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Damascus Goes Medieval: HTS Unveils the ‘Ibn Taymiyyah Lecture Series’ – Because Nothing Says Modern Governance Like 14th-Century Takfir”
In a bold move toward national reconciliation and 14th-century problem-solving, the authorities associated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Damascus have begun promoting the works and ideas of the medieval scholar Ibn Taymiyyah, complete with free book distributions and planned lectures on his ideology. Reports and videos circulating in 2025–2026 show people lining up for copies of his writings, trucks of books arriving (including from Saudi sources), and once-banned titles now openly available at book fairs and shops—titles that the previous regime had treated as potential security threats.
Officials and supporters frame this as restoring intellectual freedom and “authentic” Sunni scholarship after years of Assad-era censorship. Critics, however, note that Ibn Taymiyyah’s fatwas have long been cited by jihadist groups for declaring various Muslims (and non-Muslims) as outside the fold, justifying combat against Mongols who had nominally converted, certain Shiite groups, and others he viewed as innovators or apostates. The new lecture series is expected to cover topics such as “Identifying Contemporary Mongols,” “The Fine Art of Takfir for Beginners,” and “Why Your Neighbor’s Prayer Style Might Require a Strongly Worded Response.”
Attendance is anticipated to be high, especially among those who recently received free copies. Organizers promise practical takeaways: how a 700-year-old text can resolve disputes over dress codes, minority status, and whether certain Syrian communities qualify for the modern equivalent of jizya or something more decisive. One anonymous attendee, speaking hypothetically while clutching a newly acquired volume, remarked that the material “really helps clarify who counts as properly Islamic in a post-Assad Damascus.”
The initiative arrives amid broader reports of mosque imam replacements, expanded Islamist education networks linked to the new order, and shifts in religious discourse. While some analysts describe HTS’s evolution as a move toward pragmatic local governance rather than global jihadism, the enthusiastic promotion of a figure central to Salafi-jihadi intellectual history has raised questions about the depth of any ideological rebranding. In classic satirical fashion, the lectures may prove more effective at producing animated debates (or worse) than at fostering the inclusive national unity sometimes advertised in English-language statements.
Damascus residents are advised to bring notebooks, an open mind, and perhaps a historically informed sense of irony. After all, nothing accelerates a country’s progress quite like carefully curated lectures on why large segments of the population might be theologically problematic by medieval standards.
