Abstract
The concept of Jihād is one of the debated and discussed issues in the west today, largely due to the fact that various extremist groups operating in and out of many Muslim countries are trying to justify their terrible acts through reference to the divine institution of Jihād. This has in turn, provided an open and free atmosphere formany anti-Islamic elements, radical extremists, and prejudiced non-Muslims, to attack and defame the true message of Islam deliberately; and for the common masses’ a misunderstanding of the concept of Jihād that they justify by mere referencing to the violent acts committed by certain Muslim groups. The present paper, in this background, attempts to explore and highlight the holistic institution the Jihād encompasses, away from its dominant perception as war or physical fighting. It demonstrates that Jihād has a much broader concept; Jihād is a striving against one’s self to eradicate the evil impulses; it signifies to end the corruption, suppression, andaggression on the earth to establish peace characterizes by the presence of justice.
Highlights
Today, for many Islam-critics and Islamophobes, Jihād is on top of their list of illusions and misunderstandings
Islam-critics such as Daniel Pipes (b. 1949), Pamela Geller (b. 1958)—famous for her “incendiary and provocative” anti-Islam activism, and Robert Spencer (b. 1962), speak of Jihād as “The Jihād that aims to increase the size of the dar-al-Islam at the expense of the daral harb is not a conventional war that begins at a certain point and ends at another
Maulānā Yahyā Nu‘mānī, an Indian Islamic scholar, in his book The Truth About Jihād, says “One of the common misunderstanding about Jihād is that it is a communal struggle fought by Muslims, a war that Muslims must launch against other communities to capture power or territory.” 4 Given the pervasive misconception and varied interpretations of the concept of Jihād, it is paramount importance to eschew all these inaccurate connotations and to present a clear and vivid picture of what Jihād means in Islam, to be precise how Jihād is depicted in the Qur’ān and the Prophetic (SAW) traditions
Summary
For many Islam-critics and Islamophobes, Jihād is on top of their list of illusions and misunderstandings. Maulānā Yahyā Nu‘mānī, an Indian Islamic scholar, in his book The Truth About Jihād, says “One of the common misunderstanding about Jihād is that it is a communal struggle fought by Muslims, a war that Muslims must launch against other communities to capture power or territory.” 4 Given the pervasive misconception and varied interpretations of the concept of Jihād, it is paramount importance to eschew all these inaccurate connotations and to present a clear and vivid picture of what Jihād means in Islam, to be precise how Jihād is depicted in the Qur’ān and the Prophetic (SAW) traditions. Objectives and rules and guiding principles of Jihād from the sources and practices of Muslims, the real image of Jihād is expected to change the common perception among the critics thereof
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