Hold firmly to the Book, to the scriptures
فيا أيها الموحدون المجاهدون المرابطون، يا أبناء الإسلام وحملة لوائه في زمن الغربة، خذوا الكتاب بقوة، واقبضوا على جمر التكاليف، واقتفوا أثر الرسل والأنبياء والصديقين
145:12
So, muwahhid mujahideen guarding the frontiers, sons of Islam and bearers of its banner in the time of estrangement, hold firmly to the Book, grasp the hot coals of sacrifice, and follow the example of the messengers, prophets and the siddiqin
The phrase خذوا الكتاب بقوة comes from Quran 19:12:
يَـٰيَحْيَىٰ خُذِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِقُوَّةٍۢ ۖ وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ ٱلْحُكْمَ صَبِيًّۭا
“O John! Hold firmly to the Scriptures.” And We granted him wisdom while a child
The quotation above is from the five-page transcript of an audio speech by ISIS’ Caliph, the “Emir of the Believers, Sheikh Mujahid Abu Bakr Al-Husseini Al-Qurashi Al-Baghdadi”, published in Al-Naba’ starting at 145:11.
The title of the speech – “And Give Glad Tidings to Those Who Are Patient” – و بشر الصابرين – comes from Quran 2:155 (cited on the first page of the speech):
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops. Give good news to those who patiently endure…
The following verse reads:
ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌۭ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ
…who, when faced with a disaster, say, “Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will all return.”
Accordingly, the speech addresses the causes of troubling times for Islamic State and how its members are expected to respond.