On the Nature of Things | Forum

The Egyptians have long been known as the Arab world’s masters of comedy. True to form, they’ve now managed to turn even the Islamic State’s most powerful anthem against the group.

“Saleel al-Sawarim” (“The clanging of the swords”) is a nasheed, a purely vocal chant, since music with instruments is forbidden according to the Islamic State’s fundamentalist interpretation of Islam. It is just as slick and professional as IS’s other media products, and has been a key factor in strengthening the group’s appeal. Its haunting message of martyrdom and apocalyptic struggle has helped the group recruit young people from all over the world at an unprecedented pace.

However, in the hands of 18-year-old Egyptian computer geek and amateur musician Karem Farok, the jihadi nasheed has now been remixed into a dance pop hit.

“‘Saleel al-Sawarim’ was getting very popular and it stuck in my head too, since it is a good tune,” Farok admitted. “So I wanted to transform it into a tool for mocking the Islamic State. And I managed to turn it around completely, from death and violence to dance.”

This way, listening to the remix becomes an act of defiance in what Farok sees as a psychological war.