That’s the question asked by a member of the Faloja forum. Here are some of the answers:
- Al-Yamami: The Shabaab will soon declare its allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI); that’s why ISI’s head, `Umar al-Baghdadi, mentioned the movement recently.
- Muhibb al-Muqrin: It will be become an emirate and remain so until the ISI returns to full strength after the occupiers leave Iraq at the end of the coming month. It will then give its allegiance to the ISI.
- Buya`tu Allah: It is not in the Shabaab’s best interest to declare a state or to join al-Qaeda right now because it doesn’t want to face more enemies.
- Al-Mu`tazz bi-Din Allah: It should declare a state after the Ethiopians withdraw from Somalia.
- Qannas al-Dawla al-Islamiyya: It should declare an emirate soon.
- Khayr Jubnd Allah: The Shabaab will declare a state after the occupiers have been driven from all of the important cities.
- Abu Bakr al-Muhajir: I think that this business of declaring separate states and emirates will end and a single emirate or caliphate will be declared for the whole world.
As can be seen from above, the declaration of the “Islamic State of Iraq” has caused some confusion. Does the “State” (dawla) part of the name mean that it is the nucleus of a future superstate, like previous Islamic superstates or empires (e.g. Dawla `Abbasiyya)? If so, then other Jihadis groups should forgo setting up their own states and declare their allegiance to Baghdadi and the ISI. Or does the the “Iraq” part of the name mean that the ISI is only a national entity, which is a little bothersome for Islamists since they reject nationalism?
Document (Arabic): 11-15-08-faloja-when-will-somalia-declare-islamic-state
