Why Do They Join the IS From Turkey?
By Doğu Ergil
September 16, 2014
The Islamic State
(IS), formerly the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), has occupied
enough land in Syria and Iraq alike to declare statehood. After doing this it
called on all Muslims throughout the world to declare their respective
governments void and null and to obey the commands of the caliph, its head of
state. The IS has a global call to unite all Muslims under one banner and
authority. Its method to attain global influence is jihad, or holy war.
Many people from
Muslim communities scattered all over the world have answered the call and
joined the ranks of the IS. Reports suggest that a great deal of the recruits
have passed through Turkey, which was eager to support the Syrian opposition,
in the process disregarding the “boomerang effect” of supporting radicals.
Many Muslims from
Western countries as well as local and regional communities have been attracted
to the IS since it arrived on the scene. I am sure many studies will be
conducted as to why and what kind of people joins this Jihadi organization. My
concerns are about the Turkish fathers and mothers who take their children with
them -- sometimes, though rarely, even whole families -- in addition to the
many young people that leave their countries to seek a new life in the ranks of
this organization.
A crude analysis of
the reasons why citizens of Turkey have joined the IS reveals two essential
reasons that stand out among the others:
1. Foremost among the
reasons is a socio-cultural environment that has an affinity with the mentality
that drives the IS.
There are deep-seated
feelings of defeat and an inability to compete with the West. A mindset of
being besieged and persecuted by the West has led to unending frustration and
rage against Europe and the US.
However, there are
closer realities that represent the West in the womb of the Islamic
communities: the nation-state, the secular elite and pro-Western governments,
all of which are seen as corruptive influences of the West. With modernization,
the West has disrupted the traditional texture of the Islamic community and
enslaved it by alienating it from its original values. Hence the West must be
overwhelmed in order to put an end to its corruptive influences whenever
possible by direct assault on its symbolic or real cultural realities.
This is both a
struggle of survival and an effort to revive what has been lost. It is these
thoughts that they have learned and internalized during their religious
education. They want to deliver Islam out from under the hold of the demonic
West, namely Turkey's secular regime, the cult of its creator, Mustafa Kemal
Atatürk, and a modern way of life -- including the emancipation of women.
The appearance of the
signatures of Ottoman sultans on the rear windows of cars or as buttons on
lapels reveals a nostalgia for Ottoman times as opposed to republican times,
which are perceived as a deviance from Islam.
Motivated by these
beliefs and sentiments, fathers and mothers -- sometimes whole families -- but
especially young people, join the IS.
Needless to say, what
is said here is relevant for some of the believers. But the politicization of
religion, as secular governments have failed to satisfy their people, has
helped the process of radicalization of the believers who were ready to save
their religion and an Islamic way of life described as a mixture of traditional
communal living and pre-modern values.
2. The second reason
is psychological. The stark truth that has surfaced after previous interviews
with al-Qaeda affiliates and current interviews with young people ready to join
the IS is that all are seeking a meaningful and distinguished life. The
volunteers that have been contacted are people who lead an ordinary life. They
are a part of the crowd and insignificant. They want to be part of a movement
or group that pursues a cause that is larger than life.
“Brother, we want a
story of our own,” is a common motto. Their struggle will be the panacea for
their insignificance.
When the proclivity
for sacrifice is reinforced by religious training, you have a radical that is
ready to render his or her will to an authority that claims to have a monopoly
on truth and righteous behavior.
In sum, there is a
category of people who are made to believe that being Muslim is enough to be
good, just and moral. They do not care whether their behavior is legal, ethical
or consonant with universal standards of proper behavior. When encouraged by
informal religious education or acculturation to be a jihadist and perform the
duties of religion -- foremost among them the fight against the West and
everything affiliated with it -- we have a pool of radicals ready to join
violent groups with larger-than-life “causes.” This is a thesis to reckon with.
Source:
http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist/dogu-ergil/why-do-they-join-the-is-from-turkey_358883.html
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-terrorism-jihad/they-join-turkey/d/99130