Jihad is an Arabic word which literally means struggle. In religious context it means a holy war, the Islamic equivalent of a Christian crusade. Jihad, like the crusade, connotes an element of self-sacrifice and glory after death – Shahadat in Arabic. The crusaders used to chain themselves together when they went to battle for Jerusalem against the Muslims such as Saladin. As a result of the reduced mobility they all used to get killed. The present day Muslim jihadis are doing much the same.
The early Islamic state of Madinah was surrounded by hostile kingdoms that used to persecute or kill their citizens who would embrace Islam and did not allow free passage to Muslims to travel and spread the latest message of God. The Muslims offered their hostile neighboring rulers three choices:
- Listen to a Muslim preacher, accept Islam if convinced, join the Muslim brotherhood and live according to the Islamic principles of justice, personal freedom and decency.
- Retain existing faith and identity, but join the federation of Madinah and allow free passage to the Muslims.
- Decide the issue by a mortal combat of the warriors of the two sides in an open unpopulated field.
In the present day world there is no justification for jihad against nonmuslim states that do not persecute Muslims and allow them freedom to practice and teach their religion.
However, there is justification for jihad or resistance against foreign aggreesion, persecution and occupation forces, while ensuring that innocent and unarmed civilians are not harmed. The bombing, shelling or otherwise killing and maiming of innocent unarmed civilians is a crime in Islam and all other civilized legal systems. Such acts must be condemned and their perpetrators must be punished.
Taking revenge for historic excesses is not the duty of individuals. Bravery lies in controlling one's anger like Ali Bin Abu Talib who spared the life of an enemy in battle who spat on his face and made the fight a personal issue.
What is needed is to create awareness of the criminality and unacceptability of armed destructive action against unarmed civilians among the people of the world so that universal condemnation and deterrence of such actions may be achieved. Patience is required as it would take time to reform nations that have made a habit of such acts and take pride in their ghastly arsenals.
Jihad has always been the most mis-interpreted & misunderstood term pertaining to our religion. On innumerable occassions, people under the Flag of Islam & on the name of Islam have done atrocities & voilated basic human rights of the other nation. Even the common Moslim populace is confused about it. The killing of Malik Bin Nuvaira along with his family & followers, 17 assaults on India by Mahmood Ghaznavi, attacks on the twins towers, suiside bombing in different countries (except Palestine) can't be put in the category of Jihad.
ReplyDelete