From the Biographies of the Distinguished Martyrs: (2) Abu Hurayra al-Hijazi
The second “distinguished martyr” profiled by Abu Ismail al-Muhajir is Abu Hurayra al-Hijazi. As his name suggests, he was a Saudi national from the Hijaz. This recalls a motif in Islamic State history: the old link with Arabian jihadism, especially the original Al Qaida in Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).
The two movements have longstanding overlaps in membership and ideology, resulting in well-documented mutual affinity. To this day, IS praises all leaders and members of the original AQAP and many figures from the current AQAP. Indeed, IS did not excommunicate latter for over a year and a half after the original split with AQ. Likewise, many AQAP members had been avid supporters or even veterans of the IS movement. Consider Ma’mun Hatim. He was a top Ansar al-Sharia official who openly supported IS and urged Baghdadi to declare the caliphate for months before the actual declaration.1 Consider also Muhammad al-Rashid, who fought in ISI’s ranks in Anbar and Ninawa before returning to Yemen. The relationship goes far back.
Abu Hurayra is therefore one of the earliest members of this tradition, as best shown by his specific version of jihadism. Muhajir reports that Abu Hurayra prioritized fighting “apostates” over “original disbelievers”–a central belief in the IS worldview. Although Muhajir does not say, it is highly likely that Abu Hurayra was extremely sectarian against Shias, as they figure prominently in the Arabian jihadist worldview, owing to the immense influence of Najdi Dawah (aka Wahhabism).
Muhajir also provides interesting information about the Iraqi jihadist scene early in the insurgency. He reports that Abu Hurayra initially joined an unnamed Sunni group in Northern Iraq, which was apparently unrelated to Zarqawi’s network. Strikingly, Abu Hurayra was selected to perform a suicide car bombing for this group. Suicide bombings were strongly associated with Zarqawi’s network, especially in the early months of the insurgency. For over a year, such operations were taboo among most Iraqi groups, yet Muhajir’s report indicates that at least some insurgents were in-line with the “Zarqawists.” In a sense, this exceptional group highlights a broader truth: The Iraqi jihadist scene was destined to transform into IS, in one form or another.
In the name of God, the most Gracious, the most Merciful
Abu Hurayra al-Hijazi:
An imam of guidance and a teacher of righteousness, a man of pure belief who would not compromise on it even if it cost him separation from his family, wealth and land. His belief was firmer than mountains and purer than milk. He came early with righteous companions from among his brothers who were new to righteousness. He sat among them as a teacher and servant, planting in their hearts some of the purity of his belief, and he began to tend his field and look after it until it bore fruit in the souls of his companions.
One of his sayings was: “Fighting the blacks is more important than fighting the whites” ; meaning by that the traitorous apostates, spies, police, and American agents of all kinds. His slogan was: “Fight those of the disbelievers who are near you and let them find in you harshness.” One of his sayings was: “Fighting the apostate is more important than fighting the original disbeliever,”2 saying that the Sharia has settled on that.
He always cited the story of the best of creation after the prophets, and the most knowledgeable of them, I mean Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may God be pleased with him, and that when the Arabs apostatized, he began fighting them before the original infidels, and the Companions opposed him in that, so he argued with them until God opened their hearts. Thus Abu Hurayra used to say: “So why do we not take a position of truth like al-Siddiq? Perhaps God will open the hearts of our people as He opened the hearts of the Companions.”
He used to say: “If I saw an apostate clinging to the curtains of the Kaaba, I would kill him. And if I saw an infidel coming out of a corner of a mosque, his blood would be forbidden to me.”
O Abu Hurayra! You have repeatedly said that the police, the army, and the Governing Council are infidels in more than twenty ways. When will the hearts of Muslims be reassured in fighting them? You have repeatedly roared about this, and I have seen regret dripping from your lips when you say, “If only my people knew.”
My friend joined a Sunni group operating in the northern region, and decided to carry out a martyrdom operation against a handful of senior apostates.3 A car was prepared for him for that purpose, and glory be to God, every time he went to carry out the operation, the operation became difficult for many reasons, so he would leave even if he was close to the target.
He returned from the target three times in this manner, until he said to me after that: “I have become accustomed to going and I no longer feel the terror of the situation.” Then it seemed to our friend that he should leave that group with which he was fighting from northern Iraq for reasons he saw.
Our friend was always searching for us and did not know where we were due to the secrecy surrounding our group for circumstances known to everyone. He heard that there was a gathering seemingly taking shape, which had most (if not all) of the Arabs who had come to Land of Two Rivers. Finally, he reached us, along with the brothers who were with him. Then the beloved took his turn among his brothers, advising and guiding them.
It was only a short while before he spoke to me about his strong desire to carry out a martyrdom operation. I said to him: “You are welcome! But be patient because you have brothers who have already asked before you.” Then he repeated the request once again, and set a condition that was new to me. I did not think that among the young brothers there would be anyone whose thinking could mature and whose belief could be so firm and steadfast. He said: “I want a martyrdom operation against the apostates. I do not want it against the Americans. There are those who wish to carry out a martyrdom operation against them, but as for these filthy people, they are more deserving of my attention, and I see others slacking off in taking revenge on them . ”
I said to him: Be happy. One of his brothers had previously seen a positive vision of him–he saw that Abu Hurayra had destroyed a two-story building and hit a small building next to it. It had not yet been decided what action Abu Hurayra would take, as the targets were still being monitored and surveilled. One day, one of the brothers monitoring told me that there was a rich target where a large number of apostates were gathered in a province neighboring ours, and the mujahideen had been greatly harmed, even to the point of including Muslim women. The operations against the Crusaders were affected by the activity of these people...
So I said: “Describe it to me.” He said: “The building of the Public Security Directorate in such-and-such governorate, and next to it is the municipal council building, where the Americans gather on such-and-such a day at such-and-such an hour.” I presented the work to Abu Hurayra and described the place to him, and he rejoiced, cheered, and said: “I give you good news, O Shaykh.” I said: “What? We still see good news from you, give good news.” So he told me the vision, and I was happy because I knew that the likelihood of success was high.
On the day of execution, he told me something I will never forget... He said:
O Shaykh, I am going to what you see, and God's knowledge is not out of curiosity, so this is not its place, but it is a religion. The Messenger of God - may God bless him and grant him peace - said (Whoever dies without having pledged allegiance around his neck...)
I know that this is in the greater pledge, but I expect that I will have its reward since I did not reach it in the pledge of jihad... So who is my leader?
I said: Your leader is Abu Mus’ab [al-Zarqawi]. And Abu Hurayra said:
I bear witness that I have pledged allegiance to Abu Mus’ab to hear and obey in times of ease and hardship and to give him preference over us, and not to dispute authority with those in authority unless I see clear disbelief, for which I have proof from God.
Then he got into his car and set off for his destination.
At half past eight in the morning, the beloved Abu Hurayra was next to his beloved, the Messenger of God–may God bless him and grant him peace–we think so, and the gang of apostates were next to Pharaoh and Haman, we have no doubt about that, and with them were a handful of cowherds... and praise be to God for success and guidance.
Returning to the matter of allegiance, the reader may be surprised by the question, yes brother, when we gathered, the brothers would come to us and not know who their emir was, or at least many of them, they would only know their direct emir, like our case. Our friend only knew the poor servant [Abu Ismail], despite his inability and lack of goods, but I would tell them: We have a general emir, it is not necessary to know him, because we gathered under the banner of “There is no god but God.” We have hated for a long time the fanaticism of groups and names, despite its legitimacy, as I am the son of a well-known group of these, but in Iraq we wanted it to be purely for God, and we were determined to do so, and out of fear of hypocrisy, with which virtue descends like a torrential flood, and the problems of arrogance and pride, we continued on that, fighting and exploding, until days passed when we had six martyrdom operations in one day in one hour.
And the intention was that it would be a sincere call to God. He said: And money is necessary. We said: The treasures of the heavens are inexhaustible. But after that, groups attributed some of these operations to it to collect money in our presence. There is no power or strength except with God. So we feared, by God, for the blood that it may be claimed by those who have no faith or morals, thus squandering the fruits of jihad. So the group4 was formed, and God is the Grantor of success and on Him we rely.
Written by:
Abu Ismail al-Muhajir
Somewhat humorously, Hatim refused to join IS-Yemen because he felt it counterproductive to divide Yemeni jihadism into two organizations–his opposition was strictly pragmatic. Thomas Joscelyn, Bill Roggio, “US reportedly kills Ansar al Sharia official in drone strike in Yemen,” Long War Journal, 12 May, 2015. Link: https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2015/05/us-reportedly-kills-ansar-al-sharia-official-in-drone-strike-in-yemen.php
This belief is central to Islamic State’s ideology.
Note that Muhajir does not state that this group belonged to Zarqawi’s network, suggesting it was an independent Iraqi militia. This would indicate that already in 2003-04, the Iraqi insurgency had homegrown Salafi Jihadist outfits capable and willing to commit suicide bombings.
Referring to Jama’at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad