By Kyle Orton (@KyleWOrton) on December 29, 2014

The current leader of the Islamic State (IS), Ibrahim al-Badri (Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi), released his first “proper” speech on July 21, 2012. But this was, in fact, his second public statement: Al-Badri had mourned Usama bin Laden in an audio message released on 9 May 2011 and vowed “blood for blood and destruction for destruction”. The 2012 speech, entitled, “Allah Will Not Allow Except That His Light Should Be Perfected”, was released by Al-Furqan Media and an English transcript—reproduced below—was issued by Fursan al-Balagh Media. Some key parts are highlighted in bold.

[UPDATE: The former emir of what was then-the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), Hamid al-Zawi (Abu Umar al-Baghdadi), had been the voice of the Zarqawists all through his tenure from 2006 to 2010. Al-Badri had been appointed emir in May 2010 and—the brief statement in the exceptional circumstances of May 2011 aside—said nothing until July 2012. It was clear that this was a deliberate policy, since Al-Badri obviously believed audio statements from the IS(I) leadership were necessary: he had revived the post of Official Spokesman and given it to Taha Falaha (Abu Muhammad al-Adnani), who made his inaugural speech in August 2011. So the question was: why?

As highlighted by Craig Whiteside, the IS movement itself provided the answer for the two-year delay in Al-Badri making his first “proper” speech. An IS(I) Shura Council member, Abu Ubayda Abd al-Hakim al-Iraqi [whom we now know to be Wael al-Ta’i (Abu Muhammad al-Furqan], gave a “press conference” in April 2011 explaining that the leader’s absence from the media was necessary as the movement rebuilt the foundations to wage their insurgency against the Iraqi state. Once the Americans were out, and with IS(I) clearly on the upswing, Al-Badri broke his silence.

It was surely not accidental that the silence was broken in the first few days of Ramadan, and Al-Badri incites jihadists to step up their attacks to honour the “blessed month”. In Al-Badri’s telling—and we can now see he was essentially telling the truth—the IS movement had significant momentum, was re-entering Iraqi sanctuaries it had been driven from by the Surge and Awakening, had drawn many of the tribes who turned on it only a few years before back into the fold, and was even re-establishing territorial control in parts of Iraq. Al-Badri’s discussion of Syria and his encouragement for foreign fighters to join “the State” were a foreshadowing.

Probably the most historically important aspect of this speech is Al-Badri’s announcement of Operation Tadmir al-Judran (“Breaking the Walls” or “Demolishing the Walls”) to break IS members out of Iraqi prisons. By the time the campaign formally ended on 23 July 2013, it had replenished the IS movement’s ranks with some of their most loyal and capable operatives, who would be crucial over the next year as IS constructed its caliphate. One prominent example is Adnan al-Bilawi, freed in the massive jailbreak at Abu Ghraib on 21 July 2013, who planned the takeover of Mosul in June 2014.]

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Allah Will Not Allow Except That His Light Should Be Perfected

“They seek to extinguish God’s light with their mouths, but God will not allow except that His light should be perfected, however much the unbelievers may detest it” [Quran 9:32 and 61:8].

Praise be to God. We praise Him, and seek his help and forgiveness, and we seek refuge with God from the evils within ourselves and without. Those whom God guides, none can mislead; and those whom he misleads, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but God, alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

To proceed:

God Almighty says: “Verily, our word has already gone forth to our slaves, the Messengers, [to inform the believers] that they shall surely be assisted, and that our forces—they surely must prevail” [37:171-173].

O umma [community] of Islam, my dear umma, victory, triumph, and tamkeen [lit. “empowerment”, jihadist rule of territory] for the soldiers of God is a divine promise that remains in force until the Day of Judgment, no matter how many obstacles and barriers are put in front of it, no matter how much the falsehood is flung at it from the powers of fire and iron, no matter how much propaganda, slander, and forgery is expended against it, and no matter how extensively war is waged against it. The Almighty says: “They seek to extinguish God’s light with their mouths, but God will not allow except that His light should be perfected, however much the unbelievers may detest it” [9:32 and 61:8].

Tamim al-Dari said: “I heard the messenger of God (peace and blessings of God upon him) say: ‘This deen [lifeway] will reach any place covered by day or night. There will be no house of brick or wool, which this deen won’t enter regardless of the strength or weakness of Muslim leaders. This is something which God will make a source of pride for Muslims and a source of humiliation for the disbelievers’.” This true promise from God Almighty of victory, triumphant and prevailing, is eternal and isn’t limited to a certain era or phase or time, but rather it is standing and waiting for the Muslim group that carries the raya [banner or flag] and goes out with it following the example of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God upon him), not fearing any authority except that of God, and not being afraid of any taghut [idolatrous ruler, i.e., one who rules using man-made laws], no matter how powerful the means of oppression, tyranny and torture he has at his command, but with their hearts reassured by the saying of their Lord Almighty: “God will not allow except that His light should be perfected” [9:32 and 61:8].

When jihad became possible in the Land of the Two Rivers [Bilad al-Rafidayn: Mesopotamia, Iraq], a believing group rose up, raising the banner—the banner of the true deen—and it was only a few years until God Almighty fulfilled His promise, gave victory to His soldiers, and gave them empowerment on earth. The Islamic State of Iraq was established, ruling with what God has revealed, implementing the hudud of God, and enforced the shari’a of God, bringing pride to those who welcomed it and humiliation to those who refused it. All the spiteful armies allied against it could not prevent it from being established, and they were unable to disestablish it or change its course, even with all the conspiracies of the Jews, Christians, Rafida [derog. Shi’is], and all the treacherous oppressive regimes that rule the lands of the Muslims with their supporters, agents, and lackeys [inside Iraq]. God fulfilled His promise to the mujahideen, and they tasted the sweetness of victory and pride.

The spirit of jihad spread in the Land of the Two Rivers, and the people entered in droves into the ranks of the mujahideen. Since God knew our weakness, He gave us tamkeen without real testing, and the world saw the inability of America, its allies, and all its lackeys against a small group of believers. The people were certain that the light of God cannot be extinguished by mouths, and that the victory of God cannot be prevented by armies and their arsenals. Then the situation turned upside down for the young State [with the Surge and Sahwa (Awakening)], and the tradition of testing and scrutiny came out. The Almighty says: “Do men imagine that they will be left [at ease] merely by saying, ‘We believe’, and will not be tested? Certainly, We tested those who went before, so God will certainly know those who are sincere and those who are false” [29: 2-3]. So the testing intensified, and it was so great that some eyes were turning around [i.e., regretting joining the Zarqawists], hearts rose up to the throats, the earth became restrictive to them, notwithstanding its spaciousness. Some began to waver about God’s promise, but the Muslims can never be defeated, even if they lose one battle—or several battles. Falsehood has its assaults and may win a round, but the Truth and its State will be triumphant . As God has prescribed in His book: “God has decreed: ‘Verily, shall I prevail, I and My messengers’” [58:21].

O umma of Islam, my dear umma: a long period has passed and the people were waiting for the appearance of this poor slave and his speech to his umma, but what could he say! What he was took under duress [i.e., the leadership of the Islamic State] was what the heavens, earth, and mountains refused to take and were afraid of, such were the burdens of the responsibility. I swear by God, I never sought for this position and didn’t ask for it or wish it, neither in secret nor in public. But my brothers obliged me, and God is a witness that I tried to push it away as much as possible and I am still seeking to push it away, to hand it over to someone whom the mujahideen see as capable. But I am sufficient by the saying of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God upon him): “Do not seek to be a ruler, for if you are given authority on your demand then you will be held responsible for it, but if you are given it without asking (for it), then you will be helped (by God) in it” [Al-Bukhari].

What could I say! I came in at a hard time, at the height of ordeals and the peak of obstacles, and among the most severe turmoil and crises, [with the list] headed by the death of the best leaders and figures of jihad that enlighten for us the path with their spending, giving, sacrificing, blood, skulls, and carnage. People who, when they wear iron, do not think that death has been created. Look wherever you see shining swords, they [the slain jihadist leaders] will be over their heads. Among them is the martyr of Islam, as we reckon him to be; the Imam of his time and master of his era: Abu Abdullah, Usama bin Laden, the pride of the umma and the crown of its new phase. There is the annoyer of the tawaghit [pl. taghut], Shaykh Anwar al-Awlaki, lion of the da’is [missionaries or propagators (of Islam)]. The active mujahid scholar, Atiyyatullah [Jamal al-Misrati], the person of knowledge [ilm] and dignity. Others of them are the deceased of umma, Abu Musab [al-Zarqawi], the martyr, as we reckon him to be, the emir of the martyrdom-seekers [suicide bombers], and his helpers and wings, Abu Umar al-Baghdadi and Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, the engineers of the State of Islam and the builders of its edifice. What can I say in lamenting these people! I bear witness that they are excused, and our consolation is that their swords are still shedding blood, and their horses are still saddled, and they have left behind men:

[Arabic poetry] They like their deaths like they don’t leave the life when they are killed and our consolidation is that this umma is prolific. [Arabic poetry ends]

My dear umma, as we didn’t lie to God when we declared the State of Islam, so we don’t lie to God when we say that it will remain [baqiya].

It will remain, despite of all the opacity, deception, distortion, and slander.

It will remain, despite of all the hardships, obstacles, and trials, and despite of all intrigues of the enemies of Islam, inside and abroad.

It will remain on its creed [aqeeda] and methodology [manhaj] and won’t change or deviate from them, inshallah [God willing].

It will remain a land of hijra [migration, i.e., a place for foreign fighters] and jihad.

It will remain a spear in the chests of the Safavid Rafida.

It will remain, and you will hear its news and see its actions.

It is now resurging once again, marching to dominate the territory as before—and more. So have glad tidings and hope for the good, my umma. This State of Islam (may God give it pride) enters its seventh year, confronting all hardships and passing through them, and not being stopped by the intrigues of the agents or felled by the conspiracies of the envious, nor silenced by the mouthpieces of the enemies or discouraged by the traitors to the jihad. It still remains a spear in the chests of evildoers, and a hope in the hearts of the righteous believers.

My dear umma, as for our power, God is with us, so we won’t be defeated, despite our small numbers. Regarding our condition, it pleases the friend and enrages the foe, and all praise is due to God. Unity of the ranks and words, richness in livelihood and blessing. Those who used to think that the people did not want the State of Islam, let them know that most of the Sunni people in Land of Two Rivers support it and are waiting for its return.

I can only commend our tribes and people in the Land of the Two Rivers—the shaykhs and individuals—who were and are still the material of jihad in Iraq, the shelter of the mujahideen and their stronghold, who will (inshallah) remain helpers of God, His Messenger, and the mujahideen for His sake. This fact is proven by the reality, despite of the fraud of the fraudulent, deception of the deceptive, and those seeking to cut off the path of God, the Lord of the Worlds. Their hopes were shattered on the rock of the steadfastness and sacrifice of the proud, generous tribes. We ask God to continue making them steadfast and give them the best reward for Islam and the Muslims.

So be patient, O Sunni tribes: you are on [the path of] truth and your enemy is upon [the way of] falsehood. On the occasion of the State starting the return to the regions from which it withdrew, as you can see, I call upon you and urge you to spend more, and push your sons into the ranks of the mujahideen to defend your deen, property, and honour, and obey and subordinate yourselves to the order of God, the Almighty, who says: “Fighting has been ordained for you, though it is hateful unto you; but it may be that you hate a thing which is good for you” [2:216]. He said: “Go forth, whether light or heavy [i.e., lightly-armed or heavily-armed], and strive with your wealth and lives in the way of God. That is best for you, if you but knew” [9:41]. O our tribes, you must know that you have no solution except jihad for the sake of God, so come closer to the mujahideen and cling to them, because they are—after God—your source of protection. They [the mujahideen] seek to gain nothing from you, merely to implement the shari’a of God among you. They don’t want from you any wages or prestige or authority, and they will remain sacrificing their souls to defend your land and honour.

As for those who were deceived by some of the shaykhs and individuals from our tribes who stood with Crusader America, then they became followers and lackeys of the Safavid government, we say to them: What harm will happen to you if you [switch to] follow the truth and support the deen of God, as you have fought against it? So repent, and rectify yourselves, and God will forgive you and He will change your sins into righteous deeds. You were told that the State of Islam kills everyone who fought it and doesn’t accept justice from it; that is a lie fabricated against us—one of many. Know that we don’t require intercession or [the paying of] a penalty from anyone who wants to repent.

To America, the head of disbelief, the protector of the Cross, I say: your war on the Muslims is a loss and soon, inshallah, you will collapse and declare defeat. Look what have you reaped and what the mujahideen reaped in the two decades since you went to war against them. Your economy is almost on the brink of the abyss. Your people and soldiers’ morale is shattered and their souls are desperate; the spirit of defeat runs so high among them that they vote in elections for those who promise to withdraw the armies and stop the war. As for your security, when your citizens travel to any country, they should look about in a state of fear. The mujahideen will set off behind your armies that fled, and pledge to make you taste worst than that you have tasted from Usama. You will see them in your homeland, inshallah, since our war with you is only just beginning. So be ready.

In contrast, look at the mujahideen. How much have their numbers increased, and how many more fronts are they on now [than at the start of the War on Terror]? Woe to you [America], the defeat has left you with nothing you can claim as a victory, except the killing, year after year, of men from among the Muslims who have spent their lives seeking death in places where it can be expected and whose time only came after he made you taste horrors. This is what you [are reduced to] consider an unmatched, great victory.

As for you malicious Rafida, we are the sons of Hassan and Husayn, and the descendants of Abu Bakr, Umar Dhun-Nurayn [The One with Two Lights], and our grandfather is the Unyielding Lion, the Commander of the Faithful [Haydara al-Karar, Emir al-Mu’mineen] Ali, and you are Magian Rafidites, descendants of Abu Lu’lu’a, Ibn Saba, and Rostam, and your grandfather is Khosrow. It will never be that the Magian Rafida overcome the sons of Hassan and Husayn. The Almighty says: “Say: What you await for us is one of two most excellent things [victory or death in God’s cause]! And what we await for you is that God will afflict you with punishment from Himself or by our hands. So continue waiting; we shall wait with you” [9:52]. We ask God that your punishment comes at our hands.

Next, I address our mujahideen brothers all over the world and I reassure them about the arena of Iraq. I say: Have glad tidings of what pleases you, inshallah. God Almighty says: “Verily, We shall help Our Messengers, and those who believe, in the life of this world and on the day when the witnesses [al-ashhad] arise” [40:51]. We swear by God that we see and feel the care of God to the mujahideen in Land of Two Rivers, and His patronage of them. I am certain, with no doubts, that victory will inevitably occur. So no one think that the massive and great hardships on the mujahideen in Palestine or Iraq or Afghanistan or Chechnya or Somalia or any place else is a victory for the unbelievers [kuffar]. No, it is only a dignity, elevation of status, a great benefit, and a testimony and selection of who was to killed from among the Muslims seeking His Countenance. The support of God cannot be had without trials, as there is no victory without sacrifices, so take as sufficient the saying of the Almighty: “O you who believe! Be patient, endure, remain stationed [alongside one-another], and fear God [so] that you may succeed” [3:200]. We will meet in Jerusalem, inshallah.

I congratulate the umma in general, and Ahl al-Sunnah in the Land of the Two Rivers in particular, headed by the soldiers of the Islamic State of Iraq, for making the blessed month of Ramadan the month of conquests and fighting, since it is from the favours of God Almighty upon His slaves that we reach Ramadan. Abu Hurayra (may God be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts during Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from God will have his past sins forgiven”. He also narrated that Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him) “ascended the minbar and he said, ‘Ameen, ameen, ameen.’ It was said, “O Messenger of God, you ascended the pulpit and said ameen, ameen, ameen.’ The Prophet said, ‘Verily, Jibreel [Angel Gabriel] came to me and he said: “Whoever reaches the month of Ramadan and he is not forgiven, then he will enter Hellfire and God will cast him far away, so say ameen”. I said ameen. He said: “Whoever sees his parents in their old age, one or both of them, and he does not honour them and he dies, then he will enter Hellfire and God will cast him far away, so say ameen”. I said ameen. He said: “Whoever has your name mentioned in his presence and he does not send blessings upon you and he dies, then he will enter Hellfire and God will cast him far away, so say ameen”. I said ameen’.”

O umma of Islam take the opportunity of this blessed month to perform jihad. It was authenticated by Muaz (may God be pleased with him) that a woman came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him) and said to him: “O Messenger of God, my husband has gone out for jihad, and I used to follow him in his prayer, his fasting, and all his deeds. So tell me of a deed that I can do so that I may attain what he is attaining until he returns.” He said to her: “Can you pray continuously without pause, fast without breaking your fast, and engage in remembrance [dhikr] of God without ceasing until he returns?” She said: “I cannot endure that, O Messenger of God.” He said: “By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, if you were able to do that, you would not attain even one-tenth of what he is doing until he returns.”

The Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God be upon him) and the honourable Companions [Sahaba] (may God be pleased with them) used to incite believers to perform jihad and to get martyred in Ramadan, because jihad is the best of deeds and Ramadan the months of conquests. Any who look at the Muslim conquests throughout history can see that. So, O mujahideen, be eager to come closer to God in this month, bringing the blood of the kuffar, since we have found that it is the best offering to God. And you who are still remaining behind, join the caravan of jihad, because we swear by God that we have found it to be the best form of worship, such that no one who has tasted it sweetness can abandon it.

I would be remiss not to comment on our people in the beloved, blessed Bilad al-Sham [lit. “the Land of Levant”, Syria], who shot the bullet of mercy against the fear that has sat for decades on the chest of this umma, and rose up, casting off from its forehead the dust of humiliation by their carnage, and washing away the stigma and recovering their dignity by their blood. You have taught the world lessons in bravery, jihad, and patience, and taught the umma and proved to it with conclusive evidence and a compelling argument that oppression can be lifted only by force and might. Degradation cannot be erased except by sacrificing souls and lives, spilling blood, scattering carnage, crushing skulls, and incurring martyrs and injuries. You have made the kuffar wakeful, so their [United Nations Security] Council and League of [Arab] “Nations” stood up watching your storm, stunned, helpless, terrified, confused. Stunned from your jihad and resistance. Helpless in suppressing and subjugating you. Terrified of the future of your volcano. Confused for a solution to quench your jihad.

Go ahead God bless you, and don’t accept rule by a constitution other than the rule of God and His pure shari’a so that you don’t waste your blessed revolution, which will not give fruit unless it culminates in the rule of the shari’a, uniting the umma by demolishing the Sykes-Picot borders, burying the rotten patriotism and abhorrent nationalist fanaticism, and restoring the Islamic State that does not recognise the artificial borders and any nationality except Islam. Do not think that there is right, justice, and good in a constitution or legal system other than our pure shari’a, since God made the creed of this deen and its methodology and methods of empowerment from Him Almighty, and the believing Muslim can only walk within this divine plan drawn for him. Avoid all the spurious earthly human movements and regimes, which are based on whim and confusion, which try to regulate life away from the deen and without any guidance from God. So be steadfast, O people of Syria, because the good end is for those who are righteous.

As for you, men of the State of Islam, go ahead in your plans, certain of the victory of God. Do not be submissive or reckless. You, inshallah, are the soldiers of God. Work for victory and adjust yourself to the trials. Adjust yourself to death, imprisonment, amputation, and fracture to the End of Days. If victory comes, then it is from God, and if it is delayed then we aren’t qualified for it. God Almighty has ordered us to perform jihad and imposed it as an obligation on us: He did not guarantee us victory or demand that of us; our fate is for Him alone to decide. We were also not promised safety. The Almighty says: “Let those who would exchange this life for the hereafter fight in the way of God. Whoever fights in the way of God shall either be slain or be victorious, [and] on him We shall bestow a great reward” [4:74]. The Almighty also says: “He may take martyrs from among you” [3:140]. This is why death and tribulation only increases our determination, persistence, and patience. We consider death an honour from God Almighty, which He gives whom He wishes from among His slaves. Reflect on that and understand it well, since he who understands it is liberated from enslavement to desires and looks to a higher life, and seeing this reward makes the costs easy to endure.

O men of the State, love martyrdom for the sake of God and wish for it, but you have to work for victory, not only martyrdom, and seek victory, not only martyrdom. We bring glad tidings of the beginning of a new phase from among the phases of our struggle, which we begin with a plan which we have called “Breaking the Walls”. We always remind you of your highest priority, which is releasing the Muslim captives everywhere. Put the butchers from among the judges and interrogators, and their henchmen among the guards, at the top of your targeting list to be hunted down and liquidated. Know, our prisoners, that we did not forget you for a day and have never overlooked you. You are in our eyes and hearts, and we sleep with your pictures in our imagination. It is sufficient for you that you are excused by God. As the Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God upon him) said: “There are people whom we left behind in Medina who accompanied us in spirit in every pass and valley we crossed”. They said: “While they are in Medina, O messenger of God?!” He said: “Yes, they remained behind for a valid excuse.”

Also, I direct my call to all the Muslim youth and men all over the world, and call on them to make hijra to us to consolidate the pillars of the State of Islam and perform jihad against the Safavid Rafida—the Magian Rafida—since the camps and homes of the State are opened for every Muslim, and Baghdad is the heart of the battle of Sunni people with the Safavids. So rise up, O youth of Islam, against those who harmed the Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God upon him). Come, since the battle needs fuel.

And I cannot miss out addressing a call to all the students of knowledge, da’is, and ulema, one by one, no matter their stances on the State. I say to them: those among you who fear God, call to the truth, and support the deen sincerely in loyalty to God Almighty, send a representative to us or come yourself to get informed about the details of our matters, methodology, policies, and actions, and look at our real presence and power, and stand on the reality of our battle with the Rafida of Satan. Come, see all that with your own eyes, and touch it with your hands, free of the smokescreens of obfuscation, misrepresentation and fraud, and the insults, distortions, and defamations.

As for those who lost contact, we say: O sleepers wakeup, O those who stayed behind rise up. May God give you success.

O God you have obliged us to do jihad and ordered us to fight the mushrikeen [idolaters, polytheists], so we will perform jihad against your enemy as long as you decide we should live. We will fight those who deviate and worship other gods alongside You. We seek only that which pleases you. O God, give victory to your Muslim worshipers over your enemies, the enemies of the deen. O God give the Muslims a glorious conquest, and give them from you a supportive authority. O God, gather the ranks and unite them upon the word. O God, make their cowardice into courage and make their feet steadfast. O God, convulse everyone who opposes the mujahideen for your sake, enter horror into their hearts, eradicate them from their origins, cut off their roots, and make us inherit their earth, homeland, and wealth. Be our guardian, and be hospitable to us, and fix all our matters, and fix our intentions and decisions. Make us thankful to your graces, and forgive us, the believing men and the believing women, Muslim men and Muslim women, the living and dead. O God, make us steadfast in the life of the world and in the hereafter. Our Lord, pour down upon us patience, and make our steps firm and assist us against the unbelieving people.

Peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his household, and Companions. And our last supplication is that all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.

Your brother,

Abu Bakr al-Husayni al-Qurayshi al-Baghdadi,

Emir of the Islamic State of Iraq.