Practical Option for Palestinians

notion that there can be anything acceptable about terrorism. Islam is an entirely peaceful religion, and the Islamic method is peaceful. By following the ideology of peace, each individual’s mind can be re-engineered away from the culture of violence and closer to the culture of peace. The essence of Islamic teaching on peace is underscored by an incident when Prophet Muhammad returned from the Tabuk campaign in 9 AH. When he reached Madinah with his 30,000 companions, he said to one of them, ‘We have come back from a smaller jihad to a greater jihad.’ (Al-Khatib alBaghdadi, Tarikh Baghdad, Hadith no. 4590) What did the Prophet mean by ‘a smaller jihad’ and ‘a greater jihad’? ‘A smaller jihad’ connotes a temporary jihad, and ‘a greater jihad’ connotes a permanent jihad. A permanent jihad is a part of the daily life of a believer. In this world, where man is undergoing a divine test, a believer must lead a principled life, eschewing temptations and provocations and adhering unflagging zeal to Islamic principles. That is why it is called a greater jihad. So far as the more minor jihad is concerned, it is, in fact, another name for defensive war. It takes place infrequently and only as the occasion warrants it. It is not a permanent feature of Islamic life. Prophet Muhammad was born in AD 570. He received his prophethood on 12 February 610 in Makkah. He died on