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Siena Popescu
Mrs. Lucarelli
Comparative Civilizations
9 November 2015
Role and Influence of Islam in ISIS Aggression
Wars have been fought ever since religions had been established. The world has seen
events such as the murderous Crusades in the name of religion, in that case Christianity.
Currently, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, otherwise known as ISIS, a growing menace to the
world, claims that its objectives, accomplished through murder and torture, are to build an
Islamic state or caliphate. It plans to do so in the region including Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan,
the Palestinian territories, as well as southeastern Turkey (What ISIS Really Wants 2).
ISISs objective is ambitious and loathsome: it aims to take over the entire Earth. In an
article from The Long War Journal it states, The Islamic State seeks nothing less than to
expand until its blessed flagcovers all eastern and western extents of the Earth, filling the
world with the truth and justice of Islam and putting an end to the falsehood and tyranny of
jahiliyyah state of ignorance, even if American and its coalition despise such. Mecca, Medina,
Rome, and Jerusalem all will fall to the Islamic State (Joscelyn 1). It has been reported that
the organization wants to conquer the world and intends to murder anyone who does not
comply with the Quran. ISIS representatives live by the creed that all religions who agree with
democracy have to die, and actively intend to kill "hundreds of millions" of people (Islamic
State of Iraq and the Levant 1).

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Religious extremism is at the center of the ISIS movement. The only debatable part is
whether ISIS utilizes religion for political purposes or its only goal is pursuit of its religious
beliefs. Either way, Islam is linked to ISIS and its activities in present day Middle East. As a
result, Muslim influence is important to understanding the groups expansion through terrorism.
The connection between ISIS and religion has two possible explanations. One says that
ISIS is only religious, driven to create a caliphate. The other is more complex, as written,
Religion does play a role in terrorism dispersed by ISIS, to be sure, but it's more often a way of
justifying or channeling a political vision. Religion is rarely the driving force behind terrorism
(Green 1). This second explanation shows that the motives of the group may be more than simply
religious, but instead ISIS uses religion for political advancement.
ISIS is impacting more than just the Middle East region, however. For example, since September
2014, the US has had an alliance with European and Arab states. Together, they began a military
force against ISIS. Russia also sent its air force to attack all enemies of President Assads Syrian
government, ISIS included, although this last part is debatable. One event which brings to light
the terror ISIS is spreading occurred only several days ago, when a Russian civilian plane
crashed in the Middle East. The United States believes a bomb placed on the plane by the
terrorist group had brought it down, killing all 224 passengers. (USA Today 1.)
The involvement of ISIS in the Middle East will undoubtedly distress the world now and
in the future. Religion, in this case Islam, is either the reason behind or the excuse of the states
terroristic actions. Either way, the Quran and the overall Islam religion it establishes plays an
immense part in ISISs activities and is likely to continue doing so, affecting the entire world.

Works Cited

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Bacon, John. "Russian Official: Jet Broke Apart 'at High Altitude'" USA Today. N.p., n.d. Web.
05 Nov. 2015.

Green, Ph.D. Todd. "Is ISIS Islamic? Why This Is the Wrong Question to Ask." The Huffington
Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2015.

"Inside Isis: The First Western Journalist Ever to Be Given Access to the 'Islamic State' Has Just
Returned and This Is What He Discovered."The Independent. Independent Digital News and
Media, n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2015.

"Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Web. 04 Nov. 2015.

Webly, Peter. "What Is ISIS?" Tony Blair Faith Foundation. N.p., Web. 05 Nov. 2015.

Wood, Graeme. "What ISIS Really Wants." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 15 Feb.
2015. Web. 06 Nov. 2015.