THE CULTURE OF PEACE — Teachings of Islam

A war that is pursued for wealth and power will not be called a Jihad. The Quran says: Perform jihad with this most strenuously. (Here 'this' refers to the Quran) THE QURAN 25: 52 The Quran is not a sword or a gun. It is a book of ideology. In such a case, performing jihad with the Quran would mean an ideological struggle to convey the peaceful message of Islam to people. In the light of this verse of the Quran, jihad in actual fact is another name for peaceful activism or non-violent activism. The Prophet taught us that violence leads to destruction, while peace leads to construction. The Quran uses two different words in this regard: jihad and qital. Where the reference is to a peaceful struggle or exertion, the Quran uses the word jihad. For instance, the Quran (25: 52) refers to a peaceful jihad of inviting others to the faith through the Quran. And when the reference is to physical war, the Quran uses the word qital (as for instance, Quran 3: 121). But in the later period, after the demise of the Prophet, the word jihad began being often used as synonymous with qital, or war. However, even if this usage of the term jihad is regarded as proper, still, it would be only an expanded usage of the term. In terms of the actual or essential meaning of the word, jihad is a term for a peaceful action, not a violent one. It is undertaken to enlighten people intellectually and spiritually; not to kill them. Thus, Jihad if understood correctly is an entirely peaceful action. At the individual level, to engage in jihad is to refuse to deviate from the path of God despite the desires of one’s baser self and the difficult environment one confronts. It is to face the challenges that stand in one’s path and remain steadfast on the path of Truth. At the collective level, jihad can be called a peaceful struggle. At the very basis of this struggle is an intellectual awakening among people, leading them to positive and constructive action and refining their character. Jihad, understood in this sense, inspires people to seek to become beneficial to others, and to be concerned about their welfare. The weapon deployed in true jihad is love, not hatred and violence.