On April 24, 2025, the Islamic State (ISIS) released issue 492 of its weekly newsletter, Al-Naba', featuring an editorial titled, "The Pope of Al-Azhar and Sheikh of the Vatican."[1]
Addressing the eulogies released following the death of Pope Francis, the editorial criticized the ideology behind the response from Egypt's Al-Azhar Grand Imam, and media in the region, saying that they are waging a "soft war" against tawhid, or monotheism. The main issue at stake in the editorial is not just whether to extend condolences on the death of the Pope, but the need to defend Islam from being diluted by emotional narratives of humanism and gestures that validate other religions.
Media Coverage Lauding The Pope Obscures His Disbelief
The editorial opens by condemning Egypt's Sheikh Al-Azhar and regional media outlets for allegedly molding an image of the Pope that makes people nearly forget his disbelief, Christianity, and his call to the Trinity – doing so "under the pretexts of [demonstrating] so-called humanity and [due to] his stance on wounded Gaza, as though these were the ultimate standards of virtue that erase all else." Arguing that this image is not only misleading but spiritually dangerous, the piece warns that praising non-Islamic figures undermines religious loyalty with emotional exploitation.
To ISIS, Al-Azhar and the Vatican are not seen as theological adversaries, but partners in dilution of the one true faith. The Pope's portrayal – his "iron cross instead of gold," and burial "near the people, not in elite tombs" – are framed not as virtues, but as marketing tools in a theological war.
"If one dies upon something, he will be resurrected upon it. And whoever grew up upon something, will grow old clinging to it," said the editorial.
From Condolences To Devotion
According to the editorial, some Muslims crossed a red line by going from expressing condolences to stating their "praise, admiration, glorification, and exaltation, as though they were Vatican spokesmen, calling to papal authority." Honoring a man who "spent his life turning people away from Allah" constitutes an unforgivable betrayal of doctrine boundaries, argues the article.
Gaza, A "Political Cloak"
In a particularly striking rhetorical maneuver, the editorial recasts the Pope's statement of sympathy for Gaza. His echoed calls for a ceasefire are dismissed as propaganda aimed to cloak his disbelief. It argued: "They even dragged Gaza into the 'Papal Traits' series, claiming it was his final will and that he repeated 'Stop the war on Gaza' until his dying breath."
Ridiculing this narrative as mere posturing, it says "Did that benefit Gaza? Or did Gaza benefit him, in the Sufi imagination of 'raising and lowering', or the jihadi notion of being the measure of true faith?"
Al-Azhar And The Jesuit Parallel
The Pope's Jesuit affiliation and the Al-Azhar approach are sarcastically compared: "He belongs to the Jesuit order, a blend of contemplative mysticism and social activism—in that sense, Azharite in method!" Using this contrast, the editorial argues that both institutions prioritize coexistence over tawhid. Thus, the alleged effort to replace divine truth with secular ethics is shared by both: "They aim to replace the Prophetic message based on monotheism and rejection of false gods with the 'human message' that cancels it—and even opposes it."
The editorial further warns that Muslims are being groomed to believe that "the Pope and Prophet Muhammed brought the same message: mercy, justice, and humanity." To ISIS, this is not just false—it is a blasphemous equivalence.
Media As An Ideological Weapon
As for the media's role, the article did not just condemn it but also portrayed it as an architect of deception: "The ignorant media that painted the Pope as a hero and role model is the same media that brands the real heroes of this Ummah as Kharijites and extremists who deviated from the 'divine messages.'"
According to the editorial, this approach of celebrating disbelievers and demonizing mujahideen is part of a strategic and coordinated effort to strip Islam of its sanctity, turning it into the "Sufi Azharite method—not the exclusive truth without which no worship is accepted."
Nationalism Over Islamic Truth
The Al-Naba' article addresses what it refers to as double standards in Muslim reactions, claiming that many Muslims oppose Jews, but embrace Christians: "They attack rabbis, but remain silent about the popes—as though hostility to Jews is a religious [duty], while hostility to Christians is optional."
Here, the piece highlights what it refers to as nationalism in the guise of religion, claiming that Muslims nationalize their religious rage, expressing anger over Palestine, but not doctrinal matters: "Their hatred of Jews is tainted with nationalism driven by the Palestinian cause—born as a nationalist project and still lost, and removed from the aim of faith [just as] Al-Aqsa is far from the Toofan [Al-Aqsa Flood of October 7, 2023]."
"When Humanity Trumps Faith"
The editorial issues a final warning: "Humanity has become the standard, not Islam. It erases what comes after, conceals what's beneath, and stands above all—unquestionable."
The global order, ISIS argued, seeks to replace Islam's moral and metaphysical framework with a universalistic ethos that pushes religious absolutes to the margins.
[1] Telegram, Nashir News Agency, April 24, 2025.
