The Fatwa of Jihad and its Significant Role in Motivating Iraqis to Defeat ISIS

On the anniversary of the fatwa of jihad issued by His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Al-Sistani, may God prolong his life, the Deanship of the College of Education at our university, in cooperation with the Departments of University Psychological Counseling and Student Activities, held an educational seminar entitled: (The Fatwa of Jihad and its Significant Role in Motivating Iraqis to Defeat ISIS). The seminar took place at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, February 9, 2020. The participants were:

1- Asst. Lect. Karrar Ibraheem Issa - Chairman.

2- Lect. Dr. Ratib Raheem Khadir - Lecturer.

3- Asst. Lect. Malath Abdul Rahman Ubaid - Rapporteur.

The seminar addressed the "Fatwa of Jihad" issued by Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani on June 13, 2014, in defense of Iraq, its people, and its holy sites against the ISIS terrorist organization. The fatwa deemed defense a collective obligation for capable citizens and led to the establishment of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and the mobilization of volunteers alongside security forces to achieve victory and free occupied cities. This followed ISIS's invasion of vast areas of Iraq.

The fatwa, in its legal ruling, affirmed that defense is a collective obligation for citizens; meaning that if a sufficient number of people undertake the task to achieve the objective of preserving Iraq, its people, and its holy sites, the obligation is lifted from the rest. It emphasized the importance of "Iraqi patriotism" and the unity of Iraq's various communities, and it was a decisive factor in saving the country. It galvanized national spirit, halted the spread of terrorism, unified the Iraqi ranks, and protected the land and its people. This culminated in the formation of the PMF and its integration with the army, police, counter-terrorism forces, and other branches of the security apparatus, marking a turning point in the war and the achievement of victories.