It is believed that Muslim martyrs will be highly rewarded in the afterlife for their sacrifice and that they hold a special position in heavenly paradise. It is therefore not surprising that martyrdom is a central theme in jihadi visual propaganda. Framed portraits specifically are meant to remind the viewer of his or her own family pictures, suggesting that the pictured martyrs are everyday people carrying out a common duty suitable for any member of the community. While framed martyr photos are found in a wide variety of jihadi propaganda, they are most commonly used in Palestinian propaganda. The caption here reads: “qa‘id kata’ib shuhada’ al-aqsa—haytham abu al-naja” (“commander of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade—Haytham Abu al-Naja”). Abu al-Naja was a commander of a unit in Khan Yunis, located at the southern Gaza Strip, who was killed 7 October 2002.
