... Read what is jehad

Submitted by tayagi (Saudi Arabia), May 18, 2008 at 03:08

Jehad or Jihad has a great significance in Islam and in the life of a Muslim. Jehad means financial and physical sacrifice made for the protection and promotion of Islam. Jehad not only means to fight against the enemy but also to make a struggle for the promotion and enforcement of Islamic teachings. Jehad also teaches individuals to keep their desires and wants under the order of God (Allah) and uttering words of truth before tyrant ruler. Jehad is derived from the word "Jahad," which means to make an effort and to work hard. In Islam Jehad is interpreted as sacrificing all of your powers including your wealth and life in the way of Allah: to devote your life for protection and promotion of Islam and even sacrificing the lives of your family, your relatives and your nation.

To compete with Islam's enemies, to make their tricks fail and to stop their attacks, for this a Muslim is ordered to enter into a battlefield if necessary. Jehad is the name of an organized effort and its rules are defined in Islam e.g. nobody is allowed to kill enemy's women, children and old ones during Jehad, likewise it is forbidden to burn crops or houses. All the terms and conditions are defined in Islam. So, any battle fought for Islam taking into account the rules the rules defined by Islam is Jehad.

These rules differentiate Jehad from an ordinary battle. Without any organization and an "Amier" (commander), if someone starts an armed struggle then it cannot be called as Jehad. Jehad is supposed to be begun if any one of the following conditions occur. 1-Enemy attacks a Muslim state. 2-Enemy torches the Muslim population in his country only because they are Muslims. 3-Enemy creates obstacles for the promotion of Islam. If any one of the above stated situations occur then Jehad becomes necessary for all Muslims (Jehad is also called "Faarz" here).

There are different kinds of Jehad: 1- Jehad-bil-saaf (Armed struggle) In this kind of Jehad, The Muslims organize themselves under an 'Ameir'(Leader) and start their struggle against the enemy. Enemies can be of diffferent types i.e. Jehad-bil-saaf can be declared against an attacking enemy or it can be declared against an enemy state, which is either torching the Muslim populations in that country or trying to create trouble for an Islamic State. Jehad-bil-saaf is what others(Non-Muslims) known as 'The Holy War' of Muslims. Remember this that in Jehad-bil-saaf Muslims arm themselves before declaring 'The Holy War' against enemy.

One form of Jehad-bil-saaf is known as 'Qattal'. 2- Jehad-e-Akbar (to prevent yourself from committing indecent acts) Jehad-e-Akbar is the most difficult form of Jehad because in this form of Jehad, one must have to be very careful about his daily lifedeeds. Jehad-e-Akbar means 'The Biggest Jehad'(As 'Akbar' means big,great). 3- Jehad-bil-Elum (to tell others about right way who does not know it). Jehad-bil-Elum means to spread the light of knowledge to others,to tell people about right and wrong,to tell people how to live their daily life and how to behave with other Muslims and Non-Muslims.

This clearly shows how much Islam gives importance to Knowledge and its teacher. A teacher who is busy doing his job is considerd to be involved in this pious and noble Jehad. 4- Jehad-bil-Mall (to spend your wealth for Allah, in the way of Allah). Jehad-bil-Mall means that if a for some reason cannot himself participate in the noble event like Jehad, he can contribute in Jehad by helping 'Mujahedien'(Muslim Soliders). A person can also contribute with his money even if he himself taking active part in Jehad.

Some Muslim scholars also consider Jehad as the sixth element or principle of Islam along with other five elements i.e. Oneness of God, Prayer, Fasting, Zakaat and Haj. According to them, when there is an enemy before you, then the significance of Jehad is increased compared with these other elements.

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