What is the true meaning of jihad in Quran's point of view?

Submitted by zuma (Singapore), May 14, 2012 at 11:46

What is jihad? Refer to the website below: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jihad The following are the number of definition of jihad has been defined listed there:

• A believer's internal struggle to live out the Muslim faith as well as possible
• The struggle to build a good Muslim society
• Holy war: the struggle to defend Islam, with force if necessary

In western societies the term jihad is often translated by non-Muslims as "holy war".^[8][9] Scholars of Islamic studies often stress that these words are not synonymous.^[10] Muslim authors, in particular, tend to reject such an approach, stressing non-militant connotations of the word.

Jihad in the Quran should never be interpreted as the struggle to defend Islam, with force if necessary. The following is the extract for elaboration:

Al-Baqara, Chapter #2, Verse #195, "And spend in the Cause of Allah (i.e. jihad of all kinds) and do not throw yourselves into destruction (by not spending your wealth in the Cause of Allah), and do good. Truly, Allah loves Al-Muhsinun (the good-doers)." (Mohsin Khan's translation)

As the phrase, …(i.e. jihad of all kinds), is mentioned above with the phrase, do not throw yourselves into destruction, it certainly gives muslims the message that muslims should not throw themselves into destruction when dealing with all kind of jihad(, i.e. jihad of all kinds). It certainly objects muslims to have self-bombing or to fight against non-muslims so as to risk themselves into destruction. As the phrase, do good, is mentioned above after the phrase, spend in the Cause of Allah (i.e. jihad of all kinds), it implies that the purpose of jihad is meant for good and not bad. Thus, it opposes muslims to fight with non-muslims to risk their lives or to cause many non-muslims to be killed and not to be able to become muslims.

Jihad should never be defined as war against the non-muslims until all of them perish or the struggle to defend Islam, with force if necessary. The following is the extract for analysis:

Muhammad, Chapter #47, Verse #4, "So, when you meet (in fight - jihad in Allah's Cause) those who disbelieve, smite (their) necks till when you have killed and wounded many of them, then bind a bond firmly (on them, i.e. take them as captives). Thereafter (is the time) either for generosity (i.e. free them without ransom), or ransom (according to what benefits Islam), until the war lays down its burden. Thus [YOU ARE ORDERED BY ALLAH TO CONTINUE IN CARRYING OUT JIHAD AGAINST THE DISBELIEVERS TILL THEY EMBRACE ISLAM AND SAVED FROM THE PUNISHMENT IN THE HELL-FIRE or at least come under your protection], but if it had been Allah's Will, He Himself could certainly have punished them (without you). But (He lets you fight) in order to test some of you with others. But those who are killed in the Way of Allah, He will never let their deeds be lost." (Mohsin Khan's translation)

At a glance, the phrase, you meet (in fight – jihad in Allah Cause) those who disbelieve…till when you have killed and wounded many of them, seems to imply physical violence and slaughtering non-muslims. The phrase, you have killed and wounded many of them, as mentioned above seems to exterminate non-muslims and causes them not to survive. However, if you would examine those words that are in capital letters above, it does not seem to mean that.

Read carefully the extracted phrase, jihad against the disbelievers till they embrace Islam and saved from the punishment in the hell-fire, instead of the phrase, jihad against the disbeliever till they die or cannot defend. As the phrase, jihad against the disbelievers, is mentioned with the phrase, till they embrace Islam and saved from the punishment, it implies that jihad in Quran is not meant to slaughter or to struggle to defend Islam with force if necessary. Instead, it implies to cause disbelievers to be converted to muslims. It certainly does not imply the struggle of muslims to defend themselves against non-muslims or else how this jihad could be able to turn them to Muhammad, Chapter #47, Verse #4, "…EMBRACE ISLAM AND SAVED FROM THE PUNISHMENT IN THE HELL-FIRE…" Thus, Jihad should never be abused by muslims to create war to slaughter non-muslims or to create havoc and violence in the society. This is by virtue of non-muslims would fall dead if muslims would kill them. How could muslims cause non-muslims to become muslims when they have slaughtered them? The purpose of jihad in Quran is not to kill non-muslims or to defend themselves so as to fight against them, but to cause them to embrace Islam and saved them instead of destroying them and this can be by means of preaching or showing good conduct to them so as to ease or to convince them that muslim religion is not a bad religion in order to turn them to become muslims.

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