Daesh is an acronym for the Arabic phrase al-Dawla al-Islamiya al-Iraq al-Sham meaning the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

​

• Daesh offends the extremist group because it sounds similar to a derogatory word in Arabic meaning 'one who crushes something underfoot' or 'one who sows discord'.

• By using the militants’ preferred names 'Islamic State' or 'ISIS" the US government implicitly gives them legitimacy by categorizing them as a state, Daesh removes this claim.

• Daesh removes 'Islamic' from the group's name and supports the chorus of Muslim scholars who are intellectually pushing back on Daesh’s religious claims over Islam itself.