Isis and Iraq's religious minorities in the context of religion and violence

This study aims to examine the relationship between religion and violence through Jihadi Salafism, which emerged by referencing the fundamental views of Salafiyya due to social, religious, and political reasons. Divided into three sections, the study addresses the turning points in the formation of al-Qaeda to understand the Global Jihad Theory, which represents the activism of Jihadi Salafism. The emergence of ISIS is explained in the context of the role of sociality. Based on the fact that religions do not advocate the use of violence as a purpose, the relationship between religion and violence is discussed through fundamental concepts. The initial emergence of Salafiyya, its revival and expansion of its base through the methods of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, and its transformation are examined. Additionally, the strengthening of Jihadi Salafism's methodology through the Afghan jihad and the development of the Global Jihad Theory are analyzed through the works of theorists without deviating from the methodology of sociology. The study examines the histories of religious minorities living in Iraq, the regions they inhabit, their legal statuses, theological structures, and the forms of their relationships with adherents of other religions. In semi-structured interviews conducted with members of religious minorities, efforts were made to obtain results on various aspects: their changing positions within society, especially after the invasion of Iraq; the validity of state laws in protecting religious minorities; their exposure to violence and their ways of making sense of it; the problems they faced after the emergence of ISIS; the impact of violence on their migration processes to Turkey and European countries; their current situations in the countries to which they have migrated; group consciousness; changes in their religious lives; and access to places of worship. It has been determined that Jihadi Salafism played a significant role in the emergence of the Global Jihad Theory. Furthermore, it has been identified that, in addition to political reasons, social events and circumstances were decisive in the expansion of ISIS's base. The invasion of Iraq by the USA led to the institutionalization of resistance in the region. The violence that ISIS inflicted on religious minorities after 2014 resulted in two main outcomes: death and migration. These outcomes have been examined and interpreted based on the experiences of religious minorities who were directly subjected to violence in 2014. The findings indicate that the relationship between religion and violence is shaped by historical and social dynamics.