Jihad, is not terrorism
There is a boundary between Jihad and terrorism in Islam. Terroristic groups such as Al-Qaeda, Daesh (isis), Wahhabis, jeishol-Adl, Al-Nosrah… endeavor to justify their Ruthlessly acts as Jihad. Thus, it’s necessary to know about the concept of Jihad to understand differences between Jihad and terrorism.
Jihad means “to defend, to strive or struggle in the way of God” and the person who goes for Jihad, is named “Mojahid”. Jihad also refers to one’s striving to attain religious and moral perfection. Jihad divides into “greater Jihad” that means fight with own moral vices, and “lesser Jihad” that means fight to defend.
Nobody can find even a verse in the holy Quran, which means Muslims have to fight or murder to make the others or even force them to accept Islam reluctantly. The only reason of fight in Islam, especially in Shia, is fighting with cruelty and to establish freedom of thought, view and faith. Generally, Quran knows Jihad as a kind of defense.
By checking early Islam wars or Shia history, it is clear that Muslims have never been attacked anywhere or have never started to fight, they just have fought against oppressors and aggressors. In Islam, just Jihad (fight in the Allah’s way) is legitimate not any other kind of war, because in Jihad people fight due to spreading peace and justice or preventing cruelty, rape and injustice. Also in Jihad, Muslims just fight with anyone who is in the battle, not with women, children, elders or people who are at their homes or don’t have any role in the war. Islam never accepts wars for land, properties, racism, slavery, reign, etc.
Conditions and rules of Jihad:
- The necessity of Imam’s order (or his successor) to start a fight (sometimes to keep the society in peace and fair, Imam of that time might order to Jihad to prevent cruelty and he get the order of Jihad from Allah)
- Fighting in months (Rajab, Dhu al-Qa’da, Dhu al-Hijja and Muharram) is forbidden. Also Muslims are banned from fighting in Masjed-Al-Haraam (Kaba, Qibla).
- Inviting to Islam before fighting. The prophet Mohammad (pbuh) always had been recommended to his warriors during wars, to invite the enemy to Islam firstly, and if they didn’t accept the invitation, Muslims would be permitted to fight. Imam Ali (pbuh) has quoted when the prophet was going to send him to Yemen, had told him “ do not fight with them before inviting to Islam, if Allah guide even one person by you, it’s better for you than the whole world.”
- Before fighting with enemy, Muslims have to fight with their moral vices and evacuate themselves from every material aims or personal reasons for fights. In Islam, Jihad against moral vices is more important than Jihad against enemy.
- Mojahids have to obey their Imam or his successor and just follow his recommends.
- Mojahids should be trained for war.
- Mojahids ought to Jihad to make Allah satisfy from them, so, any other intent is void and if they be killed they won’t be martyr.
- If each one of the enemy members refuges to the Muslims, all of Muslims are permitted to accept him and if he enters to Muslims limitation, he shouldn’t be killed. He should be rejected to his primary place.
- Killing of women, children, disabled and blinds is forbidden.
- Humanistic treatments to slaves. One of the reasons to capture slaves is make them know about Islam. Islam wants Muslims to treat the slaves respectfully and politely, also Islam has some ways for them to make themselves free.
- Muslims are not permitted to kill the domestic animals of the enemy unless cow, sheep and camel just to relieve hunger.
- Mutilation of enemy’s dead is forbidden even a small flesh.
- Killing enemy after acceptance of his refuge is forbidden.
- Destruction of civilian parts is forbidden.
- Poison the enemy is forbidden.
And many other rules that is available in sentences books.
Islam is the religion of peace and Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) always had invited to peace and negotiation before fight. There are some clear orders in Quran about priority of peace:
But if the enemy shows tendency towards peace, you [O, Messenger] also tend to it and put your trust in Allah; verily, Allah is the knowing hearer (61). And if they intend to deceive you [O, Messenger] verily, Allah will suffice you from their harm; Allah is the one who strengthened you with his aid as well as with the help of the believers (62)”. (Surah Al- Anfal, verse 61, 62)
Except those who join a group, that between you and them there is a treaty [of peace] or those who approach you with their hearts restraining from fighting you, as well as fighting their own folk and if Allah had willed, he would have given them power over you , so certainly they would have fought you; then if they withdraw from you and do not fight against you and offer you peace , then Allah has not given you any reason [to fight] against them” (Al Nessa, verse 90)
However the meaning of peace in Islam is not surrender. Allah wants Muslims not to tolerate cruelty and force; they should defend against aggressive but first they ought to attempt to establish peace.
Unfortunately, deviant sects of Islam who are created by Zionism, interpret Jihad verses in their benefits not in the real meaning of them. Maybe, that is why Quran stresses on well thinking about verses. Specially, after September 11, the west set up a widespread invasion against Islam and introduced Muslims as Terrorists. They claim Muslims are that kind of terrorists who are looking for reign under any circumstances while fighting against terrorism is one of the foundations of Islam. At the time the world was full of violence, Islam revealed and valued of life, property and Prestige of humans. Not only isn’t Islam a terroristic religion, but it has basic solution for fighting with terrorism.
If people understand the concept of Jihad, they will find out it is extremely different from Terrorism. The general definition of terrorism includes:
– The use of violence and threats to intimidate or endanger the human life, especially for political purposes while Jihad is for protection of human life, property… under peace.
– The state of fear and submission among a population to rule them, while Jihad first invites the enemy to the peace and also brings security and freedom for civilian.
– Attack, invasion, assassination, kidnapping are examples of terrorism but Jihad is just defense.
In the holy Quran there are strictness penalties for people who corrupt or endanger the life or the property of the other people, and also for people who threat the others to overrule them, Thus, Islam can’t be a terroristic religion.
And do not take any human being’s life – [the life] which Allah has forbidden to take it, otherwise than in the pursuit of justice.
(Al-Isra, verse 33)