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One of the main difference today is to agree on the right definition of Jihad a very popular term associated with the Muslims and Islam . Where some Muslim countries try to bespeak the culture of war in the name of jihad , The holy book Quran on the contrary, is imbued with the spirit of tolerance and peace . Its culture is not that of war , but of mercy for all creatures.
The word ‘jihad’ has nowhere been used in the Qur’an as an Islamic religious policy that involves war in the sense of launching an offensive. It doesn’t mean to wage Holy war as radicals and extremists claim. It is used rather to mean ‘struggle’ or ‘Striving’ . The action most consistently called for in the holy Qur’an is the exercise of patience (Sabar) . Yet today, the so called terrorists , under unfavourable conditions have equated “God is Great” with “War is Great.” For them, the greatest reward is to be able to wield an Ak 47 or Kalashnikov rifle.
Everyday there are some news items about jihad now what is Jihad ? Jihad is an Arabic word that means to strive to struggle in a peaceful manner . It has nothing to do with voilence or war . So jihad is used in Islam with the meaning of peaceful activism , it is only the other name of peaceful activism. Jihad is not a holy war that is completely wrong .
Late Maulana Wahid Uddin khan , a renowned Islamic scholar mentions that , There is no concept of holy war in Islam. In the Quran, God Almighty clearly mentions that “Whoever kills a person [unjustly]…it is as though he has killed all mankind” and promotes Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) teachings to live with peace and unity. Every time when we meet with someone we say “Salam alaikum”, that means “God will bless you with the peace.”
TERRORISM IS NOT JIHAD
Now What’s the definition of terrorism? It’s to achieve a political objective through the use of intentional violence and instilling fear . Terrorism is regarded as ‘Evil’ and terrorists are just nasty, evil, disgusting human beings who disrespect human life . No religion supports or allows terrorism and islam has every now and then condemned terrorism …it is hard to believe that a practicing Muslim person can kill anyone or that the barbaric acts that are being carried out in the name of Islam Can be carried out by a true Muslim . It is time to face the monster and send out a clear message about this crooked, infamous version of Jihad which has created huge havoc.
Every time a group commits a heinous act of terror, it is often classified as “Jihad” by the group itself, But these acts are not Jihad. As mentioned above The term Jihad is often defined as a “fight,” or a “holy war,” but it actually means a struggle, not just against others but against desire, ambition and human aspirations to follow what is preached by Islam that is the real meaning one should understand . It is mentioned in the Sahi Bukhari that Prophet Muhammad, the last prophet according to Islamic belief, also said “A believer continues to guard his Faith (and thus hopes for Allah’s Mercy) so long as he does not shed blood unjustly.’
Terrorism, in fact, is completely the opposite of Jihad ( which is falsely used by extremists to lure more youth towards destruction ) . Any act of violence that instils fear in the minds of innocent people is an act of terror, particularly because this fear is not a fear against corruption / theft or anything that is wrong . Instead, it is a fear of the powerful who wish to become more so. Those (terror groups / individuals ) who terrorize people claiming that they are the followers of Islam have forgotten that “Islam” means “peace,” and that the Holy Quran teaches tolerance towards other faiths and guides . Using the religion to justify mass murders is even more cruel and heinous than the act itself. That’s because two sins are committed—the murders themselves, and then defamation of Islam ( which never supports terror) by using the religion to justify them.
PAKISTAN SHOULD STOP AIDING TERRORISM IN THE NAME OF JIHAD
According to an analysis published by the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution located in washington DC in 2008, Pakistan was reportedly, “with the possible exception of Iran, perhaps the world’s most active sponsor of terrorist groups… Helping these terror groups that pose a direct threat to the US . With this all and Pakistan’s involvement and active participation has caused thousands of deaths in the region; all these years Pakistan and its govt has been supportive to several terrorist militant groups despite stern warnings from the world community. Daniel Byman, a professor at the Center For Middle East Policy, also wrote in a series on terrorism and homeland security that, “Pakistan is probably 2008’s most active sponsor of terrorism . In 2018, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Shareef in an interview with Dawn admitted that, Pakistani terrorists carried out 2008 Mumbai deadly attack. In July 2019, Pakistan PM imran khan in an official visit to US states that about 40 terror groups are operated in Pak, 40,000 militants still on soil. He said that successive governments in Pakistan did not tell the truth to US hence adding that there were 40 different militant terror groups operating in his country. In an another effort , The US ‘ State Sponsors of Terrorism designation body list describes Pakistan as a “terror/ militant safe haven” where individual terrorists and terrorist groups are able to organize, assemble , raise funds, recruit, train, transit, and operate in , because of supportive govt and political will. Hence Pakistan Govt should take this all seriously and act tough on these groups which are defaming name of religion by bringing bad name to religion of peace . Terrorism in the name of jihad has no place in our society and should be condemned by all.
THE REAL MUSLIM CAN’T BE A TERRORIST
Islam never advocates terrorism . It is forbidden by Almighty God in holy Quran and Sunnah. The sunnah defines verses in with the following truths; “A servant of God is not a true believer in the instant of adultery, And one is not a believer when he is taking the life of another. Hence, it has been accepted as strictly forbidden by Quran and prophet Muhammad . Fethullah Gülen, as one of the contemporary distinguished Islamic scholar, preacher, believes that a person with deep-seated faith can neither commit suicide nor become a suicide bomber. In this case, one who takes his own or another’s life will have a thin line between disbelief and himself, and will be face to face with a high risk of losing his faith. His characteristics will no longer allow an attribution to his Islamic beliefs. Thereby any person/ individual who dies as a suicide bomber and causes the death of others cannot be a true Muslim at all …
(About Writer : Dar Javed is a young Research scholar working on Peace initiatives in kashmir . He writes on Polity , Governance Art and Design . He works with Washington based CL On world bank initiatives in India.)
