Choking on words

Submitted by Vernon Richards (United States), Jun 3, 2005 at 17:47

Why are we still falling into this moronic argument as to what Jihad really means? What it has meant in the past (up to and including today) has already been fully defined by all previous actions by Muslim marauders, and further debate to clarify or change that historical reality is just plain silly. In both the historical and Qur'anic context, Jihad means literally 'holy war', as in attacking and plundering other peoples for the crime of being non-Muslim. Any honest preview of official Islamic written theology in relation to Jihad reveals that the practice is at least as important to the salvation of Muslims as other obligations. In many verses, the importance, and the promised benefits of Jihad (in both this life and the next) appear much larger than the more spiritual benefits associated with honoring Islams 5 pillars (obligations). Although not a declared pillar, Jihad serves as an functional obligation enjoying sympathy and support amongst a majority of Muslims. Luckily the unalterable doctrine inspires active participation by a much fewer number, but that number seems to be growing, and even 1% of a billion people is still 10 million Jihadists.

In fact, it does not matter what propagandists, elitists, or all Islamic apologists claim Jihad means. What really matters is how millions of self-described devout Muslims understand it today and how they intend to act on their belief. Those who hope for a redefinition of the term to be adopted by Muslims are guilty of 'wishful thinking', nothing much has changed the last 1400 years. The lesser Jihad cannot be separated out from the greater Jihad and ignored; it appears they are both a part of unalterable core Islam. Anyone who suggests otherwise is either being deceitful, …or has been deceived. The basic Islamic worldview sees all lands as either as Dar al-Islam (the abode of Islam), or Dar al-Harb (the abode of war). All those countries and societies not currently dominated by Islamic supremacy are by default the abode of war, where Jihad (and deception) is always fully justified. Those who contend that jihadic war is not a main tenet of traditional Islam do so either deceitfully or in blissful ignorance.

Vernon Richards

---

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".