Jihad is a very contradictory Arabic term. It includes every kind of effort, exertion, conflict and war (Aidin 7-15). The etymological origin of the word Jihad is derived from j-h-d which means striving one’s utmost or exerting one’s utmost power, efforts, endeavors, toil or hard work and ability in contending with an object of disapprobation (Aidin 7-15). As it is seen this expression means to make an effort for Allah in many fields of life (Aidin 7-15). The goals of jihad and its idea have changed a lot while Muhammad performed his activities. Initially, Muhammad and Quran concentrate on basic and peaceful aspects of jihad.
In reality, the doctrine of Jihad mobilizes and motivates Muslim people to protectiveness in all areas (Aidin 7-15). Jihad, the struggle in the way of Allah, has several aspects: struggle with oneself to live in the way of Allah; struggle to enlighten others as to the nature of Islam and the desirability of conversion; and armed struggle against the enemies of Islam (Aaron 81).
The first two interpretations govern the conduct of jihad for the vast majority of Muslims, but for the jihadi, armed struggle is the “forgotten obligation” of Islam and should predominate (Aaron 81). There are two kinds of armed struggle, or holy war, in Islam (Aaron 81). Offensive jihad is a war against infidels beyond the realm of Islam. Indeed, that part of the world is called the “abode of war” (dar al-Harb) (Aaron 81). This form of jihad is a collective obligation of the Islamic community and must be declared by an appropriate authority, e.g., a caliph (Aaron 81). Not everyone is expected to participate in such a jihad (Aaron 81).
Defensive jihad is waged when Muslim territory is attacked or occupied, or when Islam itself is threatened (Aaron 81). This form of jihad is an individual duty, and it is incumbent on everyone to combat such enemies or occupiers (Aaron 81). But, jihadis insist that Islam and Muslims are under attack everywhere — hence the argument that waging jihad is every Muslim’s personal obligation (Aaron 81).
The concept of jihad needs to be understood clearly (Rizvi). Many people in the media take Qur’anic text out of context (Rizvi). The word jihad does not mean “holy war”. This is a Western rending of a broader concept in Islamic teaching (Rizvi). The term “holy war” has come from the Christian concept of “just war,” and has been used loosely as an Islamic term since the days of the Crusades (Rizvi).
In the Arabic language, the word jihad literally means striving and working hard for something (Rizvi). In Islamic terminology, it retains the literal meaning in two different dimensions, which are expressed by major jihad and minor jihad (Rizvi).
The major jihad is known as the spiritual struggle, a struggle between two powers within ourselves: the soul and the body (Rizvi). The conscience is in conflict with the bodily desires. This spiritual conflict is an ongoing jihad within each one of us (Rizvi). Islam expects its followers to give preference to the soul and the conscience over the body and its desires (Rizvi). The fasting in the month of Ramadhan is an example of the annual training for this major jihad (Rizvi).
The minor jihad is the armed struggle. However, that does not automatically mean the unjustified use of violence (Rizvi). The minor jihad may be divided into two: aggression and defense (Rizvi). Aggression against any people is not permitted in Islam; however, defense is an absolute right of every individual and nation (Rizvi). Islam has allowed the minor jihad only to defend the Muslim people and their land, and to maintain peace in Muslim societies (Rizvi).
One should understand, there are clear rules who and when can declare jihad. It needs the decision of theologians, who should study the situation and make an intelligent decision based on consensus. This consensus or ijma is very important for the Islamic world because the consensus of Muslim scholars is one of the sources of Islamic law. In the case of direct aggression, there is no need to declare armed jihad, it arrives automatically. In such situation, theologians can only confirm the aggression and demand to fight against the aggressor. All Moslems must take part in this jihad. If there is not direct aggression, but there is some danger and there is need to make some armed activities, only theologians managed to get in the foxhole with and figure a way out. A common person is unable to declare armed jihad, even if it is a leader of the country.
For example, Muammar Qaddafi, while he was a president of Livia, called for jihad against Switzerland. As a leader of the state and a ruler he can declare war to anyone, but not a jihad. There is a fine line between usual war and jihad. It means Muammar Qaddafi could not declare jihad to Switzerland because he was not a theologian and he did not take counsel with other theologians. Perhaps, he did it intentionally and only for grabbing world attention or he just pursue other political agenda. One way or another, jihad was out of his sphere.
The Classical theory of Jihad means other types of jihad which must be implemented before taking weapons. Jihad has many stages. The first stage is jihad of heart. It is a basement. All Moslems should begin from this stage. It is fighting with own inside nafs (inside animal of each person), with own mental and social malice. There is a belief that man can not fight for Islam before he does not conquer own fallen passions, impulses, and malice.
As soon as man farewell, he can go to the second level. Jihad of the tongue is a proclivity of other to improve oneself and getting better. The third level is jihad of a hand. On this level, man can suppress some breaches. It means that man can not only speak but act. And the last level is jihad of the sword (on this level man can use force). This type of jihad can be used only in extreme cases. It is worth mentioning that considering this level of jihad there are a lot of various interpretations: when it can be used; what the conditions are; what are its methods and goals.
During world’s history, different edges of jihad became of immediate interest. If to talk about Prophet Mohammad, at the beginning of his work he laid stress on peaceful jihad, on leading by example. Even when there was a crackdown on him, he did not call to arms.
When Mohammed became a leader of the community in Medina, he has started to talk about armed aspects of jihad as an answer on aggression. For example, an armed invasion of Mongols was a dramatic convulsion for the whole Islamic world. In that time armed jihad played a really important role. These crushing blows have joined with Crusades and because of that armed jihad have become an effective tool of Muslim’s lands liberation.
Also, it depends on time and place. If we take North Africa in 1960-1970-s there was a conversation about economic aspects of jihad, about the necessity of very serious efforts for negotiation of economic difficulties. In that case, jihad was regarded as an effort in the economic sphere.
Self-perfection is impossible without jihad. Man does not manage to progress to his predetermine level without efforts. Islam tells us, man is a peak of creation, but he has to confirm this through his life for reaching this level. He has to sharpen the saw. Without jihad, without mental self-improvement it is impossible. In this sense, jihad is obligatory for all Moslems.
In the context of armed jihad, there are many different limitations including where and against whom this jihad can be declared. There are various opinions considering this case.
Rules of jihad are common for all Moslems. There can be some special aspects, but it does not concern the main terms. In general, there is a consensus that jihad, first of all, is a mental improvement and about main rules of running armed jihad. These rules are based on the words of Muhammad.
Different interpretations appear as a result of various opinions among Islamic scholars, and because of their committal to various religious traditions. Islam is a religion without joined church and, generally speaking, without clergy. This is a religion of Islamic scholars-theologians and their opinion means a lot. Moreover, one scholar can be very authoritative among some groups of people and has no power among the other groups. Because of that, many things depend on the interpretation of various Sharia norms and beliefs and depend on the certain person of the scholar.
But nowadays the meaning of term jihad is distorted by different groups of people called themselves jihadists. They put a minor jihad on the first stage and do not draw attention to mental jihad. Despite some important facts, Jihadism should not be confused with Islam in general (Aaron 5). Jihad became a Jihadists way of life. Jihadists constantly justify their actions and arguments by references to the verses on violence and the war in the Qur’an and the Hadith (Aaron 7).
“Islam has ordered us to terrorize our enemies and whoever denies that is an infidel himself. Terrorizing our infidel enemies is a legal obligation. Whoever says that Islam is not related to terrorism has committed an infidel act—terror comes from Islam.” Algerian Salafist Group for Prayer and Combat, 2005 (Aaron 86).
“This is a public statement: Terrorism is part of Islam, and whoever
denies it is an Infidel.” al-Aziz, undated (Aaron 86).
“There is no Jihad without Terrorism.” Alusi, 2004 (Aaron 86).
Their point of view is distorted and in most cases, these people are used in political games by different powerful leaders of states and other who can be interested in their services.
Peaceful Moslems do not connect jihad with terrorism. It is two completely opposite terms for them. It is worth mentioning, Islam excludes terrorist acts towards innocent civil citizens through aggression or acts of violence. Terrorism is not a jihad, but fasad (harm) that cuts across with Islamic teaching. Islam wants to establish such world order where all people – Moslems and non-Moslems – will be able to live in cooperation and peace. Islam shows how to widespread cooperation on the basement of human relationships. Moslems went by these principles many centuries; thereby representatives of other religions lived amongst them. Islamic communities were well known for its tolerance, generosity, and humaneness.
Modern Moslems consider jihad as their duty, but only the major jihad. They said that in modern society, that turn into one global “village”, where non-Moslems live with Moslems in Moslems countries and where Moslems live with non-Moslems in countries where non-Moslems are in the majority, their main duty is to reach better mutual understanding and to work for universal peace and justice as well as to cooperate with each other in issues of virtue and dignity for stopping terrorism, aggression and violence against innocent people. They consider these principles as their jihad.
Works cited
Aaron, David. In Their Own Words. Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2008. Print.
Rizvi, Sayyid Muhammad. "Peace And Jihad In Islam". Al-Islam.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 22 July 2016.
Aidin, Hayati. "Jihad In Islam". Global Journal Al Thaqafah 2.2 (2012): 7-15. Web.
