Jihad, no “holy war”

The Arabic word ‘jihad’ is often translated as ‘‘holy war’’, but a more accurate translation is ‘‘holy struggle’’. Scholars say the term ‘‘holy war’’ was actually coined in Europe during the Crusades to mean a war against the Muslims:

WHAT JIHAD IS:

• In purely linguistic terms, ‘jihad’ means struggling or striving. There are two different, unrelated words which mean war.
  
• In a religious sense, as described by the Koran and teachings of the Prophet Mohammed, jihad means striving for the benefit of the community or the restraint of personal sins. It can refer to internal as well as external efforts to be a good Muslim, or believer.
• Jihad is a religious duty.
  
• If jihad is required to protect the faith against others, it can be performed using anything from legal, diplomatic and economic to political means. If there is no peaceful alternative, Islam also allows the use of force, but there are strict rules of engagement. Innocents — such as women, children, or invalids — must never be harmed. Peaceful overtures from the enemy must be accepted.
  
• Military action is only one means of jihad, and is very rare. To emphasise this, Prophet Mohammed told his followers returning from a military campaign: ‘‘This day we have returned from the minor jihad to the major jihad’ i.e. returning from armed battle to the peaceful battle for self-control.
  
• Not everyone can declare jihad. The religious military campaign has to be declared by a proper authority, advised by scholars, who say the religion and people are under threat and violence is imperative to defend them. The concept of ‘‘just war’’ is very important.
  
• The concept of jihad has been hijacked by many political and religious groups over the ages in a bid to justify violence. In most cases, Islamic splinter groups invoked jihad to fight against the established Islamic order. Scholars says this misuse of jihad contradicts Islam.
  
• Examples of sanctioned military jihad include the Muslims’ defensive battles against the Crusaders in medieval times, and before that, responses by Muslims against Byzantine and Persian attacks.
  WHAT JIHAD IS NOT:
  
• Jihad is not a declaration of war against other religions. The Koran specifically refers to Jews and Christians as ‘‘people of the book’’ who should be protected and respected. All three faiths worship the same God. Allah is just the Arabic word for God, and is used by Christian Arabs as well.
  
• Warfare in the name of God is not unique to Islam. Other faiths throughout the world have waged wars with religious justifications.
  
• Military action in the name of Islam has not been common in the history of
  Islam. (REUTERS)