Maher Meshaal
Born1989
al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia
Died11 July 2015
Al-Hasakah, Syria
NationalitySaudi Arabian
OccupationMunshid

Maher Meshaal (1989 – 11 July 2015), known as Abu al-Zubair al-Jazrawi, was a Saudi Arabian munshid and mujahid.[1]

History

Meshaal was born in al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia.

He was well known in his home country for appearing on a TV program for an anasheed competition before he emigrated to join the Islamic State (ISIL) in 2013. He also appeared on al-Bidayah TV Channel.[2] He became famous as the singer behind some of their most famous and popular anasheed which are regularly played as background music in combat and execution videos released by Islamic State. Meshaal spent five years working as an munshid and an imam at a mosque in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, before joining ISIL in April 2013, the Saudi Gazette claims.[3][4][5][6][7]

Death

He was killed by a US airstrike around 11 July 2015 near the Syrian city of al-Hasakah.[8]

On 9 January 2016, ISIL released a ten-minute documentary-style video titled "Nay they are alive with their Lord", a reference to Qur'an verse Ali 'Imran 3:169,[9] celebrating Meshaal's life and exploits in his own words.[10]

References

  1. ^ "Top 5 Jihadi Songs of 2014". 18 November 2014.
  2. ^ "Did the singer for Daesh's execution videos die in a Syrian army strike?". Al Bawaba. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  3. ^ Kaplan, Michael (14 July 2015). "US Airstrike Kills Islamic State Songwriter: Saudi National Maher Meshaal Was Voice Of ISIS Propaganda Videos". Ibtimes.com. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  4. ^ "ISIS' chief singer and songwriter Maher Meshaal killed in Syria airstrikes, activists say". CBS News. 13 July 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  5. ^ "Maher Meshaal, Islamic State 'chief singer and songwriter,' dies in Syria airstrike". Washington Times. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  6. ^ "Isis singer/songwriter Maher Meshaa behind music for execution videos is killed in drone strike | Metro News". Metro.co.uk. 15 July 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  7. ^ "ISIS chief singer killed in U.S. strike north Syria". ARA News. 14 July 2015. Archived from the original on 30 September 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  8. ^ "The Islamic State's Head Songwriter Has Reportedly Been Killed in an Airstrike". Archived from the original on 8 August 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  9. ^ "Surah Ali 'Imran". Quran.com. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  10. ^ Zelin, Aaron Y. (9 January 2016). "New video message from The Islamic State: "Rather, They Are Alive With Their Lord: Abū al-Zubayr al-Jazrāwī – Wilāyat al-Raqqah"". Jihadology. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
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