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Jihad in Islamic Law: Difference between revisions
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Jihad جهاد in Arabic literally means "struggle" coming from the Arabic verb جاهد jaahada meaning to "strive." Jihad fi sabil Allah جهاد في سبيل الله is thus literally "struggle/striving on the path of god." Historically, the use of the word jihad has been very wide semantically, with applications from war to spiritual discipline to reform and many, many things in between. Despite these wide and varied applications, though, the main meaning of jihad in Islamic law from the origins of the religion to the classic period to the present day continues to be armed struggle, either to expand the realm of Islamic political dominance or to defend Islamic lands from infidels, with the expansion of Islamic political dominance being part-and-parcel to a social and political system which advances the interest of the Muslim religion and induces the peoples conquered in this warfare to convert to Islam. This socio-political system, that of the [[dhimma]], is intimately connected to the institution of "jihad at-talab" جهاد الطلب the "jihad of request" involving the three-option offer that an Islamic force must make before commencing hostilities against an infidel enemy: 1. Conversion to Islam. 2. Payment of the [[jizyah]] and subjection to Islamic political dominion and the strictures of the [[dhimma]]. 3. Fighting until death. | Jihad جهاد in Arabic literally means "struggle" coming from the Arabic verb جاهد jaahada meaning to "strive." Jihad fi sabil Allah جهاد في سبيل الله is thus literally "struggle/striving on the path of god." Historically, the use of the word jihad has been very wide semantically, with applications from war to spiritual discipline to reform and many, many things in between. Despite these wide and varied applications, though, the main meaning of jihad in Islamic law from the origins of the religion to the classic period to the present day continues to be armed struggle, either to expand the realm of Islamic political dominance or to defend Islamic lands from infidels, with the expansion of Islamic political dominance being part-and-parcel to a social and political system which advances the interest of the Muslim religion and induces the peoples conquered in this warfare to convert to Islam. This socio-political system, that of the [[dhimma]], is intimately connected to the institution of "jihad at-talab" جهاد الطلب the "jihad of request" involving the three-option offer that an Islamic force must make before commencing hostilities against an infidel enemy: 1. Conversion to Islam. 2. Payment of the [[jizyah]] and subjection to Islamic political dominion and the strictures of the [[dhimma]]. 3. Fighting until death. | ||
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====Non-aggression / defensive principle==== | ====Non-aggression / defensive principle==== | ||
Khalil highlights Q 22:39-40 and Q 4:75 as early Medinan verses calling for fighting in self defence and the defence of others.<ref>M. H. Khalil, ''Jihad'' p. 9</ref> According to the traditional exegesis of the Qur'an in Sunni Islam, the first verse revealed to Muhammad about fighting was Q 22:39. In Q 22:40 even synagogues and churches as considered worthy of | Khalil highlights Q 22:39-40 and Q 4:75 as early Medinan verses calling for fighting in self defence and the defence of others.<ref>M. H. Khalil, ''Jihad'' p. 9</ref> According to the traditional exegesis of the Qur'an in Sunni Islam (for example, Ibn Kathir), the first verse revealed to Muhammad about fighting was Q 22:39. In Q 22:40 even synagogues and churches as considered worthy of protection. | ||
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|22|39|40}}|Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory.<BR /> | {{Quote|{{Quran-range|22|39|40}}|Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory.<BR /> | ||
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Surah 48, al Fath (the victory) celebrates the treaty of Hudaybiyah. In verses {{Quran-range|48|18|21}} many victories and much booty is promised now (following the victory over Khaybar) and in the future. Mecca was spared by the treaty, despite religious obstruction at the kaaba (verses 21-25). Verse 29 states that "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves." | Surah 48, al Fath (the victory) celebrates the treaty of Hudaybiyah. In verses {{Quran-range|48|18|21}} many victories and much booty is promised now (following the victory over Khaybar) and in the future. Mecca was spared by the treaty, despite religious obstruction at the kaaba (verses 21-25). Verse 29 states that "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves." | ||
{{Quran-range|8|65|69}} occurs in surah al-anfal, which as mentioned below contains a number of fighting verses as well as appeals to the Meccans to cease fighting and oppression, traditionally following the battle of Badr. Verses 67 to 68 are noteworthy in this context for enjoining the believers to be patient and not yet take captives until their prophet "inflicts a massacre in the land", rebuking them for having taken some already. Verse 69 tells them instead to enjoy what they have lawfully taken as booty. | |||
====Terrorising the enemy==== | ====Terrorising the enemy==== | ||
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===Jihad in the Hadith=== | ===Jihad in the Hadith=== | ||
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Jihad_(Miscellaneous_Texts)}} | |||
Academic scholarship is generally quite skeptical as to the reliability of hadiths, though in some cases modern methods are able to verify the transmitter by whom a narration was first widely circulated, or in other ways assess the plausibility of a narration. An enormous amount of hadith material exists concerning topics relating to Jihad. A famous example places Jihad in the way of Allah as the best deed after the confession of faith. | |||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|2|25}}|Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle was asked, "What is the best deed?" He replied, "To believe in Allah and His Apostle (Muhammad). The questioner then asked, "What is the next (in goodness)? He replied, "To participate in Jihad (religious fighting) in Allah's Cause." The questioner again asked, "What is the next (in goodness)?" He replied, "To perform Hajj (Pilgrim age to Mecca) 'Mubrur, (which is accepted by Allah and is performed with the intention of seeking Allah's pleasure only and not to show off and without committing a sin and in accordance with the traditions of the Prophet)."}} | |||
==Jihad in Early Islam== | ==Jihad in Early Islam== | ||
{{Main|List of expeditions of Muhammad|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Muhammad and War}} | |||
As discussed above, the sῑra-maghāzī literature contains an enormous amount of narrations on expeditions said to have been carried out by Muhammad and his companions. Historians increasingly filter this material through the lens of the Quran as the primary source for this period, and employ modern historical methods to assess its reliability in general and in specific cases, bearing in mind the political context in which they were compiled. | |||
==Jihad in Classic Islamic Law== | ==Jihad in Classic Islamic Law== | ||
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Jihad|Jihad as Obligation (Fard)}} | |||
Islamic scholars had a lot to say about topics relating to Jihad, writing about how, when, where, why, and in what fashion Jihad may be undertaken. | |||
===Offensive Jihad=== | ===Offensive Jihad=== | ||
According to Muslim scholar Dr. Hawarey, 80% of the battles Muhammad participated in were offensive.<ref>[http://military.hawarey.org/military_english.htm Military Operations in the Era of Prophet Mohammed (SAW)] - military.hawarey.org</ref> | Offensive jihad, known in Arabic as جهاد الطلب "jihad at-talab" ("the jihad of request", referring to the invitation to Islam which must be sent to the opposing infidels before hostilities may commence), was a concept developed by medieval exegetes and is understood in the classical sources as an offensive, expansionist struggle. According to Muslim scholar Dr. Hawarey, 80% of the battles Muhammad participated in were offensive.<ref>[http://military.hawarey.org/military_english.htm Military Operations in the Era of Prophet Mohammed (SAW)] - military.hawarey.org</ref> | ||
Modernist Islamic scholars consider the concept to be very much mistaken and linked to the imperial ideology of the early Caliphates. | |||
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Offensive Jihad}} | |||
===Defensive Jihad=== | ===Defensive Jihad=== | ||
Medieval Islamic scholars also considered jihad integral to the defensive needs of the Muslim lands. To modernist scholars and some academic scholars, military jihad is on a Quranic basis always a defense against oppression and aggression. | |||
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Defensive Jihad}} | |||
==Jihad in Modern Islam== | ==Jihad in Modern Islam== | ||