Jihad

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may his peace and blessings be upon Muhammad and upon his household and companions, and all those who follow him.

Quotation:

"The best jihad [struggle] is (by) the one who strives against his own self for Allah, The Mighty and Majestic," Hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad). 1 "Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loves not transgressors." Qur'an, Chapter 2, verse 190.

Jihad
Jihad is an Arabic word whose root is "Jahada," which means, "to strive for a better way of life." Other nouns are Juhd, Mujahid, Jihad, and Ijtihad. Other meanings are: endeavor, strain, exertion, effort, diligence, and fighting to defend one's life, land, and religion.

The highest degree of Jihad in Islam is when a person struggles against himself to change himself. He should not allow himself to commit any type of crime, assault, or ill act against the law, the society, or the environment. A Muslim who has already submitted himself and his loyalty to God, the Creator of the Universe, has to try his best to control his ego, his lusts, and his selfishness. He should be humble, amicable, and friendly to all, irrespective of color, nationality, ethnic background, gender, language, creed, position, or religion. A Muslim is a person who walks and behaves like an angel on this planet. He is to take care of the poor, the needy, those who have no jobs, and those who are homeless. He is to sacrifice his time, money, knowledge, wisdom, efforts, energy, and all other capacities in order to please God Almighty and help people live in peace and harmony among themselves. This is considered in the Book of God as a True Jihad.

Anyone who makes Jihad against himself is to be rewarded by God in this world and the Hereafter. One has to make sure that, while he is making Jihad against himself, his intention should be for the love of God and for the sake of making people happy, healthy, and safe. He should never brag about his sacrifices and he should never exploit

people; otherwise, he will be the loser in this world and in the Hereafter.

PS: For more references, one may read the Quran (3:142) (22:78) (29:6) (29:69)

Jihad is not a war to force one's belief or faith on others, as some people may think. It should never be interpreted as a tool of compulsion to make others believe the same way one believes.

Islam prohibits terrorism, kidnapping, and hijacking during peace and war, when carried out against civilians. Whoever commits such violations is considered a murderer and is to be punished by the Islamic State. During war, Islam prohibits Muslim soldiers from harming civilians, women, children, the elderly and religious men, like priests and rabbis. It also prohibits cutting down trees and destroying structures. A minority of among the Sunni scholars sometimes refer to this duty as the sixth pillar of Islam though it occupies no such official status. However, jihad is one of the 10th practices of religion. Muslims use the word in a religious context to refer to the three types of struggle. An internal struggle to maintain faith. The struggle to improve Muslim society or the struggle to defend to defend Islam

One of the collective duties of the community as a whole is to lodge a valid protest to solve problems of religion. To have knowledge of divine law to command what is right & forbid wrong conduct. The Muslim world today is faced with tyranny and injustice. Indeed oppression and hardship is not just limited to the Muslim world, rather many non-Muslim states are subject to oppression at the hands of the worlds leading military and economic powers. Anyone who cares can only be saddened and hurt by the pain and suffering that accompanies so many faces. Islam has allowed jihad as a means to prevent oppression, yet the Muslims have forgotten this for too long.

Though jihad may be a part of the answer to the problems of the ummah, it is an extremely important part. Jihad is to offer ourselves to Allah for His Cause. Indeed, every person should according to Islam prepare himself/herself for jihad and every person should eagerly and patiently wait for the day when Allah will call them to show their willingness to sacrifice their lives. We should all ask ourselves if there is a quicker way to heaven.

Best Jihad Many peaceful demonstrations in Arab countries faced violence and gun fire by the government regime. The gun fires encouraged the protest and fed them to revolutions based on their strong faith of what is called the best Jihad. The best jihad was encouraged by the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) saying

The best Jihad is the word of justice in front of the oppressive sultan (ruler) Muslim scholar Mohammad Ayub states that The goal of true Jihad is to attain a harmony between Islam (submission), Iman (faith) and Ahsan (righteous living) in modern times, Pakistani scholar and professor fazul-u-Rahyman has the term to describe the struggle to established just moral social order while president Hahib bourguiba of Tunisia has used it to describe the struggle for economic development in that country.

Distinction of greater and lesser Jihad The history of Baghdad, Al khatibul Baghdadi, an 11th century Islamic scholar, referenced a statement by the companion of Muhammad Jabir bin-abd-Allah. The reference stated that Jabir said the Prophet returned from his battle and there upon told us. You have arrived with an excellent arrival; you have come from the lesser Jihad to the greater the striving of a servant of Allah against his desires (holy war) the reference gave rise to the distinguishing of two forms of Jihad greater & lesser some Islamic scholar dispute the authenticity of his reference and consider the meaning of Jihad as a ho0ly war to be more important the non-Muslims scholar, David cooks opinion is that the violent Jihad is not superseded by spiritual Jihad he writes. In Muslims literature both contemporary &classical one can see that the evidence for the primacy of spiritual Jihad is negligible. Today it is certain that no-Muslim, writing in a non western language such as (Arabic, Persian, and Urdu) would ever make claims that Jihad is

primarily non-violent or has been superseded by the spiritual Jihad. Such claims are made solely by western scholars, primarily those who study Sufism and or work in the inter faith dialogue, and by Muslims apologist. Who are trying to present Islam in the most innocuous manner according to the Muslims jurist ibn hajar-al Asqani the quote in which Muhammad is reported to have said the greater Jihad in the inner struggle is from on UN reliable source. This saying is widespread an it is a saying by Ibrahim-ibn-ullah there are four basic term in greater Jihad. Fourth: Physical jihad against the disbelievers becomes obligatory in four cases, which are: 1. When the Muslim is present in a jihad situation. 2. When the enemy has come and attacked a Muslim land 3. When the ruler mobilizes the people, they must respond. 4. When a person is needed and no one else can do the task except him. Sheikh Ibn `Uthaymin said: Jihad is obligatory and becomes fard `ayn if a person is present where fighting is going on. This is the first of the situations in which jihad becomes an individual obligation, because Allah says: O you who believe! When you meet those who disbelieve, in a battlefield, never turn your backs to them. And whoever turns his back to them on such a day unless it be a stratagem of war, or to retreat to a troop (of his own), he indeed has drawn upon himself wrath from Allah. And his abode is Hell, and worst indeed is that destination! (Al-Anfal: 16)

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that running away on the day when the army is advancing is one of the sins that doom a person to Hell. He said: Avoid the seven sins that doom a person to Hell among which he mentioned running away on the day when the army is advancing. But Allah has made exceptions in two cases: 1. When it is a military maneuver, in the sense that he is leaving to bring reinforcements. 2. When he is going to join another group, when he has been told that there is a group of Muslims elsewhere who are about to be defeated, so he goes to join them in order to strengthen their numbers. This is subject to the condition that there is no risk to the group he is in; if there is a risk to the group that he is in, then it is not permissible for him to go to the other group. In this case (jihad) is an individual obligation upon him (fard `ayn) and it is not permissible for him to leave. The second situation (in which jihad becomes an individual obligation) is when a city is besieged by the enemy. Then he has to fight to defend the city because there is no alternative but to defend it. For if the enemy is going to prevent people from leaving the city or entering it, and prevent provisions from reaching it, and other things which are well known, and then in this case the people of the city are obliged to fight in order to defend their city. The third situation is when the leader tells the people to mobilize. The Muslim ruler is the highest authority in the state, but he need not necessarily be the leader of all the Muslims, because there has been no leader of all the Muslims (caliph or khalifah) for a long time. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Listen and obey, even if you are ruled by an Abyssinian slave. So if a man becomes a leader, then his word is to be heeded and his commands are too obeyed. (AshSharh al-Mumti`, 8/10-12).

Kinds of Jihad

Jihad of the heart/soul(Jihad binnafs/soul) This type of jihad is also called Al-jihad al-akbar (the greater jihad), the struggle against ones self. Jihad-bin-Nafs is an urge towards self correction and self righteousness. It is a continuous effort to achieve a personified model of Islamic teachings. Therefore, whole life of a Muslim is jihad, because in all types of circumstances, he has to follow the true path and abide by the laws of Allah. That is why this jihad has been declared as greater jihad in Islam rather than the Qitaal, which refers to the lesser jihad. . Jihad an-nafs (jihad against ones self) is of four kinds: a. Striving to learn the teachings of Islam without which one cannot attain success and happiness in this world or in the Hereafter. If this is missing, then one is doomed to misery in this world and in the Hereafter. b. Striving to make one act in accordance with what one has learned. Simply knowing without acting, even though it may not cause any harm, is not going to bring any benefit. c. Striving to call others to Islam, teaching those who do not know about it. Otherwise one will be one of those who conceal the guidance

and teaching that Allah has revealed, and it will not benefit him or save him from the punishment of Allah. d. Striving to bear patiently the difficulties involved in calling people to Allah and the insults of people, bearing all that for the sake of Allah. If a person achieves all these four levels, then he will be one of the rabbaniyyin (learned men of religion who practice what they know and also preach to others. [see Al `Imran: 79]). The salaf (righteous predecessors) were agreed that the scholar does not deserve to be called a rabbani unless he knows the truth, acts in accordance with it, and teaches it to others. Whoever teaches, acts in accordance with his knowledge, and has knowledge will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

In western societies the term jihad is often translated as holy war scholar of Islamic studies often stress that these words are not synonymous. Muslim author in particular tend to reject such an approach, stressing non-militant connotations of the word. Jihad by tongue (Jihad-bil-Ilm) It means to use the knowledge by pen and tongue in the way of Allah. To seek knowledge is also one type of jihad. Therefore, a student and a teacher, when they are in search of knowledge, are both in a state of Jihad. The Holy Prophet (SAW) said: He, who leaves his home in search of knowledge, is in the way of Allah till he returns. Thus jihad for knowledge occupies a dominant position in the Muslim culture and has worked as a torch-bearer of knowledge during the glorious days of Muslim civilization

 Jihad by hand: is referring to choosing to do what is right and to combat justice and what is wrong with action. Jihad-bis-Saif. (Qitaal) It means to fight in the battlefield in circumstances described by Allah and the Holy Prophet (SAW) to uphold the cause of Islam. This type of Jihad is called Qitaal. Allah Says in the Holy Quran: You may fight in the cause of Allah against those who attack you, but do not aggress. GOD does not love the aggressors: (2:190). This kind of jihad is also called Al-jihd al-Asghar (the lesser jihad). And the other one Jihad-bil-Maal. It means to spend the wealth in the way of Allah as to fulfill the expenses of Jihad. Allah Says in the Holy Quran:And strive hard with your wealth and lives in the cause of Allah. This is better for you, if you but know. (9:41). Jihad with wealth also plays an important role in reawakening the people to spend in the way of Allah in the right direction for the good of mankind. If there is a dire need of wealth in some direction, it can be given preference over individual needs as the companions of the Prophet (SAW) did on various occasions by donating large amount of money; as the Quran depicts: Verily, those who believed and left their homes and strove with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah. (8:72). Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz said: We have previously explained on more than one occasion that jihad is fard kafaayah, not fard ayn. All Muslims are enjoined to support their brothers with their selves (i.e., physically, by joining them), or with money, weapons, dawah and advice. If enough of them go out (to

fight), the rest are freed from sin, but if none of them do that then all of them are sinners. The Muslims in Saudi Arabia, Africa, North Africa and elsewhere are obliged to do their utmost, and if there is a jihad in one country, the surrounding countries should hasten to help them, the closest then the next closest. If one or two states, or three or more, manage to fulfill the obligation, then the rest are freed of responsibility. They deserve to be supported, and it is obligatory to help them against their enemies, because they are oppressed. Allah has enjoined jihad upon all Muslims, and they must fight against the enemies of Allah until their brothers are victorious. If they fail to do that than they are sinners, but if sufficient people undertake to do that, then the rest are absolved of sin. (Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 7/335)

HOLY WAR

The term "Holy War" is not Islamic terminology. The only Holy One is God, the Creator. His Words are Holy. As far as war is concerned, there is nothing in the Quran, or even in the teachings of Islam, that indicates that Muslims should wage a war at all. Moreover, it is against the teachings of Islam to practice what is called "Holy War." This action is not at all from Islam. It is borrowed terminology from the Crusades.

During the Crusades, the Romans used this terminology and applied it in action. They considered the local people in the Middle East to be infidels. It so happened that these people were Christian and Muslim

Arabs. Even the Christians did not accept the Crusaders as their leaders. Hence, the Romans had to get the verdict and blessings of the Pope to wage a tragic war against the Middle Eastern people.

In order to raise enough money to buy ammunition, they started selling croissants in their local churches. They thought that the croissant was the symbol for Muslims, i.e., crescent and star. This was not true, of course. Muslims do not worship the moon. They worship Allah (swt) alone. Muslims use both the lunar and solar calendars in their religious services. Their pledge of allegiance is only to Allah (swt), the Creator of the whole universe.

At that time, the Crusades killed 200,000 local people in the Middle East. Similarly, one can say that the Spanish Inquisition was carried out by the Franois against the local Muslims, Christians, and Jews. They killed 10 million Muslims and 4,000 Jews. Those acts of terrorism were done in the name of their religion. However, Jesus was innocent of their terror, and Christianity and other Christians of the world are innocent of their crimes and atrocities. It should be stated here that the local Christians of present times have nothing to do with the Crusades or the Inquisition. No one is to be blamed for someone else's mistake in past history.

Islam is against Holy War. It is against killing innocent people. The Quran stipulates, "Whoever kills one person, it will be as if he killed all of mankind. And whoever saves the life of one person, it will be as if he

saved the lives of all mankind." Moreover, if someone tries to create a commotion, disturbance, or hate among people in order to start a war, this person is committing a huge sin that is much larger and more serious than killing all of mankind. Therefore, Muslims try to live in peace and harmony with all people, without exception. And there is nothing holy about wars. War only involves killing & disasters.

Islam

Islam is a word of Arabic Islam is one religion. The followers of these religion beliefs that there is only one ALLAH and the book of this religion is Quran. This book by followers to repeat the words of ALLAH and the teachings and normative example (called the Sunnah and composed of Hadise) of Muhammad (PBUH) often considered by them to be the last Prophet of ALLAH peace and way to peace. An adherent of Islam is called a Muslims.

We mean Muslims believe that Allah is one and pear less and that the purpose of existence is to worship Allah. Muslims also believe that Islam is the complete and universal version of a primordial faith that was revealed at many time and places before, including through the prophet Ibrahim, mosses and Jesus. Muslims maintain that previous message and revelations have been partially changed and corrupted over time, but consider the Quran to be both the unaltered and the final revelation from ALLAH final testament. Religious concept and obligatory act of worship, and following Islamic law. Which touches us every aspect of life and society.

Most Muslims belong to one of two denomination with 80%-90% being Sunni and 10-20% being Shia. About 13% of Muslims live in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country, 25% in south Asia, 20%in the middle east Asia countries, and 15% in sub-Saharan Africa . Sizable communities are also found in china and Russia, and parts of the Caribbean. Converts and immigrant communities are found in almost every part of the world. Islam is the second largest religion and one of the faster growing religions in the world. The word ISLAM is a verbal noun and is derived

from the same root is salaam. Which mean peace believers of Islam demonstrate submission to ALLAH by worshipping him, following his commands and avoiding other things in the Quran. In some verses Ayat there is stress on the quality of Islam as an internal conviction: whomsoever ALLAH desires to guide, He expands his breast to Islam. Other verses connect Islam and (Din) (usually translated as religion): Today, I have perfected your religion (Din) for you; I have completed my blessing upon you; I have approved Islam for your religion. Still other describes Islam as an action of returning to ALLAH more than just a verbal affirmation of faith. Another technical meaning in Islamic thought is as one part of a triad of Islam, imam (faith), and ahsan ( excellence ) where it represents acts of worship Ibadat and Islamic law sharia.

ALLAH

Muslims believe that the purpose of existence is to worship Allah. He is viewed as a personal Allah who states we are nearer to him than (his) jugular vein and responds whenever a person in need or distress calls him. There are no intermediaries, such ads clergy, between Allah and the creation that he brought in to being by the sheer command.

Allah is the term with no plural or general. Other non-Arab Muslims might use different names as such as much as Allah, for instance Tanri in Turkish or khoda in Persian.

Angels
Belief in Angels is fundamental to the faith of Islam. The Arabic word for angel (Malak) means messenger like its counterparts in Hebrew (Malak) and Greek (angelus). According to the Quran, angels do not possess free will, and worship Allah in total obedience. Angels duties include communicating revelations from Allah, glorifying Allah, recording every persons actions, and taking a persons soul at the time of death. They are also thought to intercede on mans behalf. The Quran describes Angels as messengers with wingstwo, three or four ( pairs ). He [Allah] adds to creation as He pleases.

Testimony
The shahadah, which is the basic creed of Islam that must be recited under oath with the specific statement. Ashadu al-la illahu wa ashadu Anna mihammadan rasulu-llah or I testify that there is none worthy of worship except ALLAH and I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.This statement is a foundation for all other beliefs and practices in Islam. Muslims must repeat the shahadah in prayer, and non-Muslims wishing to convert to Islam are required to recite the creed.

Prayer

Ritual prayer called salah or salat ( Arabic ), must be performed five times a day. Salah is intended to focus the mind on ALLAH, and is seen as a personal communication with him that expresses gratitude and worship. Salah is compulsory but flexibility in the specifies in allowed depending on circumstances. The prayer is recited in the Arabic language, and consists of verses from Quran.

A Mosque is a place of worship for Muslims, who often refer to it by its Arabic name, Masjid. The word Mosque in English refer to all type of building dedicated to Islamic worship, although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller, privately owned Mosque and the larger, collective Mosque ( Masjid jami ). Although the primary purpose of the Mosque is to serve as a place of Prayer, it is also important to the Muslims community as a place to meet and study. Modern Mosque has evolved greatly from the early designs of the 7th century.

Fasting

Fasting, called sawn, from food and drink (among other things) must be performed from dawn to dusk during the month of Ramadan. The fast is encourage a feeling of nearness to ALLAH, and during it Muslims should express their gratitude for and dependence on him, atone for their past sins, and think of the needy. Sawn is not obligatory for several groups for whom it would constitute an undue burden. For others flexibility is allowed depending on circumstances, but missed Fasts usually must be made up quickly.

Zakat

Zakat is giving a fixed portion of accumulated wealth by those who can afford it to help the poor or needy, and also to assist the spread of Islam. It is considered a religious obligation ( as opposed to voluntary charity ) that the well-off owe to the needy because their wealth is seen as a trust from Allahs bounty. The Quran and the Hadith also suggest a Muslims give even more as an act of voluntary alms-giving ( Sadaqah ).

Hajj

The pilgrimage, called the Hajj ( Hajj ) during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hajjah in the city of Mecca. Every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it must make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his or her lifetime. Rituals of the Hajj include walking seven times around the Kaaba, touching the black stone if possible, walking or running seven times between Mount SAFA and Mount Marwah, and symbolically stoning the Devil in Mina.

Sharia
The sharia ( literally the path leading to the watering place ) is Islamic law formed by traditional Islamic scholarship, which most Muslim groups adhere to. In Islam Sharia is the expression of the divine will, and constitutes a system of duties that are incumbent upon a Muslim by virtue of his religious belief.

Islamic law covers all aspects of life, from matter of state, like governance and the foreign relations, to issue of daily living. The Quran defines hadud as the punishment for five specific crimes: unlawful intercourse, false accusation of unlawful intercourse, consumption of alcohol, theft and highway robbery. The Quran and Sunnah also contain laws of inheritance, marriage, and restitution for injuries and murder, as well as rules for fasting. Charity and Prayer. However these prescription and prohibitions may be board, so their application in practice varies. Islamic scholars (known as Ulama) have elaborated systems of law on the basis of these rules and their interpretation.). according to Islamic legal theory, law has four fundamental roots,

which are given precedence in this order the Quran, the action and saying of Muhammad (S A W), the consensus of the ,Muslim.

Ulama

There are many term in Islam to refer to religiously sanctioned of Islam, but jurist generally refer to the educated class of Muslims legal scholars engaged in the several fields of Islamic studies. In a border sense, the term Ulama is used to describe the body of Muslim clergy who have completed several years of training and study of Islamic sciences, such as a mufti, qari, faqah, or Muhaddith. Some Muslims include under this term the village Mullahs, imams, and Maulviswho have attained only the lowest rungs on the ladder of Islamic scholarship. Other Muslims would say that clerics must meet higher standards to be considered Ulama. Some Muslims practice Ijtihad whereby they dont accept the authority of clergy.

Origins
The beginnings of Jihad are traced back to the words and actions of Muhammad and the Quran. This encourages the use of Jihad against non-Muslims The Quran, however, never uses the term Jihad for fighting and combats in the name of Allah; qital is used to mean fighting. Jihad in the Quran was originally intended for the nearby neighbors of the Muslims, but as time passed and more enemies arose, the Quranic statements supporting Jihad were updated for the new adversaries. The first documentation of the law of Jihad was written by Abd al-Rahman al-Awzai and Muhammad ibn al-hasan al-shaybani.The document grew out of debates that had surfaced ever since Muhammad's death

View of different Muslims Group

Ahmadiyya
In, Ahmadiyya Islam pacifism is a strong current, and jihad is one's personal inner struggle and should not be used violently for political motives. Violence is the last option only to be used to protect religion and one's own life in extreme situations of persecution

Sunni
Jihad has been classified either as al-jihd al-akbar (the greater jihad), the struggle against one's soul (nafs), or al-jihd al-asghar (the lesser jihad), the external, physical effort, often implying fighting (this is similar to the Shiite view of jihad as well). Gerbil Haddad has analyzed the basis for the belief that internal jihad is the "greater jihad", Jihad alakbar. Haddad identifies the primary historical basis for this belief in a pair of similarly worded Hadith in which Mohammed is reported to have told warriors returning home that they had returned from the lesser jihad of struggle against non-Muslims to a greater jihad of struggle against lust. Although Haddad notes that the authenticity of both Hadith is questionable, he nevertheless concludes that the underlying principle of superiority internal jihad does have a reliable basis in the Quran and other writings

In contrast, the Hanbali scholar Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya did believe that "internal Jihad" is important but he suggests those hadith as weak which consider "Jihad of the heart/soul" to be more important than "Jihad by the sword" Contemporary Islamic scholar Abdullah Yusuf Azzam has argued the hadith is not just weak but "is in fact a false, fabricated hadith which has no basis. It is only a saying of Ibrahim Ibn Abi `Abalah, one of the Successors, and it contradicts textual evidence and reality. Muslim jurists explained there are four kinds of jihad fi sabilillah (struggle in the cause of God)
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