Jihad (Struggle)

Contributed by Rahiba Bary

Monday, 02 April 2007

Last Updated Thursday, 05 April 2007

Islaam and Terrorism

Thursday, 06 July 2006Islaam Spread By The Sword: The common image of Islaam being spread by an Arab on camel

back riding in off the desert with a Quraan in one hand and a scimitar (a curved sword) in the other offering a choice of

either accepting Islaam or losing one’s head.

1. As mentioned earlier under the issue of apostasy, forcible conversion is prohibited in Islaam. The religion did not

spread by the sword. There were military confrontations between the Muslim state and the existing world powers of

Rome and Persia. However, the areas conquered were put under Muslim administration and the populations were free to

maintain their own beliefs. Muslims ruled Egypt, Palestine and Lebanon from the 8th century and sizeable Christian

communities continued to exist over the past 13 centuries. Muslims ruled Spain for 700 years and India for 1000 years

without the vast majority of the population converting to Islaam.

2. The largest Muslim country in the world today is Indonesia, having over 200 million citizens, never saw a Muslim

soldier. Islaam spread there and in Malaysia and Philippines by trade. That was also the case of Islaam’s spread

in West African countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Chad and Niger. Also, Islaam is the fastest growing religion in

America today with anywhere between 300 and 500 converts daily. This is taking place without any soldiers or even

missionaries.TerrorismTerrorism is defined by the American government as the threat or the use of violence to advance

a political cause by individuals or groups, whether acting for or in opposition to established governmental authority, when

such actions are intended to shock, stun, or intimidate a target group wider than the immediate victims. Actually such a

general definition will include all wars of liberation from the American War of Independence to the French Revolution. The

worst aspect and perhaps the most common feature of terrorism is the unleashing of violence against innocent

civilians. 1. The State of Israel is the most recent example of the establishment of a state by terrorism. It was established

by Jewish terrorist groups, the most infamous of which was the Stern Gang.2. The term “Muslim terrorist” is

used to label Islaam as a terrorist religion. However, it is a misnomer. When IRA bombers struck, they were not labeled

as “Catholic terrorists” even though the struggle is between Catholic Ireland and Protestant Northern

Ireland supported by Protestant England. Likewise, when Timothy McVeigh blew up the CIA headquarters in Oklahoma

City in 1995 killing 168 people, he was not labeled as a “Christian terrorist”, though he was Christian and a

terrorist. In fact the “Muslim terrorist” label was attached to the activities of the PLO who were a mixture of

Muslims, Christians and communists. The PLO is not, nor was it ever, a Muslim organization. It is a nationalist

organization working for the establishment of a secular Palestinian state.3. The face of terrorism can be seen in the

extremist movements of Egypt. Al-Gama’a Al-Islamiya (Islamic Group) and Jihaad Movements provided shock

troops for a bitter struggle with Egypt’s security forces that caused about 1,200 deaths from 1992 to 1997 but

failed to topple Hosni Mubarak’s secular rule. The Gama’a claimed responsibility for the Luxor massacre of

tourists in November 1997. However, in March 1997 its exiled leaders declared a unilateral truce and renounced

violence. The philosophy of these movements and their program of action have been loudly condemned by leading

Muslim scholars internationally as well as local Egyptian scholars.4. The case of Algeria is somewhat more complex.

However, it is sufficient to say that the Islaamic Salvation Front (F.I.S.) - which was poised to win the elections cancelled

by the Algerian military - renounced violent struggle over a year ago, yet the slaughter of innocents still continues. From

the beginning of the civilian slaughters, the F.I.S. disclaimed them and identified the G.I.A. as the main culprit. Recent

reports indicate that the G.I.A. was created by government secret service agents to discredit the F.I.S.’s military

struggle by alienating them from the masses through atrocities.5. Islaam opposes any form of indiscriminate violence.

The Qur’aan states: “Anyone who has killed another except in retaliation, it is as if he has killed the whole

of humankind.” (32:5) There are strict rules regulating how war may be conducted. Prophet Muhammad forbade

the killing of women, children, and old people and the destruction of Churches and Synagogues or farms. Of course, if

women, children or the elderly bear arms they may be killed in self-defense.

Jihaad

Usually translated by the Western media as “holy war” is a greatly misunderstood principle in Islaam. There

is no term in Arabic which means “holy war”. War is not “holy” in Islaam it is.1. The meaning

of jihaad is “striving” or “struggle”. It is used in Islaam to refer to a variety of different efforts

enjoined upon the believers. Striving to keep God and His Messenger more important than loved ones, wealth and

one’s own self is the most basic form of jihaad prescribed on every Muslim. The Prophet said, “No one has

truly believed until Allaah and His Messenger becomes more beloved than everything.” Doing the righteous deeds

prescribed by God is itself a jihaad. The Prophet was reported to have said, “The best jihaad is the perfect

Hajj.” On another occasion, someone asked the Prophet if he should join the jihaad. The Prophet responded by

asking him whether his parents were still alive and when he replied that they were, he said, “Make jihaad by

serving them.”2. Defending Islaam and the Muslim community is a primary aspect of the physical jihaad which

involves taking up arms against an enemy. God states in the Quraan “Permission to fight has been given to those

who have been attacked because they are wronged. And indeed, Allaah is Most Powerful.” (22:39) “Fight

in the cause of Allaah against those who fight against you, but do not transgress the limits. Indeed Allaah does not love

transgressors.” (2:190). Muslims are also enjoined to fight against tyranny. The Qur’aan states,

“Why shouldn’t you fight in the cause of Allaah and for those oppressed because they are weak. Men,

women and children who cry out, ‘Our Lord! Rescue us from this town of oppressors’” (4:75) Last

Updated ( Thursday, 06 July 2006 )