BOOK REVIEW

to become God-conscious that constitutes the true spirit of jihad. It continues throughout the life of a believer. If jihad connotes inner striving, then what about those activities which use the same word to indulge in violence? Maulana explains that since the early Muslims had to strive hard during wars with aggressors, these wars came, in an extended sense, to be called jihad. The actual word for such a war in Arabic is qital, not jihad. War, in Islam, however, is not the prerogative of the individual but of an established government. Most Islamic activities are governed by certain conditions, the author explains. The waging of war is also thus subject to certain principles. The Prophet of Islam started his mission in Makkah in AD 610. Several incidents of the Makkan period record the atrocities inflicted on the Prophet and his followers by the opponents to his mission. However, the Prophet never engaged in confrontation. After thirteen years of peaceful dissemination of Islamic teachings in Makkah, when his opponents planned to assassinate him, the Prophet migrated to Madinah. Here, most of the inhabitants embraced Islam, and a citystate was established. Since the opponents in Makkah desired to nip Islam in the bud, they launched armed aggressions against the state of Madinah. It was here then that verses pertaining to war were revealed in the Quran, and the Prophet was enjoined to engage in war in selfdefence. An important principle that can be derived from this early history of Islam is that war can be waged by a state, not by non-state actors. There is no room for non-state warfare in Islam. Also, war in Islam is for defensive purposes alone, when the option of peace and negotiations has failed. The book enumerates various incidents from the life of the Prophet. He always made effort for avoidance of conflict. “The position of peace is sacrosanct in Islam,” says the author and cites numerous references from the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet of Islam to enlighten the readers on the role of peace in the Islamic doctrine. The Quran avers that “reconciliation is the best.” (4: 128) Maulana explains that Islam is a mission. As pointed above, according to Islam, in the present world man is being tested by God. God desires that man should know how he has to spend his life on earth and that he would be held accountable for his deeds in the next world. Islam is a spiritual mission which aims to make people aware of their Creator and the Creation Plan by conveying His message to them. “When a state of war and violence prevails, the normal atmosphere is vitiated. Such circumstances as would foster spiritual reformation and intellectual