into what really motivates the organisation. The evidence shows convincingly that the organisation is (despite common opinions to the contrary): thoroughly religious, part of an authentic strand of Islam, and a genuine threat to human well-being worldwide.
It's also chilling to compare the intense self-assurance of the IS supporters with the intense self-assurance of the Trump fan boys.
In short, the book is convincing, well-researched, thoughtful, and frightening.
PS I listened to the Audible version, and commend the narrator, Jeff Harding.
It's also chilling to compare the intense self-assurance of the IS supporters with the intense self-assurance of the Trump fan boys.
In short, the book is convincing, well-researched, thoughtful, and frightening.
PS I listened to the Audible version, and commend the narrator, Jeff Harding.
September 11, 2020
Wood provides a deeper look inside the groups that are attributed to the Islamic State. He attempts to unpack misunderstandings about the politics, religion, behaviors, history, traditions, motivations and interpretations of the beliefs of a wide spectrum of individuals through the conversations with diverse members of the group. His conclusions are as contentious and diverse as the people he interviews.
September 16, 2017
I knew almost nothing about Salafi/jihadi thought or the philosophy/theology of the caliphate. Wood's narrative was useful in understanding what drives various followers, and he is direct and honest in his portrayals while trying to be complete and sympathetic to the extent possible. For example, an Egyptian Salafi who had long advocated caliphate-like policies but chooses not to render obedience to ISIS. He says he is too old to travel and doesn't know who they are and what they stand for. Wood holds him accountable: "It beggared belief that he didn't know enough about the Islamic State . . . and even if [he] knew just a little, he would at least be aware that Baghdadi had ordered him to submit" (60).
He calls scholars to account (77) for the ridiculous notion that the Islamic State is not motivated by religion, or that Islam is a religion of peace that does not promote what IS followers say it does. These notions, Wood shows, are ridiculous. One of the difficulties of confronting IS from within Islam, in fact, is that Islamic tradition and theology -- at least some strands -- *do* support IS. (This struck me as very much like what James Carroll does in Constantine's Sword, where he meticulously details that Jew-hating and anti-Semitism are not unfortunate aberrations of Christian theology and practice, but central to it). He cites with approval Hamza Yusuf, saying that "The problem was not, and never has been, a failure of mainstream Muslims to condemn terrorism, or to denounce the Islamic State. The problem is their reluctance to seriously acknowledge or engage with the Islamic State intellectually." (216).
Finally, he shows where the movement may go next: the Philippines. "the Islamic State knows that people who live in intolerably violent conditions will seek salvation from anyone who credibly offers it . . . [lawlessness] and chaos . . . are problems everywhere . . . and [IS] knows that if it can offer security under its own brand, by unifying factions and employing extraordinary and unprecedented violence, it might find new footholds" (278-9). he then cites Boko Haram, where: "Rapid social change in the north of Nigeria left a Muslim population -- once powerful and stable -- upended and neglected by the national government . . . . "A look at a map of Muslim-majority countries, and a passing knowledge of the outrageous levels of misgovernment and criminality in many of them, shows that Mindanao and Nigeria are but two instances of a global problem."
Some of his analysis is simple but trenchant: "There is something in Dharirism attractive to young people prone to binary, totalizing worldviews. I was amazed to learn that the declaration of the ISIS caliphate may have been catalyzed by pressure from an American (John/Yahya) who, with his allies, threatened to declare a rival caliphate in order to pressure Baghdadi into doing it. "Western jihadists . . . often fit a broad profile. . . . Yahya came from a middle-or upper-middle class family; he squandered opportunities commensurate with his innate talent; he recognized that he would not excel in the fields chosen or glorified by his parents and authority figures. Often, a personal crisis . . . triggers existential contemplation, and the meaning-seeking behavior that leads one to religion; in John's case, his childhood [illness] might have filled that role. Jihadists are also overwhelmingly left-brained, analytic types . . . [When John converted at a Texas university, just after 9/11, "conversion to islam would have been a singular act of rebellion, a great glob of hawked-up spit in the eyes of his dad and other authority figures" (147).
Wood teases out nuances of the different ways jihadism manifests based on a person's country of origin/cultural beliefs: "Where Yahya viewed the Islamic State through is own Texas libertarianism, Abdul Muhid and the others projected onto it the failed ideasl of the Britain in which they were raised. Abdul Muhid lamented the lot of the poor in Britain . . . The economic theories of Abu Baraa would be well received in the cerebral precincts of the Occupy movement" (190).
He is clearly frustrated with a scholar like Yasir Qadhi, who "amazed" Wood by "respond[ing] to the Islamic State's theology with a lecture on campaign finance reform" (Qadhi had argued that the real root of the IS problem is "the sins of the US government -- not just its foreign policy but its prison system, its militaristic culture, its drone strikes, and its failure to remove money from the political process" (221).
Most disturbing from a historical perspective, Wood points out that Jonathan Sacks has pointed out that the first two Abrahamic monotheisms suffered spells of violent extremism at roughly the same stage in their histories, about 1,500 years after their foundings.
His analysis of apocalyptic thought, including a foreseen battle at "Dabiq" is fascinating from a philosophical perspective for those interested in cross-cultural millenarism and apocalypticism. And Wood points to research that the failure of millenarist expectations to come to fruition does not dampen the belief. "refutation would harden beliefs that were held with conviction by people who were emotionally, spiritually, socially, and materially invested in their truth" (268).
He calls scholars to account (77) for the ridiculous notion that the Islamic State is not motivated by religion, or that Islam is a religion of peace that does not promote what IS followers say it does. These notions, Wood shows, are ridiculous. One of the difficulties of confronting IS from within Islam, in fact, is that Islamic tradition and theology -- at least some strands -- *do* support IS. (This struck me as very much like what James Carroll does in Constantine's Sword, where he meticulously details that Jew-hating and anti-Semitism are not unfortunate aberrations of Christian theology and practice, but central to it). He cites with approval Hamza Yusuf, saying that "The problem was not, and never has been, a failure of mainstream Muslims to condemn terrorism, or to denounce the Islamic State. The problem is their reluctance to seriously acknowledge or engage with the Islamic State intellectually." (216).
Finally, he shows where the movement may go next: the Philippines. "the Islamic State knows that people who live in intolerably violent conditions will seek salvation from anyone who credibly offers it . . . [lawlessness] and chaos . . . are problems everywhere . . . and [IS] knows that if it can offer security under its own brand, by unifying factions and employing extraordinary and unprecedented violence, it might find new footholds" (278-9). he then cites Boko Haram, where: "Rapid social change in the north of Nigeria left a Muslim population -- once powerful and stable -- upended and neglected by the national government . . . . "A look at a map of Muslim-majority countries, and a passing knowledge of the outrageous levels of misgovernment and criminality in many of them, shows that Mindanao and Nigeria are but two instances of a global problem."
Some of his analysis is simple but trenchant: "There is something in Dharirism attractive to young people prone to binary, totalizing worldviews. I was amazed to learn that the declaration of the ISIS caliphate may have been catalyzed by pressure from an American (John/Yahya) who, with his allies, threatened to declare a rival caliphate in order to pressure Baghdadi into doing it. "Western jihadists . . . often fit a broad profile. . . . Yahya came from a middle-or upper-middle class family; he squandered opportunities commensurate with his innate talent; he recognized that he would not excel in the fields chosen or glorified by his parents and authority figures. Often, a personal crisis . . . triggers existential contemplation, and the meaning-seeking behavior that leads one to religion; in John's case, his childhood [illness] might have filled that role. Jihadists are also overwhelmingly left-brained, analytic types . . . [When John converted at a Texas university, just after 9/11, "conversion to islam would have been a singular act of rebellion, a great glob of hawked-up spit in the eyes of his dad and other authority figures" (147).
Wood teases out nuances of the different ways jihadism manifests based on a person's country of origin/cultural beliefs: "Where Yahya viewed the Islamic State through is own Texas libertarianism, Abdul Muhid and the others projected onto it the failed ideasl of the Britain in which they were raised. Abdul Muhid lamented the lot of the poor in Britain . . . The economic theories of Abu Baraa would be well received in the cerebral precincts of the Occupy movement" (190).
He is clearly frustrated with a scholar like Yasir Qadhi, who "amazed" Wood by "respond[ing] to the Islamic State's theology with a lecture on campaign finance reform" (Qadhi had argued that the real root of the IS problem is "the sins of the US government -- not just its foreign policy but its prison system, its militaristic culture, its drone strikes, and its failure to remove money from the political process" (221).
Most disturbing from a historical perspective, Wood points out that Jonathan Sacks has pointed out that the first two Abrahamic monotheisms suffered spells of violent extremism at roughly the same stage in their histories, about 1,500 years after their foundings.
His analysis of apocalyptic thought, including a foreseen battle at "Dabiq" is fascinating from a philosophical perspective for those interested in cross-cultural millenarism and apocalypticism. And Wood points to research that the failure of millenarist expectations to come to fruition does not dampen the belief. "refutation would harden beliefs that were held with conviction by people who were emotionally, spiritually, socially, and materially invested in their truth" (268).
May 26, 2022
Fascinating and very spooky book... Graeme Wood's Atlantic article pretty much summarized the points and facts presented in this book as a sort od TL:DR version, but still, it was worth reading all the way through. You'll get a pretty good idea of what makes those ISIS killers tick.
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