The Idea of Jihad in the Quran and Terrorism
By S.
Arshad, New Age Islam
29 July
2021
The
Extremist Interpretation of War Verses Served As the Basis of Terrorist
Ideology
Main
Points:
1. Terrorist organisations quote mainstream
jurisprudents to justify terrorism
2. They cover up their terrorist activities
under the term jihad
3. They use War verses to justify their
ideology
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The term
terrorism is used for the use of indiscriminate violence by a fringe or
disgruntled group for the forceful implementation of an ideology. This is not
specific about any religious or atheist groups but for the last 20 years Muslim
extremist groups across the world have adopted this means to implement their
violent and extremist ideology. Al Qaida was the first major terrorist group
which came to prominence towards the beginning of this millennium. It conducted
the attack on the twin towers in New York apart from a number of small and big
attacks on the American defence and diplomatic installations. Taliban, Boko
Haram, Al Shabaab, Al Nusrah and ISIS are other terrorist and extremist Muslim
organisations that follow a violent religious ideology and want to implement
their version of Islamic system of government or society or educational system.
All these
extremist organisations use wanton killing of innocent people and women and
children and quote from the books and fatwas of mainstream jurisprudents to
justify the killing of innocent Muslims. The idea of jihad mentioned in the
Quran has been used by these terrorist organisations to justify their terrorist
ideology and activities. Thus they have replaced the term jihad with terrorism.
Jihad in Quean means struggle in the path of truth and struggle against one's
own Nafs (self) but the extremists and terrorists have interpreted the Quranic
term jihad to mean fighting with and killing even non-combatant non-Muslims
which in their theology include even the People of the Book. To them all are
Kafirs.
But in the
development of this theology of terrorism, the writings and interpretations of
some of prominent mainstream exegetes of the Quran have played a vital role.
The contextual war verses of the Quran have been declared by them valid even
today and apply to the non-Muslims of today. The theory of Abrogation of Verses
which is supported by a number of prominent exegetes and Islamic scholars like
Shah Waliullah has played a very critical role in the development of a violent
religious ideology. According to this theory all the war verses are valid and
relevant even today. For example, the terrorists use this contextual war verse
to commit violence against the non-combatant non-Muslims of today.
"O believers! Keep fighting with Kafirs close
to you so that they realise that you are strong". (Taubah: 123)
To
understand how our mainstream religious scholars promoted extremist ideas among
Muslims we can take the example of one of the most prominent Islamic scholars
of the 2oth century, Mohammad Qutb. Osama bin Laden, the founder of Al Qaida
was his student and disciple. Mohammad Qutb was of the view that apostates
deserved to be killed because their apostasy was a crime against society, not a
sin against God. The Quran does not prescribe death sentence for apostates
leave alone any physical punishment.
The
extremist exegetes or Islamic scholars ignore verses which prevent Muslims from
doing injustice or committing violence against peace loving non-Muslims.
"Allah does not prevent you from treating
those who did not fight you over Deen and did not drive you out from your homes
well and do justice to them. Verily, Allah loves those who do justice."(Al Mumtahinah: 8-9)
The Quran
permits Muslims to fight a violent group unitedly if it commits aggression
against Muslims, thus permitting Muslims to fight against Muslim terrorist
organisations.
"If two groups of Muslims clash, make
peace between them. But if one of them commits aggression against the other,
then you should fight against the aggressor until it returns to Allah's path.
Then if it returns, make peace between the two and do justice. Verily Allah
loves those who do justice"(Al Hujurat: 9)
There are a
number of verses that tell Muslims to accept the way of worship of other
religious communities and do their religious duties without entering into
confrontation with them.
"We have fixed a way of worship for every
community and they worship in that way. So they should not quarrel with you
over this and you should invite them towards your Lord. Of course you are on
the right path. Then if they quarrel with you say God knows better what you
do."(Al Hajj:
69)
But the
terrorist organisations become self-proclaimed flag bearers of Islam and try to
implement their version of Islamic state or Khilafat by brute force and think
that they are the true reformers.
"And when they are told not to do mischief
on earth, they say we are only the reformers. Lo! They are the ones who do
wrong but they do not realise."(Al Baqarah: 13)
'"And eat and drink and do not move about
on Earth doing mischief". (Al Baqarah:60)
"Verily, the wrongdoers will not attain salvation"(Al An'am:135
That many mainstream
Islamic scholars, clerics and some mainstream Islamic organisations believe in
the contextual war verses to be relevant and universal became evident when the
terrorist organisation ISIS captured a large part of Iraq and Syria and
declared its caliphate. These clerics and Islamic organisations openly lent
support to them and defended their killing of innocent Muslims and non-Muslims
including women and children. The ISIS destroyed churches and mausoleums alike.
They held women slaves and sold them because many mainstream clerics say that
capturing women of enemies and having sex with them and then selling them out is
permissible in Islam.
Though some
liberal thinkers and Islamic scholars of Islam of the 20th century like
Muhammad Asad and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan tried to reinterpret the Quran
without any sectarian and supremacist preoccupations and bring about an ideological
change among the Muslims in the light of multicultural needs and compulsions of
the modern society, the extremist interpretations of Islam presented by the
11th and 18th century clerics and exegetes is still considered more correct and
propagated and followed by a section of mainstream scholars. The inclusion of
these texts in the religious curriculum of Muslims contributes largely to the
promotion of a violent interpretation of Islam.
In order to
root out terrorism and sectarian hatred, therefore, our mainstream clerics and
Islamic scholars should take initiative. An honest modern interpretation of the
Quran and an inclusive approach towards understanding religion will only help
purge Islam of violence, sectarianism and religious extremism.
-----
S.
Arshad is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/radical-islamism-jihad/jihad-terrorism-quran/d/125144
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