TRUE JIHAD

The jihad movements of modern times It is true that in ancient times, violent solutions were adopted at certain stages due to the prevailing circumstances. People had no other alternative. There is no longer this compulsion, however. According to the Islamic shariah, peace is the rule in matters of jihad, while war is the least desirable option. Many groups of Muslims in many countries have launched movements of armed jihad, in the name of Islam. But a movement cannot be a jihad just because its leaders describe it as such. An action can be termed a jihad only when it fulfils the conditions set by Islam. Any military action which is carried out without fulfilling these conditions will not be a jihad but a fasad, which is spreading corruption across the world. Those who engage in fasad should expect only divine punishment. Far from being an armed offensive, jihad is essentially a peaceful struggle. Jihad in the sense of qital (armed struggle) does not fall into the same category of individual acts of devotion as prayer and fasting: it is an activity which relates totally to the state. The true Islamic jihad as it relates to the individual is a positive and continuous process, which is at work throughout the entire life of a believer. There are three major kinds of this process of jihad. Jihad-bil-nafs: to control our negative and undesirable feelings and to persevere in the way of God’s choice in all circumstances. Dawah: the communication of the message of God to all human beings and dealings with all human beings with compassion. This gigantic task has been called the greatest jihad by the Quran. Jihad in the face of enmity: This jihad has always been a peaceful process, and it is still so. In this respect, far from being an armed offensive, jihad is essentially a peaceful struggle. o