Jihad is one of the basic principles and one of the most misunderstood concepts in Islam. In Shia Islam, Jihad is one of the ten branches of religion and articles of practice (Furu al-Dīn), which is held in high status. The term Jihad appears frequently in the Qur’an and it is mentioned as a noun in four places, while its derived verb is used in twenty-four places. In the Qur’an usage and later Muslim usage, jihad is commonly followed by the expression ‘fi sabili-llah, “in the path of God.” Similarly, there are also many hadiths of the Messenger of God (PBUHH) and his pure Household (PBUH) on Jihad, which are typically documented by the scholars of Hadith under the headings such as Kitab al-Jihad (The book of Jihad) or Faḍa’il al-Jihad (virtues of Jihad) in hadith collections or as the subject of independent works.
Meaning of Jihad
In a literal sense, the term “Jihad” is derived from the Arabic root Jahada, meaning “to exert strength and effort, to use all means in order to accomplish a task.” In its expanded sense, it can be adhering to religious teachings, enjoining good and forbidding evil as well as fighting the enemies of Islam. In a nutshell, the term Jihad is an Arabic term which literally means striving or struggling, especially with a praiseworthy aim.
Meanwhile, the term could also be used under different meanings in an Islamic context, such as struggle against oneself or efforts toward the moral betterment of society. That is, efforts towards the spiritual and moral uplift of oneself, the society or towards the spread of Islam can be referred to as “Jihad”. Although it is most frequently associated with war.
In Modern Standard Arabic, the term “Jihad” is used for a struggle for causes, both religious and secular. However, it is usually used in the religious sense and could be traced back to the Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah.
In Western popular culture and among some groups of Muslims, the term Jihad is more often used to mean “Holy war” or a violent struggle against the enemies of Islam. It is pertinent to mention that much of the misuse of the term “Jihad” may be dated back to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan when stateless actors began to claim the right to declare Jihad. Moreover, radical and extremist groups appropriate and misuse the term “Jihad” to give religious backing to their violent political movements and tactics.
It should be mentioned that the term Jihad encompasses a broad semantic scope embracing any kind of struggling and striving toward the fulfillment of goals. It can be used to mean a struggle to keep oneself away from oppression to such an extent that a person does not even consider doing it, and this is described as the best jihad. However, considering the range of meanings of the term, it is incorrect to equate it simply with “Holy war.”
Types of Jihad
It reported that when the Muslim army returned from a battle and returned to meet Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), he (PBUHH) said “You have come from the ‘lesser jihad’ to the ‘greater jihad’.” The companions asked, “What is the greater jihad?” He (PBUHH) replied: “It is the struggle against one’s passions.”
Based on this narration, the term Jihad could be broadly categorized into two: Greater Jihad and lesser Jihad.
1. The “Greater Jihad”, is the struggle against the lower self – the struggle to purify one’s heart, do good, avoid evil and make oneself a better person. It is considered the most difficult and most dangerous struggle in Islam, as it is a continuous Jihad.
2. The “Lesser Jihad”, is an outward struggle, a moral principle to struggle against any obstacle that stands in the way of the good. This may also involve fighting against oppressors and aggressors who commit injustice.
Jihad in the Qur’an
Almighty God while instructing His Apostle, said: “O Prophet! Wage jihad against the faithless and the hypocrites, and be severe with them. Their refuge will be hell, and it is an evil destination.” (Qur’an 66: 9)
In this verse, Jihad is declared on two categories of people: the faithless and the hypocrites. It should be mentioned that the Jihad against the disbelievers may emerge in the forms of armed and unarmed struggles, though the struggle against hypocrites is indubitably unarmed. Therefore, struggling against the hypocrites implies censure, warning, threatening, disgracing and at times softening their hearts, since jihad encompasses a broad semantic scope embracing any kind of struggling and striving toward the fulfillment of goals. Likewise, the imperative “be severe with them” in the verse literally denoting severity in words, disclosure of their secrets, warning them against their hypocrisy, and the like.
Meanwhile, such a particular stance against the hypocrites who posed the most perilous threat against the Islamic faith was because they claimed to be Muslims and associated with the Muslims as a consequence of which they could not be treated like disbelievers. Such policy was taken as long as they did not take arms against Muslims. But if they embarked upon armed struggle against Muslims, they were treated likewise since they were termed as ‘belligerent’.
Imam Sadiq (PBUH) was reported to have said: “Allah’s Messenger never waged war against hypocrites, but he strove at all times to soften their hearts.” (Majma’ al-Bayān, vol. 10, p. 319)
It should be mentioned that the hypocrites did not take up arms during the lifetime of the noble Prophet, but after his demise, particularly under the caliphate of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi-Talib (PBUH), they took up arms against Muslims and the noble Imam embarked upon waging war against them.
Philosophy and Goals of Jihad
In the first instance, it is pertinent to mention that some believe that there should be no war in religion at all; that religion should contain no law of war, that is since war is considered bad in itself, religion must oppose it and not itself establish war as a law. In other words, the religion must always support and advocate for peace. In addition, it must not have any laws about war, and it must never go to war. This kind of propaganda is weak and baseless.
In response to this, it must be said that war is not always bad. What is more important are the conditions and motives of the war. If the war is for the sake of protecting one’s territory from aggression, it is indeed a praiseworthy one. However, if it is to oppress the people of their rights, it is condemned.
In addition, Islam is a religion of peace and peaceful coexistence with adherents of other religions. And we cannot say that since Islam advocates peace, it should oppose war. Such a thought would mean that we are advocates of misery, advocates of surrender. There is a difference between peace and surrender as peace is honorable coexistence with others, but surrender is not honorable coexistence; it is a coexistence that is on one side. This is absolutely dishonorable.
Meanwhile, the following are some of the reasons for legalizing Jihad in Islam:
1. To uproot evil and polytheism in society: Almighty God is the Sole Creator of the Universe and everything therein. He loves monotheism and dislikes polytheism. If we consider monotheism as a right of humanity and if we see that it is in the best interests of humanity, then we can fight a nation of polytheists. But, we cannot fight them to impose monotheism and faith, for we know that monotheism and faith cannot be imposed. We can, however, fight the polytheists in order to uproot evil from their society. Ridding a society of evil, polytheistic beliefs is one thing, while imposing the belief of monotheism is another.
2. To prevent ruin and corruption on the land: One of the reasons for legalizing Jihad in Islam is to safeguard the earth from corruption. In verse 251 of Qur’an 2, Allah says: “Were it not for Allah’s repelling the people by means of one another, the earth would surely have been corrupted, but Allah is gracious to the world’s people.” Thus, if God did not prevent some people through other people, ruin and corruption would become the rule everywhere and the earth would surely have been corrupted. It is for this very reason that all the countries of the world deem it necessary for themselves to maintain armed forces for their defense. The existence of armed forces, the duty of which is to prevent aggression, is an absolute necessity.
3. To create terror in the heart of the enemies and prevent transgression: Another reason why Jihad is considered lawful in Islam is to prevent transgression and injustice on earth. In verse 60 of Qur’an 8, Allah says: “Prepare against them whatever you can of [military] power and war-horses, awing thereby the enemy of Allah, and your enemy, and others besides them, whom you do not know, but Allah knows them.”
4. To defend the oppressed: One of the obligatory responsibilities of the believers is to liberate the oppressed from the clutches of the oppressors. If we do nothing, the effect is that we have helped the oppressor’s oppression against the oppressed. In verse 75 of Qur’an 4, Allah says: “Why should you not fight in the way of Allah and the oppressed men, women, and children, who say, ‘Our Lord, bring us out of this town whose people are oppressors, and appoint for us a guardian from Yourself, and appoint for us a helper from Yourself’?”
In conclusion, Islam is a religion of peace and commands peace with all people. And at the same time, Islam permits Jihad in order to uproot evils and polytheism in society, prevent corruption, transgression and injustice, liberate the oppressed and in self-defense.
