Names of the Islamic State
The name of the Islamic State has been contentious since 2013. In Arabic, the group called itself al-Dawlah al-Islāmīyah fī al-`Irāq wa al-Shām (الدولة الإسلامية في العراق والشام), which it adopted in April 2013. The literal translation of its previous name resulted in confusion, resulting in both ISIS and ISIL, two acronyms based on different literal translations of the name into English. Apart from these, an Arabic-derived acronym, "Daesh", Da'ish or Dā`iš (داعش), is also a common name for the group beyond the Arabic-speaking parts of the world.[1] Finally, the group's current name caused controversy due to its English translation as Islamic State and as a result, both the previous acronyms are still widely used, or a qualifier is often added to the IS name, such as "Islamic State militant group", "Islamic State extremist group", "Islamic State terrorist group", "self-styled Islamic State" or "so-called Islamic State".[2][3][4][5][6]
Translation of the name's components[edit]
Literal translation of ash-Shām[edit]
The parallel use of both ISIS and ISIL as acronym originated from uncertainty in how to translate the Arabic word "ash-Shām" (or "al-Sham") in the group's April 2013 name, which can be translated variously as "the Levant", "Greater Syria", "Syria" or even "Damascus". This led to the widely used translations of "Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant", "Islamic State in Iraq and Syria" or "Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham".[2][9] "The Levant" generally refers to at least part or all of Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, and Lebanon, though its definition varies.[8]
According to the BBC, since neither "Levant", nor "Syria", reflect the group's likely meaning of the word al-Sham in Arabic, "various experts have therefore said that the word al-Sham should not be translated" (when rendering the long form name).[2] According to Syrian-American journalist Hassan Hassan, if the term Levant had been the intended meaning, the Arabic word would have been "Bilad al-Sham", whereas the more likely meaning of Greater Syria still leads to the acronym ISIS.[4]
Literal translation of ad-Dawlah[edit]
In contrast to the difficulties in translation of the group's former name, according to The Guardian the group's 2014 name "near enough" literally translates to "Islamic State", however there is still a remaining difficulty since this fails to capture the true Arabic connotations, which are closer to a religious concept of a united Islamic community (ummah) under Sharia law, as opposed to western concept of a bureaucratic state apparatus.[9]
Common usage[edit]
Usage of ISIS, ISIL vs. Islamic State[edit]
Most English language outlets initially first used ISIS, while usage of ISIL later increased.[4] Use of ISIS was particularly more prevalent than ISIL in British media.[14] It has been argued that ISIS has been retained simply because it rolls off the tongue of English speakers, who are familiar with it through its other meaning as the name of an Egyptian goddess.[8]
The group's adoption of the name Islamic State led to controversy due to the inference that it represented the Islamic faith or was a sovereign state, leading to outlets choosing to retain the acronyms ISIS or ISIL, or using qualifiers on the new name.[2][5] Despite the objections, use of the group's preferred name of Islamic State without qualification also spread.[15]
Government and organisations[edit]
The United Nations generally refers to the group as ISIL.[2][4][7] Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has also used "Un-Islamic Non-State".[8]
Governments of the Arab states adopted Da'esh initially, and have continued to use it rather than IS.[5] The Israeli government approach has been the same as Arab states.[5]
The British government originally used ISIL, but adopted Daesh on 2 December 2015.[6][14]
The French government elected to use a French-based spelling ('Daech') of the Arabic name, replacing its previous French name, EIIL (L'Etat islamique en Irak et au Levant), stating that other names "blur the lines between Islam, Muslims and Islamists".[15]
The Australian government, under Prime Minister Tony Abbott, adopted Daesh in January 2015.[9][11]
The United States government designated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) as the group's primary name, believing "Levant" to be the more accurate translation.[1][15][16] It also listed the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), ad-Dawla al-Islamiyya fi al-'Iraq wa-sh-Sham, Daesh, Dawla al Islamiya, and Al-Furqan Establishment for Media Production, as aliases. This was to disassociate the group from the al-Nusrah Front (ANF), as a result of the rift between the two groups.[1] Usage has not been consistent however, with ISIS, ISIL, Islamic State and Daesh all being used variously, both domestically and overseas, with the precise term chosen based on the audience, recognising the need for consistency and that the American public was more familiar with ISIL, while also catering to partners who are more attached to Daesh.[16] President Barack Obama used ISIL.[14] In February 2017, the Pentagon adopted the abbreviation ISIS when referencing the group.[17]
A spokesman for the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs told Power & Politics in December 2014, "Whether it is called Daesh, ISIL or ISIS, Canada and the coalition agree this heinous terrorist group presents a threat to the region, and the entire world. That is why Canada has announced a number of measures designed to combat ISIL's brutality and help victims of this barbaric terrorist group."[18]
Media style guides[edit]
The Associated Press originally opted to use ISIL, believing Levant to be the most accurate translation.[4][5] After the name change to IS, it has switched to referring to the "Islamic State group".[5] The AP's guide is used by many media organisations.[8]
BBC News chose to refer to it as "Islamic State group", "so-called islamic State", or "self-styled Islamic State" in the first instance, shortening it to IS on subsequent mentions.[2] In face of criticism from politicians, it stood by the decision, arguing Daesh was pejorative and that its approach was necessary to maintain impartiality.[6]
NPR uses "Islamic State" with the optional use of qualifiers in the first instance, then ISIS thereafter.[19]
USA Today "identifies the group as the Islamic State, the Islamic State militant group, or the Islamic State extremist group."[20]
The New York Times uses "Islamic State", choosing to explain it in context.[8]
The Guardian, and its sister paper The Observer, uses "Islamic State" at first mention and "ISIS" thereafter.[21] (It does not uppercase acronyms).[22] It chose "ISIS" over "ISIL" as being more usual in British media.[23] In September 2014 it was considering switching to "IS",[23] but by April 2016 had not done so,[24] but instead used ISIS. Following the name change, it moved to "Islamic State (ISIS)" at first mention, and thereafter IS.[14]
Iran's news outlets such as state-owned Press TV use the name "Daesh Takfiri" (see Iran and ISIL).
Financial Times chose to stick with ISIS even after the group's name change.[25]
Several newspapers published by Metro International such as the Toronto edition sourced from the Toronto Star uses "Daesh".[26]
Reaction[edit]
Some media commentators have suggested that the debate over what to call the group was of little importance when compared to the need to actually stop them.[5]
William McCants argues attempts to avoid Islamic State denies the basic reality that they have managed to establish a state.[8]
Writing for The Washington Post, Amanda Bennett cast the debate as less about the meaning of words, but what they convey, contrasting politician's wish to have the group seen in a negative light, with the tradition in journalistic and academic circles to use organisations own preferred names, with explanation if there is a confusion or conflict with other meanings.[8]
Writing in The Independent, assistant secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, Miqdaad Versi, argued that daesh is preferable to allowing the group to be able to use its preferred name, pointing out there were various inconsistencies in the BBC's and other outlets choice not to translate the names of other groups, and pointing out that Boko Haram is also an unofficial pejorative name.[27]
Concerning the issue of using recognisable names, Stephen Pritchard of The Guardian relayed the failure of their paper to get it right when they initially used "The Brotherhood", the rough English translation to refer to the little known Al-Qaeda group in the wake of the September 11 attacks, before quickly dropping it as the Arabic name gained traction, despite it being their chosen brand.[14]