TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE

life and a duty-oriented life as a categorical imperative, taking moral precedence over a rights-oriented life. Jihad, according to Islam, is not something about which there is any mystery. It is simply a natural requirement of daily living. It is vital both as a concept and as a practice because, while leading his life in this world, man is repeatedly confronted by such circumstances as are likely to derail him from the humanitarian path of the highest order. These factors sometimes appear within man in the form of negative feelings. This is something to which everyone must remain intellectually alert, so that if for any reason there is some danger of a negative mindset gaining the upper hand, he may consciously and deliberately turn himself to positive thinking. Even if circumstances repeatedly place him in situations which are depressing and demoralizing, he must never lose course or sight of noble goals. The reassertion of his ethical sense is the real jihad which he has to wage. From the Islamic standpoint, intention is all-important. Any undertaking carried out with good intentions will win God’s approval, while anything done with bad intention is bound to be disapproved of and rejected by God. In fact, intentions are the sole criterion of good or bad actions, in the divine scheme of things. And it is one’s intense inner struggle to make all activities God-oriented, which is truly Islamic jihad. o According to the Hadith, a believer is one who wages jihad with himself in the path of obedience to God. That is, at moments when the self (nafs), lured by some temptation, desires to deviate from the path of God, he keeps control over it and remains unswervingly on the divine path. Spirit of Islam Annual Subscription (12 issues) Bank transfer, DD and cheque in favour of ‘Centre for Peace’ A/c No. 01360 1000016325 Indian Overseas Bank, Bengaluru IFS Code - IOBA00 00136 subscription@thespiritofislam.org Online payment facility available on: www.spiritofislam.co.in 002, HM Wimberly, 6, Berlie Street Cross, Langford Town, Bengaluru - 560 025 +91 9060555757 (SMS Only) Spirit of Islam: India - ` 400