The proverb \u201cone picture is worth a thousand words\u201d summarizes the importance of image in the field of communication. The tragic events of September 11, the attacks on Madrid and London highlighted the importance of understanding the ideology and methods of jihadi groups. There is a lack of information on modern imagery associated with political Islam, especially imagery produced by radical and violent extreme Muslim groups. These organizations have had a brief but prolific history in the production and distribution of visual propaganda, and have arguably created their own distinct genre of Internet-based Islamic imagery. Visual propaganda is more than a host for textual messages; it is an expressive medium which communicates ideas just even more effectively than writing. Jihadi imagery is a primary vehicle for the communication and diffusion of jihadi ideas, an essential tool utilized by radical terrorist organizations. Therefore, understanding how these images work, what ideas they convey, why they are employed and what responses they may elicit, is vital to the struggle against the influence of jihadi organizations and their violence. Below are examples of basic Islamic imagery and its symbolisms\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n
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The proverb \u201cone picture is worth a thousand words\u201d summarizes the importance of image\u00a0in the field of communication. The tragic events of September 11, the attacks on Madrid\u00a0and London highlighted the importance of understanding the ideology and methods of\u00a0jihadi groups. There is a lack of information on modern imagery associated with political\u00a0Islam, especially imagery produced by radical and violent extreme Muslim groups. These\u00a0organizations have had a brief but prolific history in the production and distribution of visual\u00a0propaganda, and have arguably created their own distinct genre of Internet-based Islamic\u00a0imagery. Visual propaganda is more than a host for textual messages; it is an expressive\u00a0medium which communicates ideas just even more effectively than writing. Jihadi imagery\u00a0is a primary vehicle for the communication and diffusion of jihadi ideas, an essential tool\u00a0utilized by radical terrorist organizations. Therefore, understanding how these images\u00a0work, what ideas they convey, why they are employed and what responses they may elicit,\u00a0is vital to the struggle against the influence of jihadi organizations and their violence.\u00a0Below are examples of basic Islamic imagery and its symbolisms:<\/p>\n
CRESCENT MOON<\/p>\n
The crescent moon serves primarily as a symbol of Islamic identity, while evoking notions\u00a0of the divine and afterlife. A more realistic image of the moon carries the same meaning,\u00a0but it also evokes strong notions of purity and religious piety. The white crescent in the sky\u00a0can allude to the goal of martyrdom and the promise of heavenly paradise. The green\u00a0crescent makes a more politicized reference to Islam, with strong notions of the Prophet\u00a0Muhammad and because of this, it is viewed as a more overt, militantly Islamic and\u00a0fundamentalist version of the crescent motif. It is a more aggressively Islamic symbol,\u00a0unlike the more passive white crescent.<\/p>\n
FLOWERS and GARDEN:<\/p>\n
Generally, flowers symbolize both martyrdom and paradise. Jihadi imagery makes ample\u00a0use of flowers. Yellow flowers often suggest a sense of living, or inevitable martyrdom and\u00a0the reward of everlasting paradise. A white rose appears as a symbol of purity and\u00a0martyrdom, of the straight path and the paradise that awaits those martyred in cause of\u00a0God in Islamic culture; in jihadi propaganda it may be used with the image of an individual\u00a0martyr. The red rose- another symbol of martyrdom- signifies violent (jihadi) struggle more\u00a0broadly. Other kinds of red flowers may be used in this way, symbolically synonymous with\u00a0red roses. In the Shiite tradition – especially the Iranian variety – red tulips are used as\u00a0symbols of martyrdom, which stems from a tradition regarding the martyrdom of the Imam\u00a0Husayn. Generally, there is perhaps no greater inspiration for jihadi activists than the belief\u00a0they will be rewarded for their sacrifice by being granted entrance into the garden (janna<\/em>)\u00a0of heavenly paradise. Symbols and images may allude to paradise indirectly or directly.\u00a0The word used to indicate heaven \u201cjanna\u201d also means \u201cgarden\u201d and indicates the garden\u00a0of paradise that awaits those Muslims who have lived particularly just, obedient, and\u00a0righteous lives. It is associated with attaining this reward, including the accompanying\u00a0huris (pure, virgin angels).<\/p>\n FLAGS:<\/p>\n In jihadi propaganda, political symbols are often combined to create literal and symbolic\u00a0connections between them. In the case of flags, this is often done in reference to jihadi\u00a0campaigns taking place in different locations. The black flag (al-raya<\/em>) traces its roots to the\u00a0very beginning of Islam. It was the battle flag of the Prophet Muhammad, carried into\u00a0battle by many of his companions including his nephew \u2018Ali ibn Abi Talib. The flag\u00a0regained prominence in the 8th century with its use by the leader of the Abbasid\u00a0revolution, Abu Muslim, who led a revolt against the Umayyad clan and its\u2019 Caliphate.\u00a0Since then, the image of the black flag has been used as a symbol of religious revolt and\u00a0battle (i.e. jihad) and in Shiite belief, the black flag is connected with expectations about\u00a0the afterlife. In the contemporary Islamist movement, the black flag is used to symbolize\u00a0both offensive jihad and the proponents of re-establishing the Islamic Caliphate. In the\u00a0Islamic tradition the white flag (al-liwaa<\/em>) was used by Prophet Muhammad to represent\u00a0both the leader of the Muslim army and the first Muslim state. It is most often used in\u00a0reference with the Prophet and the idea of establishing an Islamic state. With regards to\u00a0the latter, the Taliban used the white flag as the official flag for their briefly recognized\u00a0state. The green flag generally represents the Muslim proclamation of faith (shahada<\/em>). The\u00a0colour green is considered to be the colour of the Prophet and this is why green flags\u00a0(regardless of the text) conjure up historical, genealogical and religious notions of the\u00a0Prophet and Islam. The green flag is often used synonymously with the black and white\u00a0flags in jihadi imagery, although it has a less overt militant (or jihadist) message than the\u00a0black flag and is slightly less state-oriented than the white flag. The general green flag\u00a0should not be confused with the Saudi flag, which is very similar, but also features a\u00a0curved sword below the Arabic calligraphy. Green flags may also include text other than\u00a0the shahada<\/em>, like the word \u201cGaza\u201d written upon it, referring to the struggle against Israeli\u00a0occupation and oppression within the Gaza Strip with explicit notions of Islam.<\/p>\n MONUMENTS:<\/p>\n There are many buildings, shrines, monuments, tombs and mosques associated with\u00a0important holy figures in the Islamic tradition. Reverence for many of them is shared by all\u00a0Muslims, while others hold special significance only for certain groups. Regardless of the\u00a0nature of these monuments, almost all of them have religious as well as national and\u00a0regional significance to Muslim peoples, thus, they are invoked to draw upon both\u00a0loyalties. For instance, while the Dome of the Rock is recognized and revered by all\u00a0Muslims, it is also a powerful symbol of Palestinian national identity. Likewise, the tomb of\u00a0the Imam Husayn in Karbala is an important monument for most Muslims, but it is of\u00a0particular value to Shiites worldwide and its image can be employed as a Shiite-centric\u00a0symbol of Iraqi nationality. The Dome of the Rock was built on the site where Muslims\u00a0believe Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven in his miraj <\/em>or Night Journey and it is\u00a0considered the third holiest site in Islam. It is perhaps the most recognizable and\u00a0important nationalist motif used by militant Palestinian groups and this is why the Al-Aqsa\u00a0Martyrs Brigade employs the Dome to evoke both a sense of national duty and religious\u00a0sacrifice. The Dome, paired with the photos of martyrs legitimizes the actions of the\u00a0militants linking them with Islam and the memory of the Prophet Muhammad. The Al-Aqsa\u00a0Mosque, which is adjacent to the Dome of the Rock and conjures up many of the same\u00a0associations, is also used extensively in jihadi imagery produced by Palestinian groups.\u00a0Unlike the Dome of the Rock, however, the Al-Aqsa Mosque is generally not used as a\u00a0pan-Islamic symbol, but rather is employed as an Islamic symbol of Palestinian national\u00a0identity. The Kaaba in Mecca is the symbolic and literal center of the Islamic faith for all\u00a0Muslims and it is a common motif in jihadi imagery. It is the single most important and\u00a0holiest, site in Islam and evokes the strongest sense of Islamic identity and tradition across\u00a0all Muslim sects and groups. Although it is inherently pan-Islamic, the Kaaba can also be\u00a0employed to draw attention to issues concerning more specifically Saudi Arabia, or\u00a0internationalize, or pan-Islamize, specific Saudi-centered jihadi concerns, such as the\u00a0\u201coccupation\u201d of the Saudi holy sites by American forces during the first Gulf War.<\/p>\n MARTYRDOM:<\/p>\n In Islamic tradition, there is no greater sacrifice than martyrdom. To die for one\u2019s faith is\u00a0the most spiritual act and is seen as a reward in itself. It is also believed that Muslim\u00a0martyrs will be highly rewarded in the afterlife and will hold a special station in heavenly\u00a0paradise. This is why martyrdom is one of the central themes in jihadi visual propaganda\u00a0and it is used by nearly every group. Martyrs are a source of inspiration in Islamic culture\u00a0and their images are used in visual propaganda to inspire support for jihad. Furthermore,\u00a0there is a sub-genre of jihadi imagery concerned solely with martyrdom, advertising,\u00a0praising, encouraging and celebrating it. Martyrs depicted generally fall into two\u00a0categories: innocents who are killed by enemies and jihadi activists, who are either killed in\u00a0battle or on suicide missions. There are many ways to depict martyrs and one common\u00a0technique is inside an oval or round \u201cframe.\u201d By framing the photograph of a specific\u00a0martyr, jihadi propaganda is able to evoke notions of familial sentimentality. They use this\u00a0method for both innocent martyrs and those killed in action. These \u201cportraits\u201d are meant to\u00a0remind the audience of their own family portraits, conveying a sense that these are typical\u00a0people, engaged in an activity that is a reasonable option for other members of the\u00a0community too. Framed martyr photos are most commonly used by Palestinian\u00a0organizations. Another common technique for depicting martyrs in jihadi visual\u00a0propaganda is to combine a photograph of a martyr with a representation of the country in\u00a0which he was killed or from which he originated. This way attention is drawn to the jihadi\u00a0activities taking place within that country, while emphasizing the oppression of the ruling\u00a0and occupying powers. The \u201cbefore shot\u201d or \u201clast will and testament\u201d image is another\u00a0pattern in jihadi propaganda. These photographs, generally taken before a suicide\u00a0mission to mark that event, include weapons, the Koran and other religious symbols. They\u00a0combine these disparate items into a single overall message: the religious importance of\u00a0martyrdom and its violent nature. These images also serve to inflate the actual power of\u00a0jihadi groups and their activists.<\/p>\n WOMEN:<\/p>\n Women hold a very unique and powerful symbolic value in Islamic culture. They symbolize\u00a0masculine honour and purity, central to nearly every Muslim man\u2019s sense of pride. This is\u00a0why images of female martyrs and maternal female images are common in jihadi visual\u00a0propaganda calling for duty and justice. When a Muslim woman is killed by enemies or is\u00a0driven to sacrifice herself through militant activism, Muslim men feel an intense sense of\u00a0shame and oppression. Muslim women, thus, are used to both stir sympathy for the\u00a0innocent victims of violent oppression and to cause male Muslims into responding against\u00a0the perceived injustice with jihadi activism.<\/p>\n CHILDREN:<\/p>\n Children are employed in jihadi imagery to wake up feelings of pride, honour and most\u00a0importantly injustice. Images of living children usually include boys as symbols of\u00a0innocence and purity. The paternal pride and honour evoked are symbolic of the need to\u00a0protect Islam from outside harm. Images of young boys also suggest that there is a new\u00a0generation of jihadi fighters on the rise, implying that the cause will live on through these\u00a0children for years to come. Dead children (i.e. children killed by outside forces) have a\u00a0special use: they are typically utilized to inspire feelings of injustice, anger and ultimately\u00a0the desire to retaliate against the stated enemy. To this effect, the dead children can be\u00a0either little boys or girls, usually brutally murdered, giving a powerful blow to the strong\u00a0Muslim sense of pride, honour and paternal responsibility.<\/p>\n The understanding of how propaganda can move people to action is of a very high order,\u00a0especially when we are dealing with religious violence and more specifically Islamic\u00a0terrorism. Organizations aim to move believers and target inner, deep and even\u00a0subconscious notions, inherent to people through tradition and religious up bringing. Visual\u00a0motifs accomplish several objectives: First, they create a mental conception of reality for\u00a0their audiences. The use of carefully edited images evokes existing emotional or historical\u00a0memories, provoking an emotional response. Often, these motifs tap into intersubjective\u00a0understandings. Text, language and pictures, provide interactive ways for jihadis to\u00a0engage the ideology itself, as the notion of resonance- the ways in which a message\u00a0harmonizes with existing understandings of an audience- is the outcome of this dialectical\u00a0process. This way they can recruit followers or even gain sympathisers of their cause and\u00a0actions. In addition they are able to paint a picture of their objectives, their enemies and\u00a0their strategy using image. The jihadi propaganda and the spread of violent messages has\u00a0become even more dangerous as Internet plays a key role in the use of Islamic imagery\u00a0today; it is the main media vehicle providing today a most convenient way for jihadist to\u00a0pass ideological, tactical and operational level instruction of the kind that they had been\u00a0delivering in the Afghan training camps. Visual jihad education through image and sound\u00a0are only a mouse click away\u2026<\/p>\n Maria Alvanou<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The proverb \u201cone picture is worth a thousand words\u201d summarizes the importance of image in the field of communication. 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