From the Biographies of the Distinguished Martyrs: (38) Abu Zahra al-Issawi
The penultimate Iraqi cofounder
The thirty-eighth “distinguished martyr” is Abu Zahra al-Issawi, another founder of Islamic State–the most important figures were saved for last in the series. Interestingly, this entry is not signed by Abu Ismail al-Muhajir, but Abu Abdul Malik. It is unclear if this was another figure or Muhajir under a new kunya.
Abu Zahra was from Fallujah and joined the jihadist underground early on, before the war, but these initial efforts are not described. After the war began, he and his comrades, like Abu al-Harith al-Issawi and Abu Azzam al-Iraqi, merged with Zarqawi’s group. This was presumably in Baghdad before the broader merger at Rawah. As a result, Abu Zahra became a top advisor to Zarqawi. Soon, his house became a key refuge for the first wave of foreign fighters, such as Abu Anas al-Shami, Abu Muhammad al-Lubnani, and other prominent jihadists. This is presumably how Zarqawi first came into contact with the Rawah-based network. They later merged their efforts to form Jama’at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad at Rawah. Abu Abdul Malik then skips over a large period in Abu Zahra’s jihadist career, jumping to when he was arrested and imprisoned at Fort Suse in northern Iraq. The Fort was turned into a prison in 2005, so Abu Zahra was presumably arrested in 2005 or 2006. Astonishingly, he managed to escape the prison, and in 2007 he was appointed the Minister of Information in the Islamic State of Iraq. He was later killed in an ambush by Blackwater mercenaries.
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
The Minister Advisor, Abu Zahra Ali al-Issawi, the diligent worker, the noble and generous, the pure hidden poet...
Born in the city of Fallujah, he recognized the truth and committed to it early on. He joined Shaykh Abu Musab along with a group of his companions, including the hero Abu al-Harith al-Issawi and the commander Abu Azzam al-Iraqi (may God have mercy on them all). They pledged allegiance to him and remained steadfast by his side. Noble souls and lofty ambitions converged on a single goal: building an Islamic state where its people would be honored and the banner of monotheism would be raised.
God blessed our companion with qualities that lived up to the greatness of his name. He was dignified, generous, inclined toward noble matters, and above trivialities. He was intelligent, perceptive, wise, and sound in judgment. When Shaykh Emir Abu Musab met him, he became one of his closest advisors. A story Abu Zahra took pride in and a moment he never ceased to mention with Shaykh Emir (may God have mercy on him): During one blessed gathering where the brothers of jihad were discussing their affairs, our companion sat beside Shaykh Abu Musab. The Shaykh took off his ring and gifted it to Abu Zahra–a keepsake he always cherished, saying, "That day, all the brothers present envied me."
Abu Zahra's home became a sanctuary for the mujahidin, especially the early migrants like Shaykh Abu Anas al-Shami, Shaykh Abu Muhammad al-Lubnani, and others from the first generation. They were among those who laid the foundational stones for the group [that is, JTJ] that opened a great door of good for the Muslims. May God reward them abundantly and compensate them on behalf of the Ummah.
Our beloved continued on the path of jihad in the cause of God until God decreed his capture. The Crusaders knew his status with Shaykh Emir and were certain he knew his whereabouts. They offered him their infamous reward, 25 million dollars, for information leading to the Shaykh, a prize for which worldly people would fight over even a fraction. Yet he endured this trial, suffering various forms of torture at their hands, moving between their prisons until he was finally held in the fortified Castle of Suse in northern Iraq.
There, Abu Zahra's soul (may God have mercy on him) refused to accept the reality of captivity. He planned an escape from this heavily fortified prison, succeeding in a way that humiliated the Crusaders and enraged them. After this, he became one of the most wanted by the Crusader army and the apostate government.
In the year 1428 AH [2007 CE], he was appointed by Amir al-Mu'minin Abu Umar al-Baghdadi as the Minister of Information for the Islamic State of Iraq. He was perfectly suited for the role, combining the qualities of a discerning writer, a wise poet, and an indefatigable worker. After this appointment, he was never seen without his pistol at his side. God allowed me to meet him several times in a single house, where I saw him weary and burdened by the weight of this trust, which consumed all his time and thoughts–especially during the critical phase the Islamic State was going through at the time, which coincided with a fierce campaign to dismantle the State's media, which had unsettled the American administration and embarrassed its army in Iraq.
Abu Zahra could not rest until he went himself–despite being wanted by name and appearance–leaving his family and children behind, taking great risks as he moved through Baghdad’s neighborhoods and elsewhere to meet the brothers, manage their affairs, and lift their spirits. I often heard him repeat, "O God, I complain to You of my weakness, my helplessness, and my insignificance before the people." Due to his activities, he became one of the most wanted by the Crusaders and their filthy security companies.
Despite all this, these circumstances never diminished his noble traits of generosity and chivalry. One day, I mentioned to him the situation of a needy widow of a mujahid, and he became angry, saying, "As long as I breathe, I will never let her want for anything," and he took responsibility for her needs (may God have vast mercy on him).
As for his love for his brothers, he was like a tender father–loving them, inquiring about their well-being, and joking with them. He was good-natured, easygoing, and humble with his brothers and loved ones. If you were to ask me about his prayers, by God, I have never seen anyone like him when he stood before his Lord–humble, trembling, and weeping. We hold good thoughts of him, and God is his Reckoner.
As for his diligence in work, do not ask–he would leave in the morning and return at night, exhausted from hardship. Despite the many blankets, he would still shiver from extreme fatigue. His concern was that the banner of monotheism be raised, and his wish was for God to be pleased with him. He would say, "I want nothing except for God Almighty to be pleased with me."
He often remembered his early companions and would say, "There is no good in me–I remain alive while they have attained the best." He remained in this state until mercenaries from Blackwater set a trap to capture him. He was a fearless warrior who chose death over disgrace, refusing to let the Muslims be harmed because of him. The pistol that never left his side came into play, and he was killed at their hands–may God have mercy on him and grant him an abundant reward.
His body was buried in a Rafidhi cemetery, but his family later retrieved it after identifying his remains. Astonishingly, his body remained unchanged even after more than a year–his mouth still smiling, his front tooth (which used to move in life) still moving after death, his body warm, and his blood flowing.
Upon you be the mercy, coolness, and peace from the Most Generous in the gardens of eternity.
And if tears are ever deserved, then they are for men like these great ones–so let the weepers weep...
O knight who traversed the lands far and wide
Seeking the pleasure of the Ever-Living Guide.
Steadfast, courageous, noble in trait
Like a lion pouncing on disbelief's state.
O rider of hardships with determination high
Seeking nearness to the One, the Most High.
You humiliated the Crusaders' crowd
Reducing them to servants, weak and wrong.
You, the noble and free–your foe
Returned with tyranny and loss in tow.
Rejoice, Abu Zahra, your faith now stands tall
In the state of Islam and its knights overall.
Written by:
Abu Abdul Malik