Clarifying a Misunderstood Subject: What is Jihad?

Aslamualikum (may peace be upon you)

Im a 15 year old muslim and ever since people Like Osama Bin Ladden killed innocent people in the name of "Jihad" it made muslim people look like terrorists. First of all I want to Clarify that Islam does not encourage violence and that in no way does the Quran support Osama Bin Ladden's Action.

Jihad Means To Strugle in the way of god
There are 2 Types Of Jihad:
"Jihad Alakbar" Greater Jihad
"Jihad Alaskar" Minor Jihad

First the Greater Jihad: Greater Jihad is actually the most important Jihad, (obvious by it's name) it is the strugle against the inner self. Thats right this is the GREATER JIHAD. You must perfect yourself and fight your inner temptations such as stealing, lieing and other unlawful things in order to be a sucsesful muslim.

Second Comes Minor Jihad: Minor Jihad is the Jihad against your enemies or people who fight Islam. But In the Quran Allah has made it clear that when you fight you must show mercy and only fight against the men. And in very few occasions the proper Muslims (such as the propeht) slay there prisoners of war. Again Islam does not encourage violence. If anything encourages violence it is the Bible, may I quote:

"WILL MAKE MY ARROWS DRUNK WITH BLOOD, AND MY SWORD SHALL DEVOUR FLESH... DEFEAT THEM AND DISTROY THEM UTTERLY...MAKE NO TREATY WITH THEM AND SHOW NO FAVOUR TO THEM" (DUETERONOMY 7:1-2)

"wHEN... GOD GIVES (A CITY) INTO YOUR HANDS, KILL ALL THE MEN IN IT... DO NOT LEAVE ALIVE ANYTHING THAT BREATHS" (DEUTERONOMY 20:10-17)

ok and this one is really messed up:
"KILL EVERY MALE CHILD AND BABY AND KILL EVERY WOMAN WHO IS NOT A VIRGGIN. BUT SAVE FOR YOURSELF THE VIRGIN GIRLS." (NUMBERS 31:17-18)

One more important point:
Who remembers Timothy Mcvey? Ok a little info about him... was in a christian radicle group blew up the ohio building, blah blah blah. Does that mean that I can call every Christian a Terrorist because of Timothy Mcvey? No probably not.... Same example with Osama Bin Ladden. Does not mean that he was a Muslim and blew up the Twin Towers that all Muslims would like to blow up the twin towers. Keep that in Mind
Aslamualikum (May Peace Be Upon You)
-- Email me if you have more questions [email protected]

Jazzakum Allah Khair.

PureMuslim said:

Aslamualikum (may peace be upon you)

Im a 15 year old muslim and ever since people Like Osama Bin Ladden killed innocent people in the name of "Jihad" it made muslim people look like terrorists. First of all I want to Clarify that Islam does not encourage violence and that in no way does the Quran support Osama Bin Ladden's Action.

Jihad Means To Strugle in the way of god
There are 2 Types Of Jihad:
"Jihad Alakbar" Greater Jihad
"Jihad Alaskar" Minor Jihad

First the Greater Jihad: Greater Jihad is actually the most important Jihad, (obvious by it's name) it is the strugle against the inner self. Thats right this is the GREATER JIHAD. You must perfect yourself and fight your inner temptations such as stealing, lieing and other unlawful things in order to be a sucsesful muslim.

Second Comes Minor Jihad: Minor Jihad is the Jihad against your enemies or people who fight Islam. But In the Quran Allah has made it clear that when you fight you must show mercy and only fight against the men. And in very few occasions the proper Muslims (such as the propeht) slay there prisoners of war. Again Islam does not encourage violence. If anything encourages violence it is the Bible, may I quote:

"WILL MAKE MY ARROWS DRUNK WITH BLOOD, AND MY SWORD SHALL DEVOUR FLESH... DEFEAT THEM AND DISTROY THEM UTTERLY...MAKE NO TREATY WITH THEM AND SHOW NO FAVOUR TO THEM" (DUETERONOMY 7:1-2)

"wHEN... GOD GIVES (A CITY) INTO YOUR HANDS, KILL ALL THE MEN IN IT... DO NOT LEAVE ALIVE ANYTHING THAT BREATHS" (DEUTERONOMY 20:10-17)

ok and this one is really messed up:
"KILL EVERY MALE CHILD AND BABY AND KILL EVERY WOMAN WHO IS NOT A VIRGGIN. BUT SAVE FOR YOURSELF THE VIRGIN GIRLS." (NUMBERS 31:17-18)

One more important point:
Who remembers Timothy Mcvey? Ok a little info about him... was in a christian radicle group blew up the ohio building, blah blah blah. Does that mean that I can call every Christian a Terrorist because of Timothy Mcvey? No probably not.... Same example with Osama Bin Ladden. Does not mean that he was a Muslim and blew up the Twin Towers that all Muslims would like to blow up the twin towers. Keep that in Mind
Aslamualikum (May Peace Be Upon You)
-- Email me if you have more questions [email protected]

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I really don't think the bible encourages violence either. There are missconcepcions, and that is normal, because when you read, you have your own opinion, so messages can be interpreted in many ways. Now i do not want to talk about religion, because religion it is not the problem. Is us, human beings....

we always try to be under a group, under certain beliefs, it doesn't matter what those beliefs say. the problem is, that when we join a group under certain beliefs and ideas, then some other group will have an opposite idea, and an opposite belief. So we actually create conflict, when we join groups. Why do we join groups? so we don't feel alone, because we want to have the certainly that we fit into society.

why do all those terrorist fight and do what they do "in the name of God"? because a group needs a reason. But do they really care about God?, no because if what the religion they practice say, would really matter to them, they would practice it and try to feel others a love understanding towards their religion.
But what have they done? they have putted some a lot of ignorant people against muslim religion.

So first of all they have a "reason", "God".
But why do they do what they do then?
because they have created this Whole idea.
and when a man tries to impose an idea, he becomes dangerous.
The terrorist who fight in the so-called "jihad" fight not because of their religion, but because time ago they got really into this idea that seemed very noble. But they putted their frustrations and hates upon this idea. then they couldn't go back because that would hurt their honor, because you already set a course, and for people with a great deal of ego, is very hard to change the course, to go back, to change your beliefs when they are wrong. specially when you have influenced a whole bunch of people, how do you tell them that you were wrong?

i don't know if you understand me, but what i mean, is that, always ALWAYS have an open mind to change even your most deep beliefs. acknowledge what is wrong, do not join any group just because their ideals seem to be fine and because they will accept you. to join groups to don't feel alone is a very weak way to live. Unfortunately, many times people joins a religion because of that; because they have to feel they belong to something speciall, even when they do not fully understand....

well guys, sorry if it was long, now, just be yourself, do not let anybody to influence you. not even me, what i say is crap, do not believe it, but do so believe in Love and Hapiness and find truth for youself.

Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatu Allah.

Welcome to the forums...

Thank you for denouncing such actions, most know that not all muslims are murderous terrorists and that many decry the aforementioned... but many see what they believe amounts to silent approval from a majority, whether or not this is the case...

Mister Emu said:

most know that not all muslims are murderous terrorists and that many decry the aforementioned... but many see what they believe amounts to silent approval from a majority, whether or not this is the case...

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That's probably how others look at the christian faith when the majority of christians sit silently by while those who loudly proclaim their christianity go do something that is not at all loving or peaceful.

If anything encourages violence it is the Bible, may I quote:

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And may I quote....

"Then, when the sacred months are drawn away, slay the idolaters, wherever you find them and take them, and confine them and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush" - (IX Repentance : 5)

"O believers, take not the Jews and Christians as friends; they are friends of each other. Whoso of you makes them his friends is one of them. God guides not the people of the evildoers." - (V The Table : 56)


Come on mate, use your head. See above, I can pic and choose quotes too, but do those quotes alone mean Islam teaches violence? NO. I'm not a Christian so what you think is not a bother to me, but I do think you should base your opinion of whether the Bible is violent or not on the whole of the book and not just a couple of lines.

The Bible and the Koran are equally violent and vile in many places. I have beef with fundamentalists of both religions who take these books literally. There just seems to be a greater percentage of muslims in the world who believe in this inerrancy. The sharia is simply despicable.

Christianity has appeared to have 'progressed' from the dark ages of holy wars, hunting witches/pagans and treating women as inferior (it's not there yet, obviously)... Islam and many arabic countries have not made nearly the same progression.

I am Iranian and I am very proud of my culture but I am not proud of my country over the past 30 years. My parents and numerous family members fled the country for fear of their lives during the muslim revolution or 'jihad'. Women overnight became second class citizens and the marrying age of women went from 17 to 13. My grandparents' land has been stolen/confiscated by the government. I hate what muslims have done to my country.

-Erin

It is true that bin Laden is not representative of Islam, but bin Laden and al-Qaeda are not the only one who used Jihad as excuse for their violence. Many Muslims tried to justify their violence by using calling upon Jihad.

What should be a political or social issues, some Muslims would turn them into a religious ones. Whenever, there is grievous, real or not, they immediately resort to this jihad, and some would see it as their God-given rights to do so because they are Muslims, and instead of settling in peaceful manner, they sometimes turn it into "them" versus "us".

And here lies the problem.

Until all the Muslim clerics properly teach Muslims that you can't use jihad whenever you feel like it, then non-Muslims would continue to distrust Muslims, whenever it is brought up through Muslim's declaration of jihad. But some of these Muslim clerics are part of the problem, and they used it to advance whatever their cause it may be.

I don't think any non-Muslim can deal with this jihad problem, misunderstood or otherwise. Whenever non-Muslims venture a comment, we are told we got it all wrong, but that is not entirely so. We got it wrong, because Muslims themselves get it wrong.

Is it because some Muslims are not well-educated?

You bring up the violences in the bible, but you have failed to quote too that the Qur'an have also advocate violence, necessary or otherwise, especially against non-Muslims or disbelievers who do not submit (or convert), and it doesn't alway suggest that to use restraint or only in self defence.

All three religions have a long history of violence, but only Christians and Muslims have resorted to force conversions. Judaism had nothing to do with converting. Either you were born as a descendant of one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, or you were not.

Christianity had only started off a peaceful religion, but that had changed several centuries later.

Yes, non-Muslims are probably misunderstanding the concept of jihad, but that's because it is the Muslims, clerics and non-clerics, who misunderstand or misuse jihad for their own agenda. Of course, not all Muslims misuse it, but until they are resoluted between themselves, non-Muslim people would continue misunderstand it.

Bible and Quran are both full of violence, full of stories about people murdering others in the name of God, and both are equally despicable in that respect. The difference is that Christianity has gone through a Reformation and Islam has not yet done so.

Tim McVeigh blew up a building in Oklahoma, and not Ohio, and I was 65 miles South of the building when he blew it up. He was not blowing up the building because he thought some cosmic boogeyman told him to do so. He was angry with the U.S. gov't because of what the gov't. did at Ruby Ridge and at Waco, Texas. He was an idealist scumbag who put his own ideas and beleifs in front of the lives of others, and as far as I can tell the world is full of equally scary idealists who would gladly kill others and even themselves because of their beleifs.

I am glad you are decrying the use of terrorism and it is frankly about time some Muslims started coming out against Jihad, rather than condoning it. That being said, you do so only, it seems to me, to point out the splinter in another religion's eye, without removing the beam from your own. I personally am skeptical of any group, when any of the groups members can get the idea that it is OK to murder people of different ideals, but I am weird that way I guess.

B.

hi I am impressed with the concept of "greater jihad". It seems that Christianity lacks this self-reflective imperative.

Pure muslim, asalaamu alaikum,

I think that last post of yours was very informative. People tend only to look at one side of things alot. Like take for instance the long standing misconception that Islam spread by the sword. Yes there were many wars in the early part of islam, but no one stops to think why the muslims were fighting. They just coudln't sit idly by while men women and children are being tortured and killed for being muslim. Its good that you tried to present a little of the other side.

Welcome to the forum fullyveiled muslimah.

PureMuslim said:

Lol thanks mdm for fixing my mistakes….

One thing also about Jihad that I have forgot to mention. You can't use the term Jihad for everything. But since I am a Full blooded Egyptian Muslim living in America I get to see both sides of the argument. I can tell you this back in my country life is as corrupt as life can be. There is no police no nothing. It is a corrupt country where the poor starve led by a even more corrupt government. So basically you're boxed in… Some people try to find there way out and sometimes what they run into is Jihad. Take Palestine for an example:​

Ok so you have about 15 people dead each day and a whole crap load of destroyed houses and etc. As each day passes the Israelites take more and more of the Palatines' land. Where to turn to? The government is corrupt and weak and makes feeble attempts to make treaties with the Israelites. As a matter of fact it is not proven but might be true it is believed that some government officials are actually bribed to stand by. As a Palestinian child you are raised with all the tanks and destruction around you and you are taught that those are the enemies. The only hope of peace in there idea is death. Like the long dark tunnel with a speck of light and hope at the end. As a Muslim I know that the greatest honor to die with is honor of the martyr. Those men and women are heavily rewarded in paradise. So now you have a bunch of people going about it the wrong way by doing suicide bombings and other things. If you look behind the meaning this is a sign of desperate people willing to do anything to get there land back. ​

Let's look at Somalia. Somalia is also one of the Muslim nations who have been ruled by dictators over the past years. Only a few weeks back the people finally threw the dictators out. Now we have USA a.k.a protectors of freedom sending troops to Somalia to stop the people from establishing their own government… I MEAN SHEESH…. DID ANYONE BUTT IN WHEN AMERICA WAS FREEING ITSELF FROM EUROPE?​

I am afraid that this is the truth so embrace yourself:
The world is a horrible crude place because some humans are cruel people who are driven by their temptations and desire of power and wealth. USA "Protectors of Liberty" has been the world's super power ever since the time of WWII. Unlike my relatives back home I know that the American people are good people but their governments are like the Human Satins. So now the USA has to have the support of their people while functioning. Ever heard of colonialism? Well of course that’s gone but there is still Colonialism II. Some might know about this but the new way to control countries is to bribe dictators and put them into power. You pull out a few big bucks give him some guns and arms and BAM he is the new dictator. So in order for US to operate they must seem like a good government to its people. They lie in media they cheat even in the very conferences of the UN. Every time the UN stands up against the US and it's wicked actions the US threatens to pull the plug on the UN. Did you think Osama Bin Laden woke up one day and yawned and said , "Geez… It would be fun to crash to planes in the Twin Towers"!!! No that’s not the way it worked Osama knew that the basis of all of this is the US. They thought if they could crash their economy they could get rid of all their dictators, this of course in no way justifies what he did. People use the word "Jihad" as a battle cry to try to convince other Muslims to fight with him. So now you got some looks at the other perspective. Like in the American Revolution the Americans had to rely on Guerilla Warfare in order to have any chance to defeat the well armed British. Some times they even had to make economical targets such as the Boston Tea Party in order to get the British out. So keep that in mind—Any Questions? Email me [email protected] ​

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well israel is now trying to give land back and hamas is still firing rockets from gaza, do the palestinians really want peace if so they should throw out the likes of hamas and their jihads and the west bank will surely follow, the palestinians must take their own future in to their own hands and not listen to pan islamists, pan arabists ,jihadis or anyone else the two party solution has been on the table for decades arafat didnt want peace anymore than hamas or islamic jihad does its time for politicians now not martyrs, and the american rebels were mainly british rebelling against rule from the motherland and they had plenty of help from the french, and i for one would have a lot more simpathy for the palestinian cause if young men and women were not brainwashed into strapping dynamite onto themselves and blowing up civilians in public places , its impossible to admire that and heroes are not made this way.

oh and hello and welcome forgive my bad manners

bigvindaloo said:

hi I am impressed with the concept of "greater jihad". It seems that Christianity lacks this self-reflective imperative.

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Don't you believe it. We are not allowed to lustful, even a little angry or anything. As our Lord says:

What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean... But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.'" Matt 15:11 - 15:18.

But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matt 5:27-29

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matt 5:8

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 15:19

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks Luke 6:45

I could go on, Jesus talks about purity of heart (righteousness) being important throughout the Gospels. Anyone who reads them couldn't possibly come out without thinking they needed to consider their devotion to good works and intention behind their acts deeply. It's blindingly obvious - in Islam however, it isn't - so it needs to be emphasised and made more explicit.

Elvendon

And while the Greater Jihad (struggle with oneself) is still virtuous and encouraged, the scriptures of God's newest Revelation to date, the Baha'i Faith, have explicitly prohibited the Lesser Jihad (i.e., warfare) for over 125 years now! . . .

Best,

Bruce

The phrase Greater Jihad refers to the efforts of a believer to live their Muslim faith as well as possible.
On his return from a battle, the Prophet said: "We are finished with the lesser jihad; now we are starting the greater jihad." He explained to his followers that fighting against an outer enemy is the lesser jihad and fighting against one's self is the greater jihad (holy war).
Although the greater jihaad is most noble It is the lesser jihad the concerns me

fullyveiled muslimah said:

Pure muslim, asalaamu alaikum,

I think that last post of yours was very informative. People tend only to look at one side of things alot. Like take for instance the long standing misconception that Islam spread by the sword. Yes there were many wars in the early part of islam, but no one stops to think why the muslims were fighting. They just coudln't sit idly by while men women and children are being tortured and killed for being muslim. Its good that you tried to present a little of the other side.

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please elaborate
i am interested when this was

gnostic said:

It is true that bin Laden is not representative of Islam, but bin Laden and al-Qaeda are not the only one who used Jihad as excuse for their violence. Many Muslims tried to justify their violence by using calling upon Jihad.

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I get very tired of people wanting to disavow responsibility for the ugly side of their religion by claiming that this or that person is not a "real" Muslim or Christian or is not acting in a "true" Muslim or Christian manner. The fact is that both religions have a very dark side, and each community bears at least some responsibility for what goes on within its community. Osama is a real Muslim, and GW Bush and Fred Phelps are real Christians, and it's far past time for the Muslim and Christian communities to come to grips with those facts and address them. The fact that those who speak for peace are a distinct minority in both communities is indicative of serious problems in both.

gnostic said:

What should be a political or social issues, some Muslims would turn them into a religious ones. Whenever, there is grievous, real or not, they immediately resort to this jihad, and some would see it as their God-given rights to do so because they are Muslims, and instead of settling in peaceful manner, they sometimes turn it into "them" versus "us".

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That's sadly true, but of course it's not just Muslims. Christians, Jews, and Hindus do the same thing.

gnostic said:

Until all the Muslim clerics properly teach Muslims that you can't use jihad whenever you feel like it, then non-Muslims would continue to distrust Muslims, whenever it is brought up through Muslim's declaration of jihad. But some of these Muslim clerics are part of the problem, and they used it to advance whatever their cause it may be.

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That's true to a great extent, and again we find the same problem among Christians, Jews, and Hindus.

gnostic said:

All three religions have a long history of violence, but only Christians and Muslims have resorted to force conversions. Judaism had nothing to do with converting. Either you were born as a descendant of one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, or you were not.

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That's not true at all. Throughout most of its history, Judaism has welcomed converts, and during Maccabean times apostates from Judaism were killed and non-Jews were forced to convert. And here again Hindus are no exception, either; they have also practiced forced conversion.

gnostic said:

Yes, non-Muslims are probably misunderstanding the concept of jihad, but that's because it is the Muslims, clerics and non-clerics, who misunderstand or misuse jihad for their own agenda. Of course, not all Muslims misuse it, but until they are resoluted between themselves, non-Muslim people would continue misunderstand it.

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I completely agree that Muslims bear the responsibility for (1) placing the emphasis on the greater jihad and (2) stressing the restrictions that are properly placed on the lesser jihad. Clearly, the actions of suicide bombers are directly contrary to the Qur'an. (There is even a case to be made for Muslim pacifism, and it's high time for more Muslims to make it. The sanction of military action in the time of the Prophet and under his direction doesn't mean that Muslims ought to assume that any military action in our time, and not under the direction of the Prophet, is equally acceptable.)

Likewise, it is the responsibility of Christians to stress the teachings of Jesus on non-violence, and it is the responsibility of Jews to stress their own teachings about how to treat your neighbor and strangers in your midst.

All three of these religious communities (and Hinduism along with them) bear some measure of responsibility for the actions of their members, and all three are responsible for failing to teach compassion toward others.

In other words, Muslims are responsible for the fact that Muslim extremists use jihad to as a pretext for senseless violence, and Christians are responsible for the fact that Christian extremists still think in terms of the Crusade and still claim divine sanction for senseless violence.

However, the Greater Jihad is a spiritual principle that all religions can learn from, and one of the more attractive aspects of the Muslim faith.