The Implementation of Slavery by “Islamic State” Jihadists under the Concept of Sunni Shari’a

Abstract

This article discusses the slavery system, which the jihadist organisation “Islamic State” has recently implemented in parts of Iraq and Syria. The ideological and religious basis for the jihadist organisation’s establishment of slavery can be found in the Salafist understanding of worship and monotheism. According to this understanding, the concept of slavery, which was originally formulated in the Sunni shari’a, is seen as eternally valid and also absolutely unchangeable, and its implementation is perceived as a religious act – as worship of Allah. The author of the article argues that the “Islamic State” in this case is conceptually acting within the theoretical framework of the Sunni legal tradition and, by materializing slavery, is making a replication and transfer of the centuries-old Sunni concept to the present day.

Keywords

• islam
• shari’a
• slavery
• worship
• salafism
• jihadism