Beards and Concubines: Documents Show What ISIS Is Obsessed With

ISIS documents and posters highlight a tight and comprehensive system of rule by the militants.

Representational image of ISIS attackers. (Photo: AP)

After ISIS conquered villages in northern Iraq, it spelled out in minute detail the rules of its self-proclaimed caliphate, from beard length to alms to guidelines for taking women as sex slaves.

ISIS documents and posters, obtained in villages captured by Iraqi forces, highlight a tight and comprehensive system of rule by the militants, who went to great lengths to explain their extremist philosophy.

The documents and other materials, printed with ISIS logos, were found by Reuters in offices used by the group until a few days ago. Members of the Iraqi forces said the documents originated from ISIS, although this could not be independently verified.

When ISIS swept through the north in 2014, it announced a self-proclaimed caliphate, which appealed to some fellow Sunnis who felt marginalized by the Shi’ite-led central government.

But that appeal faded as ISIS enforced its medieval thinking with brute force, beheading anyone deemed an opponent.

Slick, colourful posters, pamphlets and documents highlight ISIS's intense focus on dictating what it called proper Islamic behaviour for the citizens of its caliphate.

A member loyal to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) waves an ISIS flag in Raqqa June 29, 2014. (Photo: Reuters)

Violating its rules meant punishment such as public whipping or being hauled off to Mosul for execution, according to several villagers who recently escaped from Islamic State areas.

A green wallet-size insert lays out guidelines for how to pray properly. It shows a young boy undertaking ablutions. "Wash your feet from the direction of your toes down to your heels," it said.

Gold Bracelets

A five-page pamphlet with pictures of gold bracelets, diamond rings and wheat on the front spelled out instructions on how to give alms, an obligation under Islam. Failure to do so would mean a penalty.

In the village of Shura, where seven ISIS suicide bombers were recently shot dead as they rushed towards Iraqi forces, militants kept meticulous records of who had given alms. Entries showed whether an individual owned gold, property or a car. Monthly salaries were also noted.

ISIS became the first militant group to capture significant amounts of land in the Middle East, hold it and then set up an administration.

Its inclination to codify its system of rule extended to what it called the spoils of war.

A pink and red pamphlet includes 32 questions and answers on how to deal with female captives. A senior ISIS cleric has the authority to distribute female captives among its fighters, it said.

A senior ISIS cleric has the authority to distribute female captives among its fighters.(Photo: iStock)

"Non-Muslim women can be taken as concubines," according to the leaflet.

Militants can own two sisters as concubines but only have sex with one.

Pre-pubescent girls can be taken as concubines. You cannot have penetrative sex but you can still enjoy them.

One question in the pamphlet asks whether a group of militants can share a concubine. The answer: only a single owner can sleep with a concubine.

ISIS has taken hundreds of women from the Yazidi minority as sex slaves. Under their rules, women were required to largely stay at home or wear black burkhas if they ventured out. Men wore short pants which were deemed Islamic along with beards of appropriate length.

There were few forms of entertainment under ISIS, which banned the internet and music along with cell phones.

A ban on satellite dishes deprived Iraqis of news of the outside world. In a huge slick poster, entitled “Why I Should Destroy My Dish”, the jihadists provided 20 reasons, revolving mostly around the immorality of satellite television programmes.

Reason 8: "Because satellite channels show stories of love and naked women and inappropriate language."

Reason 10: "Because satellite channels normalise men being effeminate and sissies."