An
understanding of the concept of jihad is essential in order to comprehend the
Muslim worldview. In Islam, jihad is a comprehensive process, which takes in the
striving of an individual or a group of Muslims, to adhere to the divine
teachings and values.
In
this sense, jihad means a serious, continuous, and sincere struggle, on both the
personal, as well as on the social level. It is a struggle to perform and
maintain goodness, abolishing injustice, oppression, and evil from within
oneself, as well as from the whole society. Thus, jihad takes many forms;
spiritual, social, economic, as well as political.
Such
striving (jihad) should go along with all actions. This is to assure the noble
and positive outcome of any of these actions. Jihad, when meaning to fight, is
only one form of this striving, in its comprehensive meaning. This, in fact, is
a point that not known.
The
genuine purpose of fighting in Islam is to assure the freedom of religion and
the safety of people; their lives and their belongings. Jihad (striving), on
this particular level, is not only striving to fight the enemy. In order to
maintain that the fighting is in the cause of God,
the target of this fighting should be limited to those who fight you only. At
the very end, the striving should never transgress limits. One can easily find
these meanings in the verse of the Qur’an,
which governs all verses of jihad:
[Fight
in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for
Allah loveth not transgression]
(Al-Baqarah 2:190)
Jihad
is prescribed in the Qur’an to protect one’s faith and one’s human rights.
Although protecting these two entities requires—at times—the necessity of
war, yet, it is not limited to it. On the contrary, Islam always promotes
peaceful means to bring changes and reform in the society.
Therefore,
qitaal (fighting), according to the Islamic teachings, is the last
resort. Muslims should not fight until it is not possible for them to eliminate
oppression and assure their freedom of faith by peaceful means. Only then, it
becomes permissible for Muslims to fight.
It
is an obligation for every Muslim to protect his faith. Muslims believe that God
revealed the Shari`ah (Islamic Law) to serve the interests of people (masalih
al-`ibad). According to Muslim scholars, among these interests is deen
(religion). Thus, the rules and teachings of Shari`ah aim to protect one’s
faith and even command every Muslim to protect his own.
One of the primary obligations
of Shari`ah is living a Muslim life, whereby one presents a good example of
Islam and reflects its essence.
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However,
the Shari`ah does not limit the means of protecting one’s faith to qitaal
(fighting). As mentioned above, fighting is the last option. Before qitaal,
there are other means of protecting the faith, such as da`wah (inviting
others to Islam), and enjoining good and forbidding evil.
Furthermore,
qitaal is strictly governed by rules, conditions, and regulations within
the Islamic political system and, according to the Islamic jurists, is only in
the hand of the rulers. The wisdom behind this is to prevent the misuse of
jihad, for qitaal sometimes gets deviated by personal desires and
inclinations.
Yet,
the Shari`ah has a wide range of roles and obligations that are suitable to the
situation and the capabilities of the average Muslim. This, indeed, can be
regarded as a means of protecting faith. The primary obligation, for example, is
living a Muslim life, whereby one presents a good example of Islam and reflects
its essence.
The
second obligation is taking an active role in the society where one
lives—without limiting such a role to the Muslim community only. Establishing
a Muslim family and raising children as good Muslims is another means that
secures Islamic values for future generations. Also da`wah and explaining
Islam to others are considered vital means of protecting Islam. In addition,
one’s contribution to build a strong and civilized Islamic community within a
non-Muslim majority is a highly important role in protecting Islam.
The
average Muslim can play a major role in protecting Islam by reaching out to
non-Muslims. This should be within the official and general circles of society.
The aim of these interactions should focus on introducing an accurate picture of
the faith.
The
average Muslim, from within his neighborhood, work, and social circles, can play
a major role in gathering support for Islam, along with its causes and values.
In
conclusion, it is safe to say that protecting Islam is not the obligation of
soldiers and fighters only. Rather, it is the obligation of every Muslim, each
one within his limits and capabilities. Islam, throughout history, was defended
by soldiers, as well as by scholars, poets, merchants, travelers, students, etc.
*First published in Ask
About Islam. To read the original, click here.
**Salem
Al-Hasi holds a Master’s degree in Islamic Studies from the Graduate
School of Islamic and Social Sciences, Leesburg, Virginia. He is an active
member of his local Muslim community and has given numerous lectures on Islam in
the Southeast United States.
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