Jihad
Professor: Kylie Olean
RPW 110
Spring 2011
Response essay
The misinterpretation of Jihad, as a form of violence.
Words: 2000
Our society today faces the greatest challenge in the form of terrorism threatening countless lives and shattering those very ideals that sustain humanity. The misinterpretation of jihad is the primary cause behind many terrorist activities in the recent times. The misinterpretation of this word was first started by Ali ibn Tahir al-Sulami, He was a Damascene jurist and a pious Muslim who was the first to preach jihad against the crusaders in the aftermath of the First Crusade. He was one of the first to misconstrue jihad and preach the misinterpretation of jihad .He wrote the book Kitab Al- Jihad which means “book of the holy war”. In this book he proposes for the first time Jihad as a means of warfare against non-believers. “If he did not undertake the sending of enough troops to fight, those who are absent (must) go out, and consider as an obligation that which God (who is praised) said.” The above excerpts explicitly prove the aggressive nature of his ideology and the eventual misinterpretation of Jihad. The above statement suggests to Muslims if god didn’t send enough men to war against non-Muslims then it is the obligation of every Muslim to fight this war against non-believers. This concept was shouted through speakers in mosques and had a lot of audience hence the impact it had on Muslims was much more. His concept of jihad as warfare and fight against non-Muslims originated thus and slowly gained favor amidst other Muslim leaders as well. Jihad today is practiced in many countries all over the world. However, as stated earlier Jihad’s true meaning was lost in the course of human history .What we have and practice today is a corroded or corrupted version of a noble virtue. Jihad its actual meaning is to struggle, striving in the
RPW 110
Spring 2011
Response essay
The misinterpretation of Jihad, as a form of violence.
Words: 2000
Our society today faces the greatest challenge in the form of terrorism threatening countless lives and shattering those very ideals that sustain humanity. The misinterpretation of jihad is the primary cause behind many terrorist activities in the recent times. The misinterpretation of this word was first started by Ali ibn Tahir al-Sulami, He was a Damascene jurist and a pious Muslim who was the first to preach jihad against the crusaders in the aftermath of the First Crusade. He was one of the first to misconstrue jihad and preach the misinterpretation of jihad .He wrote the book Kitab Al- Jihad which means “book of the holy war”. In this book he proposes for the first time Jihad as a means of warfare against non-believers. “If he did not undertake the sending of enough troops to fight, those who are absent (must) go out, and consider as an obligation that which God (who is praised) said.” The above excerpts explicitly prove the aggressive nature of his ideology and the eventual misinterpretation of Jihad. The above statement suggests to Muslims if god didn’t send enough men to war against non-Muslims then it is the obligation of every Muslim to fight this war against non-believers. This concept was shouted through speakers in mosques and had a lot of audience hence the impact it had on Muslims was much more. His concept of jihad as warfare and fight against non-Muslims originated thus and slowly gained favor amidst other Muslim leaders as well. Jihad today is practiced in many countries all over the world. However, as stated earlier Jihad’s true meaning was lost in the course of human history .What we have and practice today is a corroded or corrupted version of a noble virtue. Jihad its actual meaning is to struggle, striving in the
Citations: * ibn Tahir al-Sulami, Ali, Kitab Al- Jihad .,n.d -21st April 2011 * Levitt, Matthew, Hammas-politics, charity and terrorism in the service of jihad. Yale university press., Virginia, 2006. Print. * Lewis, Bernard, The crisis of Islam- holy war and unholy terror. Random house trade paper backs., New York, 2004. Print. * Plato, The Republic. Penguin Books Ltd., London, 2007.print. * Bin laden, Osama. “Letter to America” www.guardian.co.uk, 24 November 2002. Web. 21st April 2011