Views /Opinion

Why are we surprised about the emergence of Da’esh (ISIS)? Why do we see its bloody appearance and fanatic behaviour as odd and digusting?

Social media are full of pictures and videos reflecting their horrible and ugly practices. These horrifying practices are just a part of the succession of bloody incidents that have happened during Iraq’s modern and ancient history, which is part of the history of this region. Although, Da’esh intentionally publicly disseminates its atrocities, the crimes committed by the regime of former Iraqi prime minister Al Maliki, which Daesh tried to obliterate, are to some extent similar to crimes committed by Saddam Hussein, and actions of former rulers of Iraq do not differ much from the situations in prisons run by Arab regimes. 
Da’esh practices are based on its interpretation of the Islamic teachings, and its adherence to this interpretation and brainwashing of its followers were not accidental. All Islamic religious and political powers, with no exception, denounce its practices and its timing but at the same time none of them denies that these practices are based on Fatwas and religious views that exist in books of heritage and Islamic teachings, albeit “extreme” ones. They may not agree with its extreme implementations and its timing but they do not completely deny its existence. 
A question then begs itself: How does such bloody extremism originate and spread, while formal and pseudo-formal religious and political powers in our region claim that they are moderate and believe in tolerance and coexistence?
A fact which we cannot deny is that Da’esh followers are mostly a product of our region, are graduates of our schools, were worshippers in our mosques, recipients of our media and our different public platforms. They are or were readers of our books, and listeners to our preachers, living among us but now allegiant to their leaders.
Da’esh did not come from another planet, nor was it a product of the Western schools, even if some of them hold foreign passports, but their bloody, intellectual mobilisations were preached out by our clerics, our educational curricula and our religious sermons and political speeches. 
Our geographical curriculum taught them ancient illusive religious maps which disregard the modern state systems and undermine its geographical borders and realistic policies. So, why were we surprised about the removal of the borders by Da’esh? 
The history books in our schools’ curricula narrate illusions, teach students forged historical facts, and fabricated epic after epic of myths. They learn the history of imaginary stories as solid facts which are not to be investigated, questioned or doubted. Doubt is the number one premise in understanding history through an epistemological approach. 
History is full of copied and pasted narratives with some changes in content and ways of recounting, depending on the narrator, emotions and dramatisation of the story to influence the readers and listeners.
The aim has been to collect information in minds as facts with no room for hesitation, critique, analysis or questioning. It is presented in a utopist style- glorifying the past and then not caring about the future. A Fatwa on air suffices for a Da’esh follower to blow himself up among infidels or any “kafir” groups, thus supposedly shortening the wait and taking him immediately to Paradise.
So, why are we surprised when they treat followers of other faiths in bad way, deport them or force them to pay tribute (Jizyah)? A case in point is that clerics and politicians, who condemn what Da’esh did to Christians in Mosul, denounce it because of its timing and manner, but do not denounce it in principle as unIslamic.
Da’esh is a declaration of our bankruptcy as states, politicians, intellectuals, clerics, media and educational system. It is the death certificate to all efforts exerted to establish modern civil states which mix religion with politics. It is clear evidence that we will remain in a vicious circle and be left behind in the march of human civilisation. 
As long as we are teaching our children a confusing mixture of metaphysics and natural sciences, we will yield generations after generations of schizophrenics, who prefer isolationism while admiring the advancement and great achievements of other nations. In brief, we are Da’esh because we made it, taught and mobilised it then we stood puzzled and surprised over its practices. Da’esh is our own handiwork.

The writer is an academic and media expert.

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