V for Vestronge

Before I post about Islam And Modern Science, Islam and Environment, Islam and Prophet Mohammad(Peace Be Upon Him) , Islam and Prophet Jesus(Peace Be Upon Him) ,
I Would like to post things which are associated with Islam in modern era. The topic concerning the same would be divided into 3 articles,
the first being the Meaning and Elaboration on the word Jihad, the second being the Concept of Islam against Terrorism and the third being my
own view of the modern day terrorism and politics. I would urge one and all to read all the three articles before you build your own perspective on associating Islam to/against terrorism.

This section is the First the 3 sections mentioned above.


JIHAD :: Definition and Elaboration.

This Article , copied and edited from the source www.whysislam.org is divided into the following sections and focuses on removing the misconceptions of Jihad , the misconceptions of Verses of War.

$ Sanctity of LIFE in Islam
$ The Complete Verses of War
$ Islam and Peace
$ Definition of Jihad and Types of Jihad
$ Elaboration of Physical Jihad
$ Rules of Engagement
$ Conclusion

Are there verses in the Qur'an that encourage Muslims to kill non-believers wherever they find them?



Any discussion on Qur'anic verses that refer to violence would be meaningless, without a study of the surrounding context. Before we study the verses in question, therefore, let us examine this issue in a wider perspective:

THE SANCTITY OF LIFE

The Glorious Qur'an says:

"…take not life, which God hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom." [Al-Qur'an 6:151]

Islam considers all life forms as sacred. However, the sanctity of human life is accorded a special place. The first and the foremost basic right of a human being is the right to live. The Glorious Qur'an says:

"…if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people." [Al-Qur'an 5:32]

The value of human life is so great, that the Qur'an equates the taking of even one human life unjustly with the killing of all humanity.

THE VERSES OF WAR

The words that often cause consternation among those unfamiliar with Islam, are: "…and slay them wherever ye catch them…"

The truth is that this is only part of verse 191 of Chapter 2 of the Qur'an. Let us read the verses 190 to 191 in order to get a complete picture:

"Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors. And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have Turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith." [Al-Qur'an 2:190-191]

It is a well-known fact of Islamic history, that fighting against aggressors was prohibited during the first thirteen years of the Prophet's mission. After Muslims migrated to Medina, the verses above were revealed to enable the community to fight in self-defense. The verses that follow clearly indicate Islam's prohibition on aggression and inclination towards peace:

"But if they cease, Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah; but if they cease, let there be no hostility except to those who practise oppression." [Al-Qur'an 2:192-193]

The verses above specifically refer to fighting against oppression and in defense of religious freedom as the Glorious Qur'an says:
"Let there be no compulsion in religion" [Al-Qur'an 2:256]

Jihad ! Does it mean Holy War or Terrorism ?

It Means Neither.. Nor does it apply either of the two.
Before We Define What Jihad Means and Elaborate on the Conception and Misconceptions of Jihad, the understanding of Goals of Islam is Very Important.


ISLAM AND PEACE

Islam comes from the root word Salaam, which means peace. It also means submitting one's will to Allah (swt). The word Salaam is also an attribute of God. In this context, it means 'The Giver of Peace'.

Muslims greet each other with Assalaamu alaikum which translates to wishing peace for one another. Even when wronged, the Glorious Qur'an advises Muslims to struggle against the temptation for hostility:

"And not alike are the good and the evil. Repel (evil) with what is best, when lo! he between whom and you was enmity would be as if he were a warm friend..." [Al-Qur'an 41:34]

The Qur'an refers to Paradise as the "abode of peace". Thus peace is a goal that Muslims are required to strive for, in their own selves, in their families and in their communities. It is ironical therefore, that Islam is perceived by many as being the motivation behind the wanton killing of innocent people.

DEFINITION OF JIHAD

While Islam in general is misunderstood in the western world, perhaps no other Islamic term evokes such strong reactions as the word Jihad. The word Jihad is mistranslated as "Holy War". The Arabic equivalent of "Holy War" is harb-u-muqadasah. This term is not found in any verse of the Qur'an. There is nothing in the Islamic sources that permit a Muslim to fight against non-Muslims solely on the basis that they are not Muslim.

The word Jihad comes from the root word jahada, which means to struggle. At the individual level, jihad primarily refers to the inner struggle of being a person of virtue and submission to God in all aspects of life.

At the collective level, jihad can take various forms, such as:
1. Intellectual Jihad, which comprises of the struggle to convey the message of God to humankind and to combat social evils through knowledge, wisdom and dignified discourse. As the Glorious Qur'an says:
"Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah, works righteousness, and says, "I am of those who bow in Islam"? [Al-Qur'an 41:33]

2. Economic Jihad, which comprises of economic measures, and spending from one's means to improve the living conditions of the poor and the downtrodden.

3. Physical Jihad, which involves collective armed self-defense, as well as retribution against tyranny, exploitation, and oppression.

Thus the concept of Jihad is vast and comprehensive. Admittedly, it's the last category of Jihad that is a cause for concern to many, and which we shall explore in detail.

PHYSICAL JIHAD

Jihad on the battlefield, in the Islamic perspective, is the last resort, and is subject to stringent conditions. It can be waged only to defend freedom, which includes freedom of faith. The Glorious Qur'an says: "To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged;- and verily, Allah is most powerful for their aid;- (They are) those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right,- (for no cause) except that they say, "our Lord is Allah". Did not Allah check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measure…" [Al-Qur'an 22:39-40]

Moreover, the Qur'an says:

"And why should ye not fight in the cause of God and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)? - Men, women and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord! Rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from thee one who will protect; and raise for us from thee one who will help!" [Al-Qur'an 4:75]

Thus the conditions of physical Jihad are clearly defined in the Qur'an.

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

Although Islam permits Jihad on the battlefield under the conditions mentioned above, the rules of engagement reflect Islam's inherent inclination towards peace:

No aggression towards civilians

Military conflict is to be directed only against fighting troops and not against civilians, as the Glorious Qur'an says:
"Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors" [Al-Qur'an 2:190]

As far as the non-combatant population is concerned such as women, children, the old and the infirm, etc., the instructions of the Prophet(Peace Be Upon Him) are as follows: "Do not kill any old person, any child or any woman" "Do not kill the monks in monasteries" or "Do not kill the people who are sitting in places of worship." During a war, the Prophet(Peace Be upon him) saw the corpse of a woman lying on the ground and observed: "She was not fighting. How then she came to be killed?" Thus non-combatants are guaranteed security of life even if their state is at war with an Islamic state.

Upholding Justice

The ravages of war are not an excuse for Muslims to engage in any form of cruelty or violation of human rights. As the Qur'an says:

"O ye who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do." [Al-Qur'an 5:8]

It is forbidden under Islamic law, to ill-treat prisoners of war or to deny them the essentials of life, including medical treatment.

Respect for religious freedom

Physical Jihad cannot be waged with the objective of compelling people to embrace Islam. The Glorious Qur'an says:

"Let there be no compulsion in religion" [Al-Qur'an 2:256]

"If it had been thy Lord's will, they would all have believed,- all who are on earth! wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe!" [Al-Qur'an 10:99]

Accept peace

If the enemy offers peace, it should be accepted even at the risk of possible deception. The Glorious Qur'an says:
"But if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards peace, and trust in Allah: for He is One that heareth and knoweth (all things)" [Al-Qur'an 8:61]


CONCLUSION

It is clear from the foregoing discussion that Jihad is a vast concept that encompasses various spheres of activity, all directed towards the betterment of self and society. Regardless of how legitimate a cause may be, Islam does not condone the killing of innocent people. Terrorizing the civilian population, whether by individuals or states, can never be termed as jihad and can never be reconciled with the teachings of Islam.