- Question
Is religion the primary motivation and recruitment behind ISIS?
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) is a terrorist militant organization seeking to establish itself as state and as a self-proclaimed Islamic caliphate. Under the ideology of Salafism, a conservative interpretation and movement of Sunni Islam, and describing its efforts as a jihad, many point to how religion is at the core of ISIS. However, many others argue that the Islamic State's primary motivations are more political, using religion as a veil to increase its legitimacy and as a recruitment strategy.
Yes, religion is the primary factor.
This position holds that religion is the primary motivation behind ISIS and its recruitment. It argues that the group built itself around a Salafist reading of Islam, and that fighters join out of genuine belief in jihad and clear religious goals rather than mainly political ones.
No, politics, not religion, is the primary factor.
This position holds that politics, not religion, is the primary driver behind ISIS. It argues the group uses religion merely as a medium for goals that are political at heart, that fighters are drawn by wider geopolitical battles, and that recruitment hinges on personal circumstances.