What is Jihad ?
JIHAD literally means, to struggle or strive hard to obtain something one desire or to force oneself to abstain from something undersiable.
For a believer, the thing of greatest desire is seeking Allah's pleasure and the thing of greatest hate is Allah's displeasure. Hence whatever struggle a believer does in order to win Allah's pleasure and to save them from His displeasure is called Jihad in the way of Allah.
Sometimes this struggle may result in a war with unjust forces for the sake of establishing justice.
Such a war is also a part of Jihad. This should be clearly borne in mind that all of jihad is not war, but war is only a part of Jihad and it is specifically referred to as QITAL.
Types of Jihad
If the tongue is used in Jihad, then it is called Jihad bil Lisan. If the pen is used in Jihad then it is called Jihad bil qalam. If the Qur'an is used, it is called Jihad bil Qur'an. If the wealth is expended, it is called Jihad bil Mal. If the sword is used, it is called Jihad bis saif and if the life was lost, it is called Jihad bin Nafs.
The Qur'an has mentioned all these types of jihad mainly under two categories : Jihad bil Mal and Jihad bin Nafs. Since jihad begins with expending wealth, jihad bil Mal is mentioned first. Obviously one, who cannot expend wealth in the way of Allah, surely he will not give his life. Jihad bin Nafs does not mean merely sacrificing one's life, but it is the last step. Prior to that one has to strive through scientific and technological innovation to acquire and build potential weapons of defence and attack.
The right to Self Defence
All the struggle of man is aimed at single objective of defending one's own self and saving oneself from someone else's oppression. Hence the foremost rule of human society is that the life and blood of a man should be treated as sacred. Everyone has a right to live, and no one has the right to usurp this right.
The Qur'an says:
"whosoever kills a human being for other than manslaughter or for spreading mischief on the earth, it shall be as if he killed all mankind; and whosoever saves the life of one, it shall be as if he saved the life of all mankind".
[Al Maidah:32]
There is a concept of Ahinsa parmo Dharma (Non violence is the greatest Duty) in the Hindu ideology when killing of any creature is considered a sin. But when the great Hindu thinker MANU was asked, "What shall we do if someone tries to violate the modesty of our women, or snatches our belongings or tries to destroy our religion?" He said, "Such a person should be certainly killed irrespective of whether he is a guru or a knowledgeable Brahmin, old person or a young man."
And what is (the matter) with you that you fight not in the cause of Allah and (for) the oppressed among men, women, and children who say, "Our Lord, take us out of this city of oppressive people and appoint for us from Yourself a protector and appoint for us from Yourself a helper"?
[An-Nisa:75]
During such self defence, loss of life is not a thing to grieve but it is an act of great reward from Allah. Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) has described such a person as Martyr. He said, "A muslim who gets killed while fighting for his religion is a Martyr, and he who gets killed while protecting his family is Also Martyr." [Tirmizi, Ibn Maja]
Curtailment of Turmoil and Tribulation
Tribulation is that which puts a person into doubt and creates danger for his Iman and turmoil is to create turbulence in life.
It is a great oppression that people be deprived of their freedom to worship thier creator and to deprive them of practising the religion of their choice. This is greatest of all oppression to the extent that murder is also a smaller crime in comparison to it, because by murdering the worst thing that can be happen is that a life comes to an end, but if a person is deprived of his freedom to worship his real creator, it not only destroy his life but also destroy his hereafter that is everlasting.
There is an order to wage war against those spreading tribulation so that the tribulation is completely wiped out.
"Fight against them (if they persecute you) until there is no more persecution, and (your) devotion will be to Allah (alone). If they stop (persecuting you), let there be no hostility except against the aggressors."
[Al-Baqarah:193]
Excellence of Jihad
Abuzar R says I asked, "O prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) Which is the best deed?" Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: "To have faith in Allah and to do Jihad in the way of Allah [Bukhari, Muslim]
Propaganda against Jihad
Some people consider jihad and qital as barbarism and against humanity. These people think so because they see only the oppressor and not the oppressed. The oppressors are like cancer who slowly but surely poison the society and if they are not wiped out then the existence of society itself will be in Danger.
Now, if a doctor ampulates a cancerous part from the body of a patient, he cannot be called a barbaric person and his act as inhuman. On the contrary, people thank him and pay him his fees. But If some cuts off cancerous element from the society, then why he should be termed as barbaric and inhuman ?
Another propaganda is that jihad was valid only during the period of prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and it is invalid now. In reply to this it is sufficient to know just one saying of Prophet (ﷺ): "Jihad began since Allah sent me as his Messenger and jihad shall continue till the last of my followers shall fight DAJJAL. Jihad can neither be cancelled by the oppression of an oppressor not by justice of the just." [Abu Dawood, Ahmad]
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Allah and his messenger knows best