Al-Qaeda stepping up its media presence

Al-Qaeda's media platforms are rising to popularity, thanks to their recent broadcast of a series of videos by the organization's leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri.

These videos came hard on the heels of reports about the illness of the leader of the terrorist group and his possible death.

The content and the timing of the videos were especially important.

Kinetic Islamist movements operate within the framework of their goals and strategies.

This raises questions about the reasons behind the recent popularity of al-Qaeda and the multiple videos of the organization's leader.

Zawahiri has resorted to a series of advocacy clips and this is raising questions too.

Advocacy videos

A few days ago, a new video clip was released by al-Qaeda's leader. The video was titled 'Invitation Series'.

It is a 30-minute work that includes religious and jurisprudential sermons by Zawahiri. He focuses on the process of transition towards religiosity, describing it as a transition from atheism to faith.

Zawahiri speaks in the video about the necessity of embracing new converts to Islam, and providing them with the jurisprudential rules of this religion.

He points to the importance of excusing the ignorance of some groups about the correct rules of the Islamic religion.

"The current era is more compatible with the excuse with knowledge than with ignorance," Zawahiri says in the video.

He adds that religious sciences had been spoiled, giving insights into some of the ideas of his organization.

In saying this, Zawahiri assumed that his organization is the only credible source of information about Islam.

Al-Qaeda's leader mentions two Egyptian personalities, referring to their books and writing, especially about converting to religiosity or adherence to jurisprudential and spiritual rules.

He also speaks about communists, pointing to a personal experience with them.

He argues that the communists' beliefs were corrupt and that the controversial nature of their intellectual discussions in the past led to some of them breaking ranks with their intellectual currents.