Just as Islamic State supporters have compiled biographies of prominent Iraqi jihadists who were involved with the Islamic State and its predecessor organisations (including biographies of three of the Islamic State’s previous caliphs: here, here and here), so they have also compiled biographies of jihadists from the Arabian Peninsula (al-Jazira) whom they revere. Not all of the figures documented in this series were members of the Islamic State. For example, among them are al-Qa’ida’s Osama bin Laden and Anwar al-Awlaki (whose legacy is claimed by Islamic State supporters), as well as figures who were involved with al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) prior to the Islamic State’s establishment of the Caliphate in 2014.
The most prominent figures in this series like Bin Laden (the first entry in this list) and Awlaki do not need to have their biographies features and translated here, since they are already well-known. Instead, in this archive, I will present the biographies of the more obscure figures and continuously update this post as I translate and annotate more of the biographies.
2. Shaykh Abdullah al-Rashud
‘Alim Sabi’ al-Jazrawi: he was born in the al-Aflaj region of Najd and raised there. He studied in the Shari’i institutes and then moved to Imam Muhammad bin Sa’ud University and graduated from it. He then moved from studying to lecturing, and then abandoned education in order to undertake the command of jihad. He was pursued by Al Salul and taken prisoner, but he got out. Then his name was placed on the lists of honour. He supported the jihad in Khorasan and provided material assistance to the mujahidin there. He tried to offer sincere advice to some of the Bal’ams who were loyal to Al Salul and he invited many to debates, but they refused and ran away. He was appointed a member of the Shari’i Committee affiliated with AQAP. He issued many books and articles that called to glorify the list of 26. He migrated to Iraq with some of the mashayakh intending to join up with al-Khalayala.
He was killed in a raid on the artificial borders along with the two shaykhs Abu al-Layth al-Najdi and Abu al-Ghada al-Shami in Rabi’ al-Akhir of the year 1426 AH.
He was the crow for Nasir al-Omar, al-'Awda, al-Hawali and the likes of them.
[Notes]:
. al-Aflaj: a governorate in central Saudi Arabia.
. Shari’i institutes: institutes for the study of religion and religious law.
. Al Salul: a derisive reference to the Saudi royal family, portraying them as hypocrites and apostates from Islam.
. Lists of honour: lists of wanted terrorists.
. Khorasan: the Afghanistan region.
. Bal’ams: referring to Bal’am (the Biblical Balaam). His name is used to denote speakers of evil.
. Shari’i Committee: a committee dealing with affairs of Islam and Islamic law.
. The list of 26: a list of 26 wanted terrorists issued by the Saudi authorities in December 2003. Rashud was number 24 on that list.
. Mashayakh: shaykhs.
. al-Khalayala: referring to Abu Mus’ab al-Zarqawi, who led al-Qa’ida’s branch in Iraq.
. Rabi’ al-Akhir of the year 1426 AH: May-June 2005 CE.
3. Shaykh Hamad bin Abdullah al-Hamidi
The hadith scholar Abu Abdullah al-Shammary al-Ta’i. He was born in Najd and studied there, and he became one of the most prominent preachers there. He supported the mujahidin financially, organised campaigns and incited to mobilisation. He migrated to Khorasan, trained in its camps and participated in jihad against the Soviets. He returned to Najd and became interested in da’wa and lecturing, so by the grace of God, he transformed his city of al-Zulfi into an abode for the people of Tawhid, and he continued his activities in all the regions of al-Riyadh. He was taken prisoner after 9/11 because of his support for Shaykh bin Laden, but he got out after a coerced pledge. He congratulated al-Qa’ida for its branch in the Arabian Peninsula. He supported it financially and advised the youth to join it if they were unable to mobilise to Bilad al-Rafidayn. He joined the organisation and worked in the Shari’i Committee and continued to write articles in support of jihad and in response to the stirrers of doubt. He personally participated in a number of bombings, assaults and attacks, rejecting the notion of sitting back because of his old age. He was subjected to raids by Al Salul multiple times and he was wounded in one of them. In the last raid, they managed to wound him and take him prisoner. While he was in prison, some articles he wrote were published, especially during the Dawla’s fight with the factions, as he called to abandon fighting the mujahidin. He gave allegiance to, blessed and supported the establishment of the Caliphate and the appointment of the imam. He also responded to some of the sowers of confusion, such that the death sentence was issued against him.
The death sentence was carried out and he was killed with some of the mashayakh in Rabi’ al-Awal 1437 AH.
[Notes]:
. Da’wa: religious outreach and proselytisation.
. al-Zulfi: a city in the Riyadh region in central Saudi Arabia.
. Bilad al-Rafidayn: “The land of the two rivers” (i.e. Iraq).
. Dawla: The Islamic State. The fighting with the factions refers to infighting between the Islamic State and Syrian insurgent groups beginning in 2014.
. Appointment of the imam: referring to the appointment of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as the Islamic State’s caliph in June 2014.
. Rabi’ al-Awal 1437 AH: December 2015-January 2016 CE.
