What is Jihad?

 

When we are so anxious to know about Jihadi terrorists, it is also very necessary for us to pay heed to the doctrine of Jihad itself, which is the real motive force behind them. It helps to find a reasonably good solution. Let us, for a change, do that.

Today, all over the world, the Jihadi-terrorism and militancy is so rampant that everyday a good part of our exchequer would vanish in fixing the ubiquitous Jihadis. Learning about their activities, through the media, has now become a daily routine for many of us. When we are so anxious to know about them, it is also very necessary for us to pay heed to the doctrine of Jihad itself, which is the real motive force behind them. It helps to find a reasonably good solution. Let us, for a change, do that.

The bitter truth is that Jihad is a religious war of Islam with those who are unbelievers in the mission of Muhammad. For Muslims, it is an incumbent religious duty, established in the 'Quran' and the 'Hadis' as a divine institution for the purpose of advancing Islam and its rule all over the world. There is nothing spiritual in it. What is remarkable, here, is that the verses of the Quran which call for the Jihad, occur in the al-Madinah Surahs, being those given after Muhammad had established himself as a paramount ruler, and was in a position to dictate terms to his enemies.

In the Quran, when Allah Himself says: "Slay the infidels", it becomes a justifiable, even an honourable act for the Jihadis to carry out the mission. "When you meet the unbelievers (in fight)", says the Quran, "Smite at their necks." Allah has dealt with this subject at lengh.Then how can the Prophet stay behind?  Many compilers of the Hadis record how the Messenger of Allah followed these commands. Long chapters are devoted to the subject of Jihad.

The Prophet is more eloquent in treating the subject. His decree is:” War is permanently established until the Day of Judgement." And,” this religion will ever be established, even to the Day of Resurrection, as long as Muslims fight for it." The Jihadi who kills the infidel shall have the right to retain what he has taken from the man he killed. "If he (the Jihadi) be not killed, he shall return to his house with rewards and booty, but if he be slain, he shall be taken to Paradise."

The Jihadi never goes to Hell, he says. "An infidel and a Jihadi who killed him will never be brought together in Hell." The Quran and the Hadis give glowing accounts of the rewards that accrue from Jihad-- booty in this world and paradise in the next. In Paradise Allah gives many rewards to the Jihadi martyr, and that is greater than this entire world and all that is in it, says the Prophet. He says he likes to be killed on the road of Allah and be brought to life again and again: "so that I may obtain new rewards every time." Therefore, he orders to his followers: "fight against the infidels (especially polytheists) with your properties, lives and tongues."

Just think, how much encouragement it gives to the staunch believer.

The 'Hidayah', the most respected Sunni law book elevates this war-doctrine to the level of a grand political theory. "It is not lawful to make war upon any people who have never been called to the faith, without previously requiring them to embrace it...", it says. Reason for it? "Because the people will hence perceive that they are attacked for the sake of religion only, and not for the sake of taking their property, or making slaves of their children, and on this consideration it is possible that they may be induced to agree to the call, in order to save themselves from the troubles of war."

What if any Jihadi attacks infidels without any previous call? Nothing happens to him even then. The Prophet himself had set a precedent when he had plundered and despoiled the tribe of al-Mustaliq by surprise. So, for Jihadis,"neither fine, expiation nor atonement is due." In the road of Allah, everything is okay!

Jihadis never conceal the fact that from which source they get orders and inspirations. Any number of them can be quoted who have demonstrated that the verses from the Quran and Hadis fit into a doctrine of religious intolerant war of Jihad. They are reminding everyone that the days of medieval theocratic imperialism are still very much alive. Masquerading as religion, the doctrine of Jihad has put the terrorists on the rampage. Modern democratic and spiritual societies have a great challenge coming from this kind of barbaric dogma.

 (C) G. Anil Kumar 2001