Islamic Holy War? Muslims Killing Jews & Christians?
That is what we are told - by the western media. But what is the real truth behind the word JIHAD?
Introduction
In the linguistic sense, the Arabic word "jihad" means struggling or striving and applies to any effort exerted by anyone. In this sense, a student struggles and strives to get an education and pass course work; an employee strives to fulfill his/her job and maintain good relations with his/her employer; a politician strives to maintain or increase his [1] popularity with his constituents and so on. The term strive or struggle may be used for/by Muslims as well as non-Muslims; for example, Allah, the One and Only True God says in the Quran:
We have commanded people to honor their parents. But if they urge you to associate with Me what you have no knowledge of,1 then do not obey them. To Me, you will ˹all˺ return, and then I will inform you of what you used to do.
In the above two verses of the Quran, it is non-Muslim parents who strive (Jahadaka) to convert their Muslim children back to their religion.
In the West,
There, "jihad" is generally translated as "holy war," a usage the media has popularized. According to Islamic teachings, it is UNHOLY to instigate or start a war; however, some wars are inevitable and justifiable. If we translate the words "holy war" back into Arabic, we find "Harbun Muqaddasatu," or for "the holy war," "Al-Harbu Al-Muqaddasatu." WE CHALLENGE any researcher or scholar to find the meaning of "jihad" as holy war in the Quran or authentic Hadith collections or early Islamic literature. Unfortunately, some Muslim writers and translators of the Quran, the Hadith, and other Islamic literature translate the term "jihad" as "holy war," due to the influence of centuries-old Western propaganda. This could be a reflection of the Christian use of the term "Holy War" to refer to the Crusades of a thousand years ago. However, the Arabic words for "war" are "Harb" or "Qital," which are found in the Quran and Hadith.
For Muslims, the term JIHAD is applied to all forms of STRIVING and has developed some special meanings over time. The sources of this development are the Quran (the Word of God revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Quran and the Hadith use the word "jihad" in several different contexts which are given below:
RECOGNIZING THE CREATOR AND LOVING HIM MOST:
It is human nature to love what is seen with the eyes and felt with the senses more than the UNSEEN REALITY. The Creator of the Universe and the One God is Allah. He is the Unseen Reality which we tend to ignore and not recognize. The Quran addresses those who claim to be believers:
O, believers! Do not take your parents and siblings as trusted allies if they choose disbelief over belief. And whoever of you does so, they are the ˹true˺ wrongdoers. ۞Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “If your parents and children and siblings and spouses and extended family and the wealth you have acquired and the trade you fear will decline and the homes you cherish—˹if all these˺ are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and struggling in His Way, then wait until Allah brings about His Will. Allah does not guide the rebellious people.” ۞
It is indeed a struggle to put Allah ahead of our loved ones, our wealth, our worldly ambitions, and our own lives. Especially for a non-Muslim who embraces Islam, it may be a tough struggle due to the opposition of his family, peers, and society.
RESISTING PRESSURE OF PARENTS, PEERS, AND SOCIETY:
Once a person has made up his mind to put the Creator of the Universe above all else, he often comes under intense pressure. It is not easy to resist such pressures and STRIVE to maintain the dedication and love of Allah over all else. A person who has turned to Islam from another religion may be subjected to pressures designed to turn him back to the religion of the family. We read in the Quran:
So do not yield to the disbelievers, but strive diligently against them with this ˹Quran˺.
STAYING ON THE STRAIGHT PATH STEADFASTLY:
Allah says in the Quran:
Strive for ˹the cause of˺ Allah in the way He deserves, for ˹it is˺ He ˹Who˺ has chosen you, and laid upon you no hardship in the religion—the way of your forefather Abraham. ˹It is Allah˺ Who named you ‘the ones who submit’1 ˹in the˺ earlier ˹Scriptures˺ and in this ˹Quran˺, so that the Messenger may be a witness over you, and that you may be witnesses over humanity. So establish prayer, pay alms-tax, and hold fast to Allah. He ˹alone˺ is your Guardian. What an excellent Guardian, and what an Excellent Helper!
And whoever strives ˹in Allah’s cause˺, only does so for their own good. Surely Allah is not in need of ˹any of˺ His creation.
As for those who strive and struggle to live as true Muslims whose lives are made difficult due to persecution by their opponents, they are advised to migrate to a more peaceful and tolerant land and continue with their struggle in the cause of Allah. Allah says in the Quran:
When the angels seize the souls of those who have wronged themselves—scolding them, “What do you think you were doing?” they will reply, “We were oppressed in the land.” The angels will respond, “Was Allah’s earth not spacious enough for you to emigrate?” It is they who will have Hell as their home—what an evil destination!
Surely those who have believed, emigrated, and struggled in the Way of Allah—they can hope for Allah’s mercy. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Allah tests the believers in their faith and their steadfastness:
Do you think you will enter Paradise without Allah proving which of you you ˹truly˺ struggled ˹for His cause˺ and patiently endured?
We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops. Give good news to those who patiently endure
We find that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his clan were boycotted socially and economically for three years to force him to stop his message and compromise with the pagans but he resisted and realized a moral victory [2].
STRIVING FOR RIGHTEOUS DEEDS:
Allah declares in the Quran:
As for those who struggle in Our cause, We will surely guide them along Our Way. And Allah is certainly with the good-doers.
When we are faced with two competing interests, it becomes jihad to choose the right one, as the following Hadith exemplify:
Narrated `Aisha:(That she said), "O Allah's Messenger (ï·º)! We consider Jihad as the best deed. Should we not fight in Allah's Cause?" He said, "The best Jihad (for women) is Hajj-Mabrur (i.e. Hajj which is done according to the Prophet's tradition and is accepted by Allah)
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Amr:A man said to the Prophet, "Shall I participate in Jihad?" The Prophet (ï·º) said, "Are your parents living?" The man said, "Yes." the Prophet (ï·º) said, "Do Jihad for their benefit."
It was narrated from Tariq bin Shihab that:a man asked the Prophet, when he had put his leg in the stirrup: "Which kind of Jihad is best?'" He said: " a word of truth spoken before an unjust rulers." Sunan an-Nasa'i 4209
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "...the MUJAHID (one who carries out jihad) is he who STRIVES against himself for the sake of Allah, and the MUHAJIR (one who emigrates) is he who abandons evil deeds and sin." [Sahih Ibn Hibban #4862]
HAVING COURAGE AND STEADFASTNESS TO CONVEY THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM:
The Quran narrates the experiences of a large number of Prophets and good people who suffered a great deal trying to convey the message of Allah to mankind. For example, see the Quran 26:1-190, 36:13-32. In the Quran, Allah specifically praises those who strive to convey His message:
And whose words are better than someone who calls ˹others˺ to Allah, does good, and says, “I am truly one of those who submit.”?1
Under adverse conditions, it takes great courage to remain a Muslim, declare oneself to be a Muslim, and call others to Islam. We read in the Quran:
The ˹true˺ believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger—never doubting—and strive with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allah. They are the ones true in faith.
DEFENDING ISLAM AND THE COMMUNITY:
Allah declares in the Quran:
Permission ˹to fight back˺ is ˹hereby˺ granted to those being fought, for they have been wronged.1 And Allah is truly Most Capable of helping them ˹prevail˺.˹They are˺ those who have been expelled from their homes for no reason other than proclaiming: “Our Lord is Allah.”...........
The Quran permits fighting to defend the religion of Islam and the Muslims. This permission includes fighting in self-defense and for the protection of family and property. The early Muslims fought many battles against their enemies under the leadership of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) or his representatives. For example, when the pagans of Quraysh brought armies against Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Muslims fought to defend their faith and community [3]. The Quran adds:
Fight in the cause of Allah ˹only˺ against those who wage war against you, but do not exceed the limits.1 Allah does not like transgressors.Fight against them ˹if they persecute you˺ until there is no more persecution, and ˹your˺ devotion will be to Allah ˹alone˺. If they stop ˹persecuting you˺, let there be no hostility except against the aggressors.
HELPING ALLIED PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE MUSLIM:
In the late period of the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) life, the tribe of Banu Khuza'ah became his ally. They were living near Makkah which was under the rule of the pagan Quraysh, Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) own tribe. The tribe of Banu Bakr, an ally of Quraysh, with the help of some elements of Quraysh, attacked Banu Khuza'ah invoked the treaty, and demanded Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to come to their help and punish Quraysh. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) organized a campaign against Quraysh of Makkah which resulted in the conquest of Makkah which occurred without any battle [4].
BANISHING THOSE WHO ACT TREACHEROUSLY:
Allah orders the Muslims in the Quran:
And if you ˹O Prophet˺ see signs of betrayal by a people, respond by openly terminating your treaty with them. Surely Allah does not like those who betray
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) undertook several armed campaigns to remove treacherous people from power and their lodgings. He had entered into pacts with several Jewish tribes, however, some of them proved themselves treacherous. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) launched armed campaigns against these tribes, defeated and exiled them from Medina and its surroundings [5].
DEFENDING THROUGH PREEMPTIVE STRIKES:
Indeed, it is difficult to mobilize people to fight when they see no invaders in their territory; however, those who are charged with responsibility see dangers ahead of time and must provide leadership. The Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him), had the responsibility to protect his people and the religion he established in Arabia. Whenever he received intelligence reports about enemies gathering near his borders he carried out preemptive strikes, broke their power, and dispersed them [6]. Allah ordered Muslims in the Quran:
Fighting has been made obligatory upon you ˹believers˺, though you dislike it. Perhaps you dislike something which is good for you and like something which is bad for you. Allah knows and you do not know.
GAINING FREEDOM TO INFORM, EDUCATE AND CONVEY THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM IN AN OPEN AND FREE ENVIRONMENT:
Allah declares in the Quran:
They1 ask you ˹O Prophet˺ about fighting in the sacred months.2 Say, “Fighting during these months is a great sin. But hindering ˹others˺ from the Path of Allah, rejecting Him, and expelling the worshippers from the Sacred Mosque is ˹a˺ greater ˹sin˺ in the sight of Allah. For persecution3 is far worse than killing. And they will not stop fighting you until they turn you away from your faith—if they can. ... ... ...
And those who, when tyranny strikes them, they retaliate [in a just manner.
To gain this freedom, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
"STRIVE (JAHIDU) against the disbelievers with your hands and tongues." [Sahih Ibn Hibban #4708]
The life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was full of STRIVING to gain the freedom to inform and convey the message of Islam. During his stay in Makkah, he used non-violent methods and after the establishment of his government in Madinah, by the permission of Allah, he used armed struggle against his enemies whenever he found it inevitable.
FREEING PEOPLE FROM TYRANNY:
Allah admonishes Muslims in the Quran:
And what is it with you? You do not fight in the cause of Allah and for oppressed men, women, and children who cry out, “Our Lord! Deliver us from this land of oppressors! Appoint for us a savior; appoint for us a helper—all by Your grace.”
The mission of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was to free people from tyranny and exploitation by oppressive systems. Once free, individuals in the society were then free to choose Islam or not. Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) successors continued in his footsteps and went to help oppressed people. For example, after the repeated call by the oppressed people of Spain to the Muslims for help, Spain was liberated by Muslim forces and the tyrant rulers were removed. After the conquest of Syria and Iraq by the Muslims, the Christian population of Hims reportedly said to the Muslims:
"We like your rule and justice far better than the state of oppression and tyranny under which we have been living." [7]
The defeated rulers of Syria were Roman Christians, and Iraq was ruled by Zoroastrian Persians.
WHAT SHOULD MUSLIMS DO WHEN THEY ARE VICTORIOUS?
Muslims should remove tyranny, treachery, bigotry, and ignorance and replace them with justice and equity. We should provide truthful knowledge and free people from the bondage of 'associationism' (SHIRK, or multiple gods), prejudice, superstition, and mythology. Muslims remove immorality, fear, crime, exploitation and replace them with divine morality, peace, and education. The Quran declares:
Indeed, Allah commands you to return trusts to their rightful owners; and when you judge between people, a judge with fairness. What a noble commandment from Allah to you! Surely Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.O, believers! Stand firm for Allah and bear true testimony. Do not let the hatred of a people lead you to injustice. Be just! That is closer to righteousness. And be mindful of Allah. Surely Allah is All-Aware of what you do.And among those We created is a group that guides with the truth and establishes justice accordingly.Indeed, Allah commands justice, grace, as well as courtesy to close relatives. He forbids indecency, wickedness, and aggression. He instructs you so perhaps you will be mindful.˹They are˺ those who, if established in the land by Us, would perform prayer, pay alms-tax, encourage what is good, and forbid what is evil. And with Allah rests the outcome of all affairs.
DID ISLAM SPREAD BY FORCE, SWORDS, OR GUNS?
The unequivocal and emphatic answer is NO! The Quran declares:
Let there be no compulsion in religion, for the truth stands out clearly from falsehood. So whoever renounces false gods and believes in Allah has certainly grasped the firmest, unfailing hand-hold. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
Here is a good study of the question of the spread of Islam by a Christian missionary, T. W. Arnold:
"...of any organized attempt to force the acceptance of Islam on the non-Muslim population, or of any systematic persecution intended to stamp out the Christian religion, we hear nothing. Had the caliphs chosen to adopt either course of action, they might have swept away Christianity as easily as Ferdinand and Isabella drove Islam out of Spain, or Louis XIV made Protestantism penal in France, or the Jews were kept out of England for 350 years. The Eastern Churches in Asia were entirely cut off from communion with the rest of Christiandom throughout which no one would have been found to lift a finger on their behalf, as heretical communions. So that the very survival of these Churches to the present day is a strong proof of the generally tolerant attitude of Mohammedan [sic] governments towards them" [8].
Islam does not teach, nor do Muslims desire, conversion of any people for fear, greed, marriage, or any other form of coercion.
In conclusion, jihad in Islam is STRIVING IN THE WAY OF ALLAH by pen, tongue, hand, media, and, if inevitable, with arms. However, jihad in Islam does not include striving for individual or national power, dominance, glory, wealth, prestige, or pride.
Outlinks
[1]. For the sake of simplicity and easy reading, masculine pronouns have been used throughout this brochure. No exclusion of females is intended.
[2]. Haykal, M. H., THE LIFE OF MUHAMMAD, Tr. Isma'il R. Faruqi, American Trust Publications, 1976, p. 132.
[3]. Haykal, pp. 216, 242, 299, and 414 for the Battles of Badr, Uhud, Al-Khandaq, and Hunayn, respectively.
[4]. Haykal, p. 395 for the conquest of Makkah.
[5]. Haykal, pp. 245, 277, 311, and 326 for campaigns against the tribes of Banu Qaynuqa', Banu Al-Nadir, Banu Quraydhah, and Banu Lihyan, respectively. Also, see p. 283 for the Battle of Dhat Al-Riqa'.
[6]. Haykal, pp. 284, 327, 366, 387, 393, 443, and 515 for the Battles of Dawmat Al-Jandal, Banu Al-Mustaliq, Khaybar, Mu'tah, Dhat Al-Salasil, Tabuk and the Campaign of Usamah Ibn Zaid, respectively.
[7]. Hitti, Philip K., HISTORY OF THE ARABS, St. Martin's Press, New York, 1970, p. 153.
[8]. Arnold, Sir Thomas W. THE PREACHING OF ISLAM, A HISTORY OF THE PROPAGATION OF THE MUSLIM FAITH, Westminister A. Constable & Co., London, 1896, p. 80.
[*] All Quran Verse is taken from the Translation of " The Clear Quran- Dr. Mustafa Khattab [Click the verse number to read the verse]
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