Jihad in the Context of Contemporary Terrorism: – Diversity of Perspectives –

By Mohamed Elamin Elbushra Mahgoub

ABSTRACT

Since September 11-2001, Western scholars classified the study of Islamic Jihad as one of the most important disciplines to be examined. They began to review the relevant original sources of Islam in depth. Many efforts were made by those scholars to understand The Quran, holy book of all Muslims, looking for evidence that might support existing links between Islamic Jihad and the contemporary terroristic activities, if any.
On the other hand, Muslim scholars and politicians have condemned all patterns of the contemporary terrorism, and have repeatedly confirmed the fact that Islam is a religion of peace, mercy and justice. Muslim scholars routinely provide positive evidence from The Quran and other Islamic sources to support the quality of Islamic teachings and guidelines. However, Muslim scholars and politicians have never attempted to comment or thoroughly elaborate such evidence or Quranic verses related to Jihad and fighting for the Cause of Allah as pointed-out by non-Muslim scholars.
The dilemma facing Muslim scholars and politicians is not only to assure the quality of Islamic teachings, or to quote Quranic verses, which are not readily visible in most of the Islamic communities of today. The real dilemma is to provide satisfactory explanations and a uniform concept of Jihad or fighting for the Cause of Allah based on such variable sources.
The challenge facing Muslim Scholars is adopting a common understanding on Jihad and Fighting for the Cause of Allah. It is urgent to determine whether Jihad or Fighting for the Cause of Allah is defensive or offensive, and to what extent. Whom are the targets of Jihad and fighting for the Cause of Allah? How and who is responsible in managing Jihad and Fighting Affares? What is the responsibility of the Islamic countries in combating Jihad and Fighting for the Cause of Allah, as far as they are obliged by the international laws? Does Jihad and Fighting for the Cause of Allah constitute a threat to International peace and security?
This study provides an outline for the concept of Jihad and Fighting for the Cause of Allah from the perspective of the Muslim scholars and non-Muslim scholars. The intention of this study is inviting, or even provoking Muslim scholars to provide well established defense and come together with a uniform response that might create a favorable environment for all Muslims first, and for the human being second. This study is an attempt to:
• Enhance the adoption of a uniform understanding of Islamic Jihad and Fighting for the Cause of Allah and enforce such understanding among the Muslims first
• Provide a unanimously acceptable explanation of the Quranic verses related to Jihad and Fighting for the Cause of Allah.
• Underline available Quranic and Sunna evidence that might nullify any allegations against Jihad and Fighting non-Muslims in the context of the contemporary thinking of western scholars.
• Finally, to determine how far Islamic Jihad and Fighting for the Cause of Allah is a religious worshipping, and does not constitute any form of threat or terror for non-Muslims.
By highlighting the controversial opinions of Muslim and non-Muslim scholars, this study may provide grounds to distinguish between Islamic Jihad and contemporary terroristic activities and political violence.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Mar 29, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669885986

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Copyright © 2022 by Mohamed Elamin Elbushra Mahgoub.

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1.   THE SCOPE OF ISLAMIC JIHAD

1. Defining Jihad

2. History of Jihad

3. Sources and principles of Jihad

4. Future of Jihad and Qittal

2.   GAUGING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

1. Understanding terrorism:

2. History of terrorism

3. Analyses of Terrorism

4. The new challenges of terrorism

5. Globalization and terrorism

6. Future of terrorism:

3.   AL-QAEDA PATTERN OF JIHAD

1. What is Al-Qaeda

2. Suicide terrorism

3. The new generations of Al-Qaeda

4. Assessment of Al-Qaeda Jihad

4.   MUSLIM SCHOLARS’ PERSPECTIVE OF JIHAD

1. The attitude of Al-Azhar scholars

2. The Saudi Arabian Clerics:

3. The attitude of other Muslim scholars

4. The attitude of Islamic groups:

5.   NON-MUSLIM SCHOLARS PERSPECTIVE OF JIHAD

1. The attitude of non-Muslim extremists:

2. The views of the other non-Muslim scholars:

3. The theory of Anti-West

4. Clash of civilizations and Jihad

6.   FINAL ANALYSES AND REMARKS

4 – Monopoly of Fatwas

2 – Conclusions and remarks

References

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This research is a solicited work, and I would not have thought of writing it had it not been given support and encouragement by many participants of the 1st. Stockholm Criminology Symposium in 2006. I was given also an extraordinary encouragement from several Muslim scholars, whom I have contacted seeking explanations of the Quranic verses quoted in this work, historical events or to respond to my short questionnaire of this study. Although many of those scholars has requested, that their names should be withheld, I am very much in their debt, and looking forward for their further comments, critiques, and contributions in enhancing contemporary understanding of Islamic Jihad. I owe a debt of gratitude to the former professor of Keio University Koichi Miyazawa and his colleagues at the faculty of law. They reviewed and supported my first work on terrorism and criminal justice in 1988, drawing my attention to the links between Jihad and terrorism developed by western scholars. I should not forget Professor Tetsuya Ichii of Chiba University, advisor of my Japan foundation scholarship who supported me during my stay in Chiba University as visiting professor. Worthy to mention and appreciate Japanese television NHK channel for giving me an opportunity to understand new dimensions of terrorism through their interview questions to me.

At that early stage of terrorism history, professor Miyazawa and his colleagues were of opinion that social and political injustice should be emphasized as one of the probable causes of terrorism.

This study is not an attempt to give any Fatwa on Jihad or to develop any linkage between Jihad and terrorism, because Jihad is religious believe and worship for millions of Muslims throughout the world, while terrorism is a crime, unanimously denounced by the humankind. However, it may be impossible for non-Muslims to distinguish between Jihad or fighting for the Cause of Allah and terrorism, in the context of acts of violence prevailing today in many parts of the world with different causes.

El-Bushra

INTRODUCTION

Following the tragedy of September 11, 2001, that occurred in New York and Washington, which was linked, to a group of al Qaeda Mujahidin, Western scholars classified the study of Islamic Jihad as one of the most important disciplines to be examined. They began to review the relevant original sources of Islam in depth. Many efforts were made by those scholars to understand The Quran, holy book of all Muslims, looking for evidence that might support existing links between Islamic Jihad and the contemporary terroristic activities, if any. Several scholars and politicians went beyond that, to re-examine Islamic communities as a whole with the intention of understanding the reality of the cultures, knowledge, justice, equity, social welfare and political systems prevailing in those communities, as a probable cause of the growing trends of violence among Muslims first, and between Muslims and non-Muslims second.

On the other hand, Muslim scholars and politicians have condemned all patterns of the contemporary terrorism, and have repeatedly confirmed the fact that Islam is a religion of peace, mercy and justice. They are used to assert the innocence of Islam from any terrorist accusations. Muslim scholars routinely provide positive evidence from The Quran and other Islamic sources to support the quality of Islamic teachings and guidelines. However, Muslim scholars and politicians have never attempted to comment or thoroughly elaborate such evidence or Quranic verses related to Jihad and fighting for the Cause of Allah as pointed-out by non-Muslim scholars. It may be worthy to mention here that the original sources of Islam are known as:

Firstly: The Quran, which is the holy book revealed to Muhammed, and the Sunna which is the record of the sayings, doings, actions and explanations made by Prophet Muhammed.

Secondly: Complementary sources including;

1- The consensus of opinion

2- The analogy

3- Equity

4- Unspecified interests of the people

5- Avoidance of harm

6- Compatibility of the means and the ends

7- Checking what is permissible and what is prohibited.

The dilemma facing Muslim scholars and politicians, is not only to assure the quality of Islamic teachings, or to quote Quranic verses which are not readily visible in most of the Islamic communities of today. The real dilemma is to provide satisfactory explanations and a uniform concept of Jihad or fighting for the Cause of Allah based on such variable sources.

The challenge facing Muslim Scholars is adopting a common understanding on Jihad and Fighting for the Cause of Allah. It is urgent to determine whether Jihad or Fighting for the Cause of Allah is defensive or offensive, and to what extent.

Whom are the targets of Jihad and fighting for the Cause of Allah? How and who is responsible in managing Jihad and Fighting Affairs? What is the responsibility of the Islamic countries in managing Jihad and Fighting for the Cause of Allah, as far as they are obliged by the international laws? Does Jihad and Fighting for the Cause of Allah constitute a threat to International peace and security?

It is urgent to explain the phenomena of dissension and critical conflicts among the Muslims and within Islamic countries first. It is essential to understand causes of the growing terroristic trends within Islamic communities, particularly among new generations. How can we face and rebut the allegations and religious slogans of the contemporary Jihad leaders spreading among the Muslims?

Muslim scholars, who attempt to advocate excellence of Islam as a religion, always tend to quote attractive examples of the early history of Islam. They continuously detail, how Prophet Muhammed and his companions and followers has treated non-Muslims, and how they established peaceful communities and realized justice before fourteen centuries. Such historical evidence and quotations are well known by many Western scholars. Therefore, such evidence may not be admissible before non-Muslims, who are witnessing horrible examples and life practices among the Muslims and within the Islamic countries. Muslim scholars, politicians, leaders and individuals are urged to establish within their communities and political systems a new and visible examples that might be credited to Islam.

Surly, Islam denounces terrorism and condemns killing innocent people. Islam has forbidden violence and use of force within the communities. It encourages peace between people and nations. This is well known to the Western circles at all levels, therefore, they are raising the question Why Muslims of today are different?

This study provides an outline for the concept of Jihad and Fighting for the Cause of Allah from the perspective of the Muslim scholars and non-Muslim scholars. The intention of this study is inviting, or even provoking Muslim scholars to provide well established defense and come together with a uniform response that might create a favorable environment for all Muslims first, and for the human being second. This study is an attempt to:

• Enhance the adoption of a uniform understanding of Islamic Jihad and Fighting for the Cause of Allah with its identified dimensions and targets, as a religious worshiping to be respected by all parties.

• Enforce such understanding among the Muslims first, by Islamic teachings and legislative means, and within the global community second, by means of an international law.

• Provide an unanimously acceptable explanation of the Quranic verses related to Jihad and Fighting for the Cause of Allah, in the context of the contemporary global environment.

• Underline available Quranic and Sunna evidence that might nullify any allegations against Jihad and Fighting non-Muslims in the context of the contemporary thinking of western scholars.

• Finally, to determine how far Islamic Jihad and Fighting for the Cause of Allah is a religious worshipping, and does not constitute any form of threat or terror for non-Muslims.

By highlighting the controversial opinions of Muslim and non-Muslim scholars, this study may provide grounds to distinguish between Islamic Jihad and contemporary terroristic activities and political violence. Considering Jihad and terrorism as a concern of the international community, the study aims suggesting new ideas and practical tools to adopt a global framework for peace and justice, that might lead to prevention of terrorism and identify the roots and the future of culture conflict threatening global peace and security.

ONE

THE SCOPE OF ISLAMIC JIHAD

1. Defining Jihad

Jihad is an Arabic word from the basic verb form juhd meaning effort. Other forms of this verb are jahada, Mujahid and Ijtihad. Jihad means to strive, endeavor or put one’s utmost efforts and power, whether physically, mentally or by any inner means, to perform a definite task. In the context of Islamic thought, Jihad means to strive, struggle or fight in Allah’s cause. Two concepts of Jihad can be identified in Islamic teachings and juridical literature:

1) the minor Jihad, which is fighting against the enemies of Islam to defend and spread the Islamic religion. This type of Jihad should be conducted under the guidance of the political authorities and according to the needs of the Islamic nations.

2) the greater Jihad, which is the task of self-containment of every Muslim to prevent himself from doing wrong or spreading sin. In a primary sense, this type of Jihad is an inner thing, within the self, to rid the person of debased actions or inclinations, and to strive to meet good standards. Since Islam is not confined to the boundaries of the individual but extends to the welfare of the societies and humanity in general, an individual cannot keep improving himself/herself in isolation from what happens in his community or in the world at large. In this sense, Jihad is a duty which is not exclusive to Muslims but also applies to the human race in general, as shown in the Quran:

"And strive hard in Allah’s cause as you ought to strive, he has chosen you and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship. It is the religion of your father Abraham. It is he who has named you Muslims both before and in this Qur’an" (22:78).

At its most literal meaning, Jihad- sometimes is called the sixth pillar of Islam¹- It is cognate with words such as endeavor and effort. As such, it may be applied to almost any kind of striving, individual or collective, that accords with Islamic principle. To qualify as an architect and aim to build a mosque, or to construct a dam where it will benefit members of the Islamic community or realize justice and peace are examples of Jihad. For instance, in Islamic Republic of Iran, the campaign for reconstruction and building the country after the war was undertaken by an organization called construction Jihad. In this sense Jihad is a sort of selfless social duty. Yet, in a profound sense, Jihad considered as warfare was and is secondary. Indications of Jihad might have a nonviolent meaning are cited in the following:

"A member of fighters came to the messenger of Allah, and he said: You have done well in coming from the minor Jihad to the greater Jihad. They said, what is the greater Jihad?

He said For the servant of Allah to fight his passions is the greater Jihad.

Caliph Umar, returning from a visit to the front line against Byzantium, famously declared that warfare was the minor Jihad. The greater Jihad was to build a just and equitable society amongst those who already swore obedience to Allah.

According to the unanimous opinion of Muslim jurists, Al-Jihad in Allah’s cause, with full force of numbers and weaponry, is given the utmost importance in Islam. Jihad is one of the pillars on which Islam stands. By Jihad Islam is established, Allah’s Word is made superior, and his religion is