A conspiracy theory about a book detailing a Jewish plot to destroy Islam and Arabic societies appeared online over the last two years, though the book does not appear to exist. According to AI antisemitism monitoring nonprofit CyberWell, which first identified the trend, the conspiracy is only just emerging, but it is an example of how antisemitism can be spread online.
Arabic language Facebook posts, TikTok videos, and online forums have detailed some of the supposed content of a book called "Tired Islam," ostensibly written by a Jewish or Israeli author named Jacob or Yaakov Dunne. The book supposedly has four editions and at least seven volumes after being printed in 2011, but the earliest manifestation that could be identified by The Jerusalem Post was a 2019 Facebook post.
The Facebook page of Sheikh Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Khatib Al-Hassani in August 2019 shared what was supposed to be a summary of a chapter of the book, called "The End of the Arabs." The summary warns of moral decline due to the machinations of Zionists.
The first iteration is more Saudi-oriented than later posts, with the supposed chapter summary explaining that if the faith of Gulf Arabs were to be destroyed, it would destroy the faith of all Muslims because Gulf Arabs were the most diligent in applying the "correct teachings" of Islam, Sunni Islam. Saudi Arabia, according to the post, has many people who prioritize religion and teach their children to love and sacrifice for Islam.
The plan called to corrupt women, encouraging them to travel without the company of male relatives and adopt the morals of the West. Children should be instilled with self-love and individual interest above filial piety in order to create a rift between them and their parents. Later iterations emphasized the role of feminism. Shiekhs and Friday sermons were to be attacked so that the public would abandon mosques. Discord was to supposedly be fostered by promoting differing Islamic jurisprudence, creating amorality among Muslims. Lastly, technology would supposedly be used to emphasize the negative features of Muslim culture.
Later iterations, such as those on the Mohamed Ould Ichidou website in an article by Thabet Al-Ghazi, changed Saudi Arabia to the wider Arabian Peninsula. Jordanian YouTuber Naseer Al Sourani, in September, tied the book to the spread of Sufi Islam and claimed that there were copies of the book in the White House and US embassies around the world. A version on the Iraqi geared Clay Board website details further supposed chapters. One details how the US supports internal wars to divide and conquer Arab societies, while others highlight the role of Iran, Turkey, and the Muslim Brotherhood in weakening Islamic civilization.
No document matching the description could be found
While posts about "Tired Islam" often claim that the book is stored in the US Library of Congress, no document matching its description could be found in the online catalogue.
The theory about the book gained new popularity in 2024, according to CyberWell, when it was shared in a video by Jordanian influencer Wafaa Elwan. The video was then reproduced on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. The text has been updated and shared by accounts with tens of thousands of followers. There have been about 1700 reels on the subject on Instagram, and some of the X videos on the subject reach 50,000 engagements.
CyberWell Founder and CEO Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor said that this was an example of how influencers, who put a human face to ideas, can be used to spread misinformation. She also warned that many of the iterations of the viral posts urged others to spread word of the book to alert Arab Islamic society to the supposed goals of Zionism, and could potentially serve as a violent call to action.
“This trend is a modern-day digital replica of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. It revives century-old religious antisemitism, tailored to go viral on today’s platforms,” said Cohen Montemayor. “The narrative pushes the same antisemitic tropes that have historically led to mass violence against Jews, now wrapped in a pseudointellectual setting to appear credible and urgent.”