Nawar Fakhry Ezzi
Words are powerful tools that contribute to shaping our beliefs, behavior and way of communication. As Muslims, we believe that a word has the power to get us to Heaven or could lead us straight to Hell, and some of us have created a hell on earth by losing the true meaning of our words.
"Jihad" is an Arabic word which has been misused by some of those in power throughout Islamic history to advance their political agenda. Over the years, fundamentalists have reduced the meaning of "jihad in the way of Allah" to mean a "holy war" against the "infidels" until that word has become their motto to brainwash the vulnerable and those seeking refuge from their despairing life in the hope of a better afterlife.
Later, as fundamentalists helped to breed extremists and fanatics, the concept evolved to also include a "holy war" in which terrorists killed other Muslims who did not share their beliefs and values. Most recently, Daesh (the self-proclaimed IS) took this to another level when it used it to get its followers to declare "jihad" against their own family members if they join the "wrong" side of the war.
"Jihad" has become a word common enough among English speakers that you can Google its meaning in English or look it up in the Oxford English Dictionary, in which two meanings appear.
The first is the most commonly known, which is: “(Among Muslims) a war or struggle against unbelievers” and the second one is: “spiritual struggle within oneself against sin”. This is quite an accomplishment considering that the Oxford English Dictionary seems to explain the word more broadly than many Arabic speakers and Muslims do.
Nonetheless, these meanings still limit the wide concept of "jihad", which is a unique Qur'anic concept that did not exist before Islam, albeit its root word "johd" which means struggle or effort did. According to many sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), we find that in addition to "military jihad" and "self-jihad", the word also applies to taking care of one’s parents, raising one’s children, working for the good of others, performing Haj, and enduring traveling to seek knowledge if it is intended to be "in the way of Allah".
This indicates that the key words here are "in the way of Allah" rather than the action itself; as long as the action is noble and intended to be done to get closer to God, it is "jihad".
"Jihad" as a noun and a verb is mentioned in the Holy Qur'an around 30 times, 10 of them in Surat At-Tawbah in the context of war against the "polytheists".
Accordingly, the true meaning of "jihad" cannot be explained without addressing this sura, which contains most of the verses cited by Muslim extremists to justify violence and cited by non-Muslims who accuse Islam of being violent. This sura contains very strong language and it sounds even more so in Arabic, which is intensified by the fact that it does not begin with the customary "basmala", in the name of God the Caring and Merciful, that is found at the beginning of all suras of the Holy Qur'an.
It was an "Ultimatum" and an annulment of the treaty with people who fought the Prophet (pbuh) and his followers for more than two decades and had already broken the treaty and pressed others to do the same.
According to the interpretation of Qurtubi, when At-Tawbah was revealed to the Prophet (pbuh), he told Ali Bin Abi Talib, his cousin and son-in-law, to read it to the "polytheists" as a book of the annulment of a treaty as it was known in the traditions of Arabs, which customarily did not start with "basmala".
In this historical and cultural context, one can realize that this sura is and should be recognized as a historical document in the Holy Qur'an, which facilitated the conquering of Makkah without any bloodshed.
Combating terrorism and protecting our children from being brainwashed will not be achieved by shyly eliminating "offensive" material from our religious education curriculum material and the recitation of peaceful verses in the Holy Qur'an by clerics.
In this sura, there is a verse that is called the "verse of the sword" and other verses which some Muslim fundamentalists claim to have abrogated 124 "peaceful" verses in the Holy Qur'an leading them to declare a "holy war" on all non-Muslims.
Therefore, "violent" verses should be acknowledged and interpreted in their historical and cultural context supported by an understanding that they narrate history and were addressed to specific people during a specific time rather than declared commandments from God to all Muslims until the end of time.
If ordinary words can be dangerous when misused, then the words of God can turn into lethal weapons when their interpretation is monopolized by a few who distort their meaning and mislead thousands. Sadly, this has happened in most religious traditions in which sacred texts have been used to justify violence against others.
This is why "jihad" should be redefined in order to understand its true meaning which is mostly constructive rather than destructive. It is also important to remember that "military jihad" is not against "infidels", but is rather against anyone who attacks our children, families and countries even if the attackers claim to be Muslims.
The writer can be reached at nawar81@hotmail.com
