A journalist who spent nearly two years in Syria and had direct encounters with members of ISIS shares his firsthand experiences and the clear Islamic evidence that exposes this group for what they truly are: a modern manifestation of the Khawarij — the deviant sect that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned would recite the Quran without understanding it and cause destruction in the name of religion while having nothing to do with its actual teachings.
On the Ground With ISIS: What He Witnessed
After accepting Islam 18 years ago, studying the Quran in Egypt, and working as the first program director for Huda TV, this journalist went to Syria to document the reality on the ground. What he found was a group that manipulated Islamic texts to justify violence, attracted confused youth through propaganda, and operated as a criminal organization hiding behind religious language — the exact description the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave of the Khawarij over 1,400 years ago.
“The Prophet (peace be upon him) said my Ummah will divide into 73 groups. The Khawarij were the first to split away, and every deviant group since has their characteristics: they recite the Quran, but it does not pass their throats. They do not have understanding.”
Why ISIS Contradicts Everything Islam Teaches
- Islam commands wisdom, not reaction — When a thief enters your house, reacting with a sword without thinking brings no benefit; the Khawarij and their modern descendants act on emotion, not knowledge
- Scholars unanimously reject them — The Prophet said his Ummah’s scholars will not unite upon misguidance; it is the unqualified internet celebrities who mislead youth
- The Sahaba were the standard — Allah says if you believe as the companions of the Prophet believed, you will be rightly guided; no deviant group follows this standard
- The prophetic method is dawah, not fighting — Every messenger Allah sent came with the words “worship Allah and reject false worship,” not “fight and kill”
“Nothing will rectify the latter part of this Ummah except what rectified the former part — returning to the path of the Prophet and his companions. No benefit is coming from these deviant groups who are fighting and killing. They are criminal organizations.”
Returning to the Path of the Companions
The solution to the confusion plaguing Muslim youth is simple: return to the way of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions. Seek knowledge from qualified scholars, not internet personalities. Understand that the obligation of every Muslim is to call people to the Oneness of Allah through compassion and wisdom, not political agitation and violence. When the Ummah returns to what made the first generation the best of all generations, the help of Allah will come — just as it always has for those who walk the straight path.
