Jihadi propaganda frequently utilizes important political events or violent struggles occurring within Islamic communities to mobilize recruits and support. These images draw attention to events that have helped to shape the current jihadi movement, and they allow the propagandists to reinterpret the events through their own ideological and cultural framework.
This specific image comprises six black and white photos with the name of the image’s source (“al-markaz al-islami al-i‘lami”) and the slogan: “afghanistan—hanin wa-misk wa-dam shahid—la nansaki abadan” (“Afghanistan—desire, musk and a martyr’s blood—we will never forget you”). Musk is associated with martyrdom, since in the Islamic tradition, the bodies of martyrs are believed to exude a sweet and aromatic smell after death. This fragrant smell is considered the sweet smell of paradise (Qur’anic verse 83:23) and is juxtaposed with the putrid odor of enemy bodies. The photos offer a display of arms. In the center of the image the email address of the creator can be found.
