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THE QURANIC
CONCEPT OF JIHAD
(From a fundamentalist download – Young
Muslim Organization (UK), abridged but otherwise unchanged)
AIMS
AND OBJECTIVES OF JIHAD
Jihad is to achieve the complete
freedom for all people to accept Islam as a way of life. Therefore, the purpose
of Jihad is two-fold. Negatively speaking, it is to eradicate the mischief of
Taghut and positively, the purpose is to establish a state of affairs wherein
all obedience is rendered to God alone [7]. "Keep on fighting against them
until mischief ends and the way prescribed by Allah prevails." (Qur'an
2:193)
"We sent aforetime our messengers
with clear signs and sent down with them the book and the balance (of right and
wrong), that men might stand forth in justice. And we sent down iron in which
there is material for mighty war, as well as many benefits for mankind that
Allah may test who it is that will help unseen . . ." (Qur'an 57:25)
Further, the aim of Jihad is to test
the Believers. Muslims must go through the process of Jihad in order to prove
that they are worthy of Allah’s blessing.4
". . . But if it had been Allah’s will, he would certainly have exacted
retribution from them himself; but he lets you fight in order to test you, some
with others. But those who are slain in the way of Allah - He will never let
their deeds be lost." (Qur'an 47:4)
MISCONCEPTIONS OF
JIHAD
The true meaning of Jihad has been
obscured by many false interpretations, both regarding the meaning of Jihad and
its application.
The difference
between Jihad and Qital
Jihad is often taken to mean merely
war, which is caused by conflicting national interests, from the stresses and
strains of monopolistic Capitalism, from philosophical conflicts, and so on.
For example, it is asserted that the Futuhat campaigns were made in order to
unite and maintain the internal cohesion of the Muslims, or that they were
carried out mainly to gain economic prosperity. However, in Islam, Qital can
only be undertaken for the sake of Allah, and carried out according to the
instructions of the Quran and Sunnah. And thus, these economic or geo-political
reasons may explain some positive results and wisdom behind the legislation of
Jihad, but they are not the real impetus of Jihad.
Qital is only one of the forms of
struggle to achieve the ideal of the overall establishment of Islam. It relies
heavily on this broader definition of Jihad (the overall strategy) for its
effective application, and thus the ideal application of Qital can only occur
if there is a fully functioning Islamic state to carry it out.
War for worldly gains is strictly
forbidden in Islam. The majority of the Quranic verses which relate to Jihad,
refer to Qital (killing) which is strictly conditional.5 The development of the
concept and practice of Qital, in the Quran is as follows:
"O you who believe, . . . do not kill (or destroy) yourself." (Qur'an
4:29)
". . . And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except for the
requirement of justice." (6:152)6
"Whoever slays a soul, unless it be for manslaughter, or for spreading
mischief in the land, it is as if he had slayed the whole people" (Qur'an
5:32)
"Allah has purchased the lives of the believers . . . They fight (Qatl) in
his cause, and slay and are slain . . ." (Qur'an 9:111)
From these Quranic Ayat it is clear that killing is strictly forbidden for
Muslims, whether the victim in question is ones own self, from the Muslim
nation, or from other nations. In fact, the killing of one person is perceived
to be equivalent to killing all the people. However, as verse (9:111) illustrates,
both killing others, as well as getting oneself killed is commanded when it is
in the cause of Allah.
Defensive and
offensive Jihad
Some apologetics declare Jihad to be
only defensive, either to give Islam a passive guise in front of non-Muslims,
or to exempt themselves from offensive Jihad. However, according to the
situation, Jihad can be both offensive and defensive. Therefore, this question
is irrelevant.
It is necessary to study the life of
the Prophet (pbuh), and observe the development of Jihad during his lifetime.
Jihad was not legislated during the Makkan period, the guiding principle at the
time being, "Hold back their hands from fighting and establish regular
prayers" (Qur'an 4:77)
The Muslims patiently endured the persecution of Mushriks. At this stage, if
the Muslims had declared war, they would have been destroyed, and Islam
would be uprooted before it had time to gain strength. There still remained a
number of criteria to be fulfilled before the Prophet (pbuh) was strong
enough to wage Jihad. Firstly, the prophet (pbuh) had to win a sufficiently
large number of followers who were willing to give up anything for the cause of
Islam. Secondly, the followers of Islam were scattered and so were not the
concentrated collective force needed to carry out Jihad. Thirdly, there was no
region in which Muslims were powerful enough to consolidate their forces and
carry out Jihad from that base.
When the Muslims migrated to Madinah with
the support of the Ansar, and the Muslims had territory under their control,
Jihad was instituted by Allah. At first, permission was given to fight in self
defence:
"To those against whom war is made, permission is given to fight because
they are wronged . . . and verily God is most powerful for their aid."
(Qur'an 22:39) [13]
Then the Muslims were given permission
to fight in defence of their beliefs and principles:
"Fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do not transgress
limits; for God loves not transgressors." (Qur'an 2:190) [14]
The third stage came when the Muslims were ordered to fight the Kuffar, and to
initiate the fighting:
"Fight them until there is no more tumult and oppression, and there
prevails justice and faith in God altogether and everywhere." (Qur'an
8:39)
Therefore, the idea that Jihad is only undertaken in defence of Muslims and the
Islamic state is not correct, since if the aim of Jihad is to remove all
obstacles which limit mankind’s freedom to obey Allah, which makes aggressive
Jihad necessary.
Jihad Asghar and
Akbar
It is claimed by some that the Jihad
of the soul is greater (Akbar) than the physical jihad, which they claim is the
lesser (Asghar) Jihad. They refer to a Hadith saying that in different
occasions when the Prophet (pbuh) used to return from campaigns, he used to
say, "we have come out of small Jihad to the greater Jihad." However,
According to Muhaddithun, this Hadith is weak. It was the situation which
dictated which type of Jihad was greater at that point in time. In any case,
Jihad against the Nafs is continuous. The prophet (pbuh), in order to emphasise
a point in different occasions, would give it the greatest importance, e.g.
‘speaking in front of a tyrant ruler is the greatest Jihad.’ etc. This does not
mean that that particular Jihad is the greatest, over all other Jihad.
IMPORTANCE OF JIHAD
Obligation of
fulfilling the covenant
"Jihad remains obligatory until
the day of resurrection. One who has died but did not fight in the way of
Allah, nor expressed and desire for Jihad, died the death of a hypocrite."
(Sahih Muslim) [15].
According to the Ijma (consensus) of the scholars of Islam, Jihad is Farde
Kifaya, which frees the whole community of the obligation so long as it is
being carried out by a contingent of people. However, Jihad becomes Farde
`Aain, obligatory on every individual, when the help of every individual is
required.8
To fight in the cause of Allah (Qital)
is one of the obligations that serves to fulfil the covenant between the
faithful, and Allah.
"Allah has purchased, of the believers their lives and their properties,
and in return gives the gardens of paradise. They fight in his cause. And slay
and are slain. A promise binding on him in truth from the Torah . . ."
(9:111)9
Qital is a part of the bargain, and only if it is fulfilled, the promise of
Allah’s rewards to the believers will be fulfilled [16].
Rank given for
participating in Jihad
Those who have died in the way of
Allah are given the title, Shahid (witness). They have given the ultimate
sacrifice which is their life, as a witness unto the truth.
"Not equal are those believers who sit at home, and receive no hurt and
those who fight in the cause of Allah with their goods and their persons . . .
unto all in faith has Allah promised good: but those who strive and fight he
has distinguished above those who sit at home." (Qur'an 4:95-96)10
Treatment of those
who do not participate in Jihad
The treatment of those who do not
participate in Jihad is outlined by Allah in Surah Tawbah, referring to the
battle of Tabuk.
"Those who were allowed to stay behind rejoiced at remaining behind and
not accompanying the messenger of Allah. They were adverse to striving in the
cause of Allah with their belongings and their lives and told others; ‘Do not
go forth in this fierce heat. ‘Tell them; the hell is far fiercer in heat.
‘Would that they understand!
Consequences for the
Ummah of not carrying out Jihad
The consequence for not fighting after
it is enjoined is made clear by Allah:
"Believers! . . . If you do not march forth Allah will chastise you
grievously and will replace you with another people, while you will be in no
way able to harm Him. Allah has power over everything." (Qur'an 9:38-39)
SITUATIONS IN WHICH
JIHAD SHOULD BE WAGED
Jihad as an answer to
Oppression and Aggression
It is obligatory to wage Jihad when
Muslims are attacked and oppressed, when Muslims are turned out of their homes
and deprived of their rights, their property and are uprooted.
"Fight in the cause of Allah, those who fight you, but do not transgress
limits; for Allah loves not transgressors, And slay them wherever you catch
them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out; For tumult and
oppression are worse than slaughter; . . . And fight them on until there is no
more tumult and oppression and there prevails justice and faith in Allah. But
if they cease13, let there be no hostility except to those who practice
oppression." (Qur'an 2:190-193)14
Jihad to protect and
preserve the truth (Haq)
"Now when you meet in war with
those who are bent on denying the truth, smite their necks until you overcome
them fully, and then tighten their bonds; but thereafter set them free, either
by an act of grace or against ransom, so that the burden of war may be
lifted." (Qur'an 47:4) [18]
The truth, Al-Islam is denied by those who pose obstacles to the propagation of
the Islamic Dawah. Allah tells Muslims that the way to deal with those who bar
others from the straight path, having denied it themselves, is to declare Jihad
against them.
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