To some, jihad is terrorism and even proof of Islam’s innate To some, jihad is terrorism and even proof of Islam’s innate violence. To others, jihad means a peaceful and internal spiritual striving. However, those who argue that jihad means only violence or only peace are both wrong. To others, jihad means a peaceful and internal spiritual striving. However, those who argue that jihad means only violence or only peace are both wrong. Jihad is a complicated arrangement of precepts and practices that have changed over time and continue to evolve today. The Quran’s messages about battling and jihad are indistinguishable from its necessities of liberality and care for poor people. Jihad has regularly been a useful and innovative power, the way to building new Islamic social orders and states. Jihad has directed relations among Muslims and non-Muslims, in harmony just as in war.
There are dozens of verses in Quran on the merits of jihad in the cause of God Almighty. Even Aisha, Prophets wife, when she read God’s Book with contemplation, became aware of that; She said: O Messenger of God! We see jihad as the best deed. Shall we strive? He said: “No, but the best jihad is an accepted Hajj.” Narrated by Al-Bukhari.
Many Muslims have gone astray in this era while limiting jihad to jihad with the sword. Have they not read the words of our Lord, Glory be to Him:
“Do not obey the unbelievers and strive against them with it with a great struggle.” al-Furqan: 52.
Imam al-Qurtubi said: “Strive against them with it.” It was said: by the sword, and this has a dimension; Because the surah is Meccan, it was revealed before the order to fight. Ibn al-Qayyim, may God have mercy on him, said: This is a jihad for them with the Qur’an, and it is the greater of the two jihads.
One of the greatest jihads
The jihad of those who associate themselves with Islam and discredit it in secret, and confuse the common Muslims with their religion; is one of the greatest jihads in the cause of God.
Jihad with words is one of the greatest types of jihad. It was authenticated on the authority of Tariq bin Shihab that a man asked the Prophet, when he put his leg in stitches: Which jihad is better? He said: “A word of truth before an unjust ruler.” Narrated by Ahmad attribution correctly.
If you look at the lives of the prophets and messengers, you will see a large number of them who did not fight; Ibrahim Al-Khalil did not fight his people with the sword and never fought them. So do you think he was not one of the Mujahideen? And say the same about Noah, Jesus, Lot, Shuaib, and Yahya, peace be upon them, not one of them fought his people, so would you dare to say: They, peace be upon them, were not fighters?! No, by God, they were the Sheikhs f the mujahideen, their leaders, and their role models. They fought the greatest jihad and proclaimed the word of truth in the face of tyrannical tyrants, spread the religion of God Almighty among the fearful, and were patient with the harm of the hardened criminals.
Jihad means a peaceful, individual, and internal spiritual striving
Quran is an evidence that jihad is not with the sword only, Allah says:
“Oh Prophet, strive against the infidels and the hypocrites.” At-Tawbah: 7.
Ibn Al-Qayyim, may God have mercy on him, said: The hypocrites did not fight the Muslims, but those who were with them were fighting in the Lord. With this, the Almighty said: “Oh Prophet, fight the infidels and the hypocrites.” Jihad against the hypocrites is based on the argument and the Qur’an. What is meant is that “God’s way” is: jihad, seeking knowledge, and calling people by it to God. That is why Muadh – may God be pleased with him – said: You must seek knowledge; Learning it is for God’s fear, studying it is worship, studying it is glorification, and looking for it is jihad.
Did you read the words of God:
"Those who believe and migrated and fought in the way of Allah with their wealth and themselves the greatest degree of God, and those are the winners of" At-Tawbah: 20.
Thinking in these words, Allah has made jihad with money better than self-Jihad, who uses his money to spread the call of Almighty all parts of the world are included in the Mujahideen, and what jihad is greater than that?
The jihad of those who pretend to belong to Islam and discredit it in secret, and confuse the common Muslims with their religion is also one of the greatest jihads.
The jihad against the unbelievers who cast their doubts on Islam, wanting to destroy it in every possible way, and they are planting their poison in the religion of God is also one of the greatest jihads.
More Samples of acts considered as Jihad
Ibn al-Qayyim used to say: Telling and spreading Sunnah to the nation is better than shooting arrows into the enemy’s eyes. Because fighting and shooting could be done by many people, but the transmission of the Sunnah can only happen by the inheritors of the prophets and their successors in their nations.
Rather, one of the greatest jihad in the way of God is the jihad of the soul to obey God Almighty, and he who cannot resist his lust and pleasure should not think that he can fight God’s enemies with the sword. Fadala bin Ubaid said: I heard the Messenger of God say: “The Mujahid is the one who strives against himself in the cause of God Almighty.”. Abdullah bin Amr said: A man came to the Prophet and asked him for permission to engage in jihad. He said: “Do I greet your parents?” He said: “Yes.” He said: “There are two of them, so strive.” narrated by Sheikhs.
Did it ever occur to you that honoring your parents by jihad in the cause of God Almighty? Do you not know that waking up from your sleep to perform the Fajr prayer in the mosque is from jihad in the cause of God Almighty?
Our words do not mean the nullification of jihad with the sword, but rather we wanted to clarify that this is one of the types of jihad and the concept of jihad in Islam is more comprehensive than this.
