ISIS has systematically exploited the holy month of Ramadan to incite and justify violence, distorting the religious significance of a month traditionally associated with mercy, worship, and spiritual reflection. While Ramadan historically witnessed pivotal moments, such as the Battle of Badr and, in modern times, the October 6 War, there is a stark difference between defensive wars fought to reclaim rights and terrorist acts targeting innocent civilians. ISIS deliberately invokes early Islamic victories to frame its campaign of violence as religiously sanctioned “jihad,” despite widespread scholarly rejection of this interpretation. This is why these terrorist acts bear no relation to the Islamic concept of jihad.
Security experts had warned that Ramadan would see an escalation in attacks—a prediction borne out by incidents such as the Manchester Arena bombing, the Minya bus attack on Egyptian Christians, and the Orlando nightclub shooting, the deadliest U.S. attack since 9/11 at the time. Reports have referenced how extremist propaganda intensifies during Ramadan, portraying the month as a period when martyrdom brings multiplied rewards.
Statistics indicate that during Ramadan 2016 alone, terrorist operations killed at least 420 people and injured nearly 730 worldwide. Violence was not confined to Western targets; Muslim-majority countries were also strongly hit, including a suicide bombing near the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina that killed four Saudi police officers. Moreover, reportedly, ISIS called supporters unable to travel to Syria or Iraq to carry out attacks in their home countries (as lonely wolves).
To conclude, ISIS repeats such calls annually, particularly after territorial losses in Syria and Iraq, in an effort to project strength and rally followers. In doing so, it harms Muslims globally and, deliberately manipulates religious texts to mislead recruits about the true teachings of Islam.