Guardian: How much of what jihadis do is religiously motivated? At one extreme are those who claim their beliefs are entirely explained by oppression and reaction to social circumstances; at the other is the view that the Qur’an is a kind of brain parasite, compelling its victims to slaughter. This latter view is still quite popular on the fringes of the right. I’d like to think the view that religion doesn’t matter at all has been abandoned entirely but there is bound to be some groupuscule or cult that still clings to it.
More sophisticated versions of the argument continue, though, and there was a fascinating outbreak this week when the Henry Jackson Society published a pamphlet organised by a former jihadi giving theological reasons why jihadi violence is as unjustified as terrorism, and a counterblast saying this would persuade no one, as Muhammad himself had clearly done indiscriminately violent things and the fanatics we are dealing with use only the text of the Qur’an.
Both sides in this dispute know what they are talking about. The Henry Jackson pamphlet comes with a foreword by the remarkable Usama Hasan, who himself fought in Afghanistan in the 1990s; the Christian counterblast comes from an experienced watcher of the jihadi scene.
Both sides take for granted that some, at least, of the motivation as well as the formal justification for jihad is theological. This isn’t entirely a tautology although it may appear to be one. As jihad is defined as a religious obligation, it would seem obvious that it is undertaken for religious reasons. But in many cases it is clearly bound up with nationalism or tribal identity, and the two motives may overlap, as in the Afghan war, where some of the jihadis were fighting for their native land and traditions, and others, who came from the outside, from a religiously motivated solidarity.
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It is not right to blame the Quran for the aggressive armed Jihad. It is not proved from the life of the prophet Muhammad s.a.w.s. The prophet lived in Makkah for 13 years and suffered extreme hostility. He never raised any arm or fought back.
It was when he had migrated to Madinah, to the North for safety that the people of Makkah tried to attack that city too.
Then, It became necessary to defend the innocent people. Just like the prophet Jesus a.s. Muhammad s.a.w.s. worked for love and peace. Jesus a.s. had taught that if any one slaps you, offer the other cheek too. That was the best teaching according to the situation under Roman rule with misguided Jewish people who needed proper guidance. The people were waiting for a Messiah in those days and the Messiah (Jesus) had arrived.
But the condition of the spoiled people was not good enough to take advantage of the teacher.
Similarly, in Makkah, the people were sunk deep in vice. They tried to oppose the prophet Muhammad, even tried to kill him, just like the Jews had tried to kill Jesus a.s.
The mission of Jesus a.s. and Muhammad s.a.w.s. was spiritual only. It was all non-political. But the mission of the prophets clashes with the misbehaving elders of the society. So a clash occurs from the side of the disbelievers.
In the case of Jesus a.s. the clash ended without immediate victory of the believers (even they succeeded after 300 years), in the case of the prophet Muhammad s.a.w.s. the believers were victorious. They defeated the polytheists of Arabia.
Now I come to the actual topic. Quran is a complete guide for mankind. It is original written document.It is a guidance from the Creator of all creation.
If Quran supports violence then the Mujahids (who are killing people by bombs) are right. But if Quran is against any oppression and compulsion (in the matters of beliefs) then the Mujahid are wrong.
At present, the Mullas are holding the Quran in their hands and want to enforce Shariah law. There is no necessity to have Shariah in multi-cultural society (world) and there is no harm in having Sharia too. It is not too bad for mankind. But the problem is that the Mullas do not understand the Quran. They do not understand the beautiful, lovely, non-political teachings of the Quran.
They are having a wrong version of the teachings of the Quran. Same is the case of Hadith (sayings of the prophet Muhammad s.a.w.s). The Mullas have made wrong translation of the verses of the Quran. They do not understand the meaning of many basic words of the Quran, e.g. Momin, Munafiq. Kaafir, Muslim and Murtadd (apostate).
The Mullas are playing on the sentiments of poor Muslims. We need to educate the common Muslims so that they understand the right meaning. Then Mullas will be exposed and they will not have any ground.
The post is becoming long. I had a short discussion with the senior Maulvi in Dammam (Saudi Arabia) on the subject of Momin and Muslim, as who is superior. The Maulvi said that Momin is superior to Muslim.
I asked the reason. He said “the Momin has eimaan (belief) in his heart (Qalb).” I asked him about the Eimaan of the Muslim, if it was in his toes, or ankle? The Maulvi had no reply.
Then I told him about the basic meaning of Momin (who agrees and believes) and compared it with the one who believed and did good deeds and submitted himself to the will of Allah. i.e. Muslim.
I followed up with verses from the Quran in which the prophets were calling themselves as “Muslimeen”.
Then I asked that Maulvi, how could we believers be better than the prophets who are calling themselves as Muslims? He had no reply and conceded defeat.
This talk took place in a grand mosque in Dammam shortly after a Friday prayer.
Similarly, a Murtadd (apostate) is a one who becomes a Muslim and spends some time in Islam but later finds something wrong (difficult). He says good bye to Islam by his own free will. He is an apostate, not any one whom the maulvis say, “Oh, you have become Murtadd (apostate)”.
There is no punishment for any one joining the fold of Islam or leaving Islam. But the maulvis say, “every one can come into Islam. But the one who will leave (discard) Islam will be killed.”
Similarly, the maulvis have the punishment of stoning to death for the adulterers. There is no proof of any such thing in the Quran. The teachings of the Quran are far better and quite compatible with the modern times.
Most important of all is the non-political nature of Islam. This is the important lesson that should be taught at the Madrassahs (religious schools) and it should be a first lesson for the Jama’at Islami, Muslim Brotherhood and other Muslim schools of thought.
Another important matter: The Maulvis have to become Muslims by becoming peaceful, not forceful. A true Muslim is peaceful and inclined to peace. I see that the maulvis are angry and full of hatred.
The topic is: Can you dissuade fanatical jihadis using theological argument?
I say “YES, Insha Allah, very easily with time and facility. They need to be confronted properly with arguments from the Quran and Sunnah.”