19. GREATER JIHAD

19. Greater Jihad ~ 53 ~ trustworthiness. The former appertains to God and the latter to man. What is meant by naasih (well-wishing) is an earnest desire on the part of the preacher of truth for the well-being not just of his immediate interlocutors, but the whole of humanity. This well wishing should be so steadfast that it remains undiluted even in the face of injustice and oppression. Overlooking people’s negative behaviour towards him, the preacher should continue to remain their well-wisher. The element of trustworthiness (amin) is important in that it ensures that the religion God has sent to the world will be presented to the people without deletion, addition or distortion. For instance, if the Islam sent by God is akhirah (Hereafter) oriented, it should not become world oriented; if it is spiritually based, it should not become politics based; if it confines jihad to peaceful struggle, it should not become violence based. Islam asks us to perform jihad by means of the Qur’an, calling this ‘greater’ jihad (25:52). But it