During the research of the philosophy and principles of Jihad from the perspective of the Qur’an and hadiths, we are going to find that jihad is a general concept that includes any effort, so in the Qur’an to express the special term of jihad, the words fighting and battle are often used. On the other hand, we are going to know that jihad, according to verses and hadiths, has many rewards and is of two types: initial and defensive.
We are also going to read that the motives of jihad in Islam are: defense, removing the barrier of faith and monotheism, liberty of calling to Islam and removing the barrier of preaching to Islam, and finally helping the oppressed. In addition to the issue of jihad, Islam has obliged Muslims to observe some principles; Including inviting the enemy to Islam before the initial war, observing humane principles, respecting the sanctities and etc.
Following the desires, human beings engage in conflicts that Islam is inherently opposed to, but since war is also inevitable in some cases, religion and Sharia have tried to legislate wars by enacting laws in order to move to the side that causes the least damage.
Therefore, familiarity with some of these laws, including when and for what reasons and with observing what points can war be waged, is one of the main objectives of this research, using the Qur’an, Nahj al-Balaghah and other books of narration, and the books of jurists and the theories of other scholars will also be obtained, and of course we will first know what is the meaning of jihad. Is it obligatory or not? And we will also express it after that; What are the types of jihad and the reasons for the necessity of doing it and the principles that must be observed while doing it?
The word jihad, from the root of “jahd” or “johd” means hardship and any effort accompanied by suffering. Therefore, jihad is of two types: 1. Major jihad 2. Minor jihad, that major jihad means to fight with the desire and the minor jihad is that “sacrificing in the path of the superiority of Islam and stability of prophethood and establishment of the rituals of faith and raising the flag of the divine religion, human being endeavors and fights by all his possibilities.”
Of course, the Holy Qur’an often uses “qital” and “iqtital” (fighting), ie derivatives of “qatl” (killing) to express the meaning of the term jihad (minor jihad). “qital” is: fighting and battle with each other, as the Qur’an says:
یا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ حَرِّضِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى الْقِتَالِ
“O Prophet! urge the believers to fight.” (Al Anfal (8), 65)
And “iqtital” means fighting with each other
فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا رَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتَتِلَانِ
“He found there two men fighting” (Qisas (28), 15).
Obligation of jihad
Among the verses of jihad, one of the verses that indicate the obligation of jihad is the verse 216 of Surah Al-Baqarah, which says:
كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَكُمْ وَعَسَى أَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ وَعَسَى أَنْ تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَكُمْ
“Fighting is enjoined on you, and it is an object of dislike to you, and it may be that you dislike a thing while it is good for you, and it may be that you love a thing while it is evil for you”
The word “کُتِبَ” in the verse means “فُرِّضَ” (it became obligatory) because usually the definite divine rule which is obligatory is expressed as “کُتِبَ”.
Most jurists believe the verse indicates that jihad is a collective duty, that with the command of the Imam to a particular person, jihad becomes an individual duty for that person.
The virtue of Jihad
Many verses and narrations have been included in the virtue of jihad, as we read in a verse:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُمْ بُنْيَانٌ مَرْصُوصٌ
“Allah loves those who fight in His Way lining up as if they were a stacked building” (As-Saff(61), 4)
The Prophet (SAWA) also said: The deeds of all the servants rather than the Mujahideen are like a tern that has taken some water from the sea with its beak.[1]
The goal of jihad
The purpose of jihad in Islam is only to be in the way of God, so the Holy Qur’an mentions jihad in ten cases and fighting in ten cases with the term “for the sake of God”. As expresses:
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ الطَّاغُوتِ
“And those who believe fight in the way of Allah, but those who disbelieve fight in the way of the idol” (An-Nisa(4), 76)
The goal that Islam has set for jihad has an impact on all aspects of the war and makes the quantity and quality of the war and the type of weapon and how to treat the prisoners “for the sake of God”. Therefore, whenever there is a war in the way of God, aggression is not permissible, as the Prophet (SAWA) said: “Fight in the name of God and your goal is God, a God who respects human blood and doesn’t allow to shed blood unnecessarily. Lest you cause harm unreasonably or out of anger …”
Philosophy of Jihad
Jihad is carried out for several purposes and with several motives:
Defense
Defense is something that is considered in the nature of all beings, including human beings [36]. And if there was no defense and the oppressed would be silent in the face of the oppressor, corruption will surely take over the earth.
As the Qur’an mentions
وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَفَسَدَتِ الْأَرْضُ
“And if Allah had not repelled some men by others the earth would have been corrupted” (Al-Bagharah(2), 251)
And in another verse remarks,
وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَهُدِّمَتْ صَوَامِعُ وَبِيَعٌ وَصَلَوَاتٌ وَمَسَاجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا اسْمُ اللَّهِ كَثِيرًا
“And had there not been Allah’s repelling some people by others, certainly there would have been pulled down cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques in which Allah’s name is much remembered” (Al-Hajj(22), 40)
Removing the obstacle of faith and monotheism
Monotheism, like freedom, is one of the rights of all human beings and standing up for it is legitimate and desirable. And human beings can benefit from it only when polytheism disappears. Of course, the meaning of disappearing of polytheism and infidelity is not to make all people on earth monotheists, but it means that the system that rules the world would be a divine and monotheistic system.
Freedom of calling and removal of barriers to preaching religion
Since God has sent instructions and plans by the prophets for the happiness and development of all human beings, so they have the right to hear it, so if some people obstruct their right Islam orders jihad against them.
Supporting the oppressed
God says in verse 75 of Surah An-Nisa:
وَمَا لَكُمْ لَا تُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ الظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا
“So why is it, that you do not fight in the way of Allah, and of those who, being weak, are men, women, and children who say: ‘Our Lord, bring us out from this village whose people are harm doers”
According to the verse, the fighting for the liberation of the oppressed from the oppression, supporting the faithful brothers, and the repulsion of oppression from them is obligatory because, from the Islamic point of view, indifference to the cruelty against those who being weak is a sin.
The mode of Jihad
Islam obliges Muslims to observe some principles during the war, which are:
- Calling to Islam: Since the aim of jihad in Islam is to guide the people, so it is recommended that before the war, Islam should be introduced to the enemy and be called to Islam. Of course, this issue is specific to the initial jihad.
- Observing humane principles: which are also of two types: a) Prohibition of killing women, children, the elderly, etc., that has been emphasized in many narrations. b) humane treatment of prisoners: it means that Muslims are obliged to treat the prisoners humanely and refrain from harassing them before deciding on them.
- Prohibition of committing inhumane tactics: Islamic traditions forbid Muslims from committing acts such as spreading out poison in the land of the infidels, inundating enemies, trampling gardens and fields, cutting down trees, and so on.
- Fulfilling the covenant: Muslims should not ignore their covenant and break it as stated in Islamic narrations.
- Accepting the asylum application: that means if after the start of the conflict, someone claims that he has not heard the message of Islam and asks for time and safety to hear the calling, Muslims are obliged to spare him.
- Respect for the sacred : Islam emphasizes that value issues must be observed during the war, therefore, Muslims are obliged to respect the sacred that are valuable and have respect for both Muslims and infidels, such as Masjid al-Haram, the mosques, and the forbidden months, whose sanctity should not be violated even in war.
NOTE:
[1] Mizan al-Hikmah (Scale of wisdom), vol 2, p 837
