In this article, Sardar Aziz analyses the gradual transformation of Al-Jolani into Ahmed al-Sharaa, a shift marked by strategic and symbolic changes in his identity and discourse. Transitioning from a Salafist-jihadist leader to a political figure seeking integration into the international landscape, Al-Sharaa capitalises on symbolic acts, such as the capture of Aleppo’s citadel and his visit to the Umayyad Mosque, while adopting an approach that combines political considerations, power consolidation, and an evolution in ideological positioning.