The Daily Presents “Caliphate,” Chapter 3

A former foreign fighter recounts his journey to Syria in 2014 to join ISIS, driven by the ideological pursuit of a caliphate. Upon arrival, he describes the organization's bureaucratic entry process, which included formal background checks and vetting by established members. Seeking to avoid immediate frontline combat, he joined the *Hisba*, or religious police, where he enforced strict, seventh-century-inspired codes of conduct. His duties involved patrolling for minor infractions like improper clothing or beard length, as well as administering brutal corporal punishments, including severe lashings. This account provides a rare, confessional perspective on the internal operations of the Islamic State, detailing the transition from idealistic recruit to an enforcer of the group’s violent judicial system, while highlighting the organization's focus on state-building and rigid social control during the Syrian civil war.