What is Jihad?

Ah, the word that’s appeared so often in the news these past few years. These bloodthirsty Muslims, going to holy war and killing innocents, or misguided teens fleeing their home for false promises of an Islamic utopia. Whatever you think of jihad, it probably brings with it negative connotations. Yet, no one really knows what jihad is. Some say holy war, some say dying for your faith. These things aren’t entirely true.

Jihad literally means ‘struggle’, not holy war as far too many of us have been led to believe. It’s divided into two categories- Greater Jihad and Lesser Jihad. The two are very different and as their names suggest, Greater Jihad is far more favourable in the eyes of Allah.

Greater Jihad is the internal struggle that each Muslim has in their path towards Allah. It’s things like waking up for Fajr in the winter, shivering as you wash your limbs with cold water. It’s powering through Ramadan, no matter how much Buzzfeed Tasty makes you salivate. And it’s shouldering the glares and whispering as you walk down the high street in your hijab.

It’s difficult, undoubtedly so. There’ve been so many mornings where all I’ve wanted to do is sleep, yet I’ve forced myself out of bed to pray. That’s Greater Jihad. When my mum’s hijab was pulled by an angry bigot on the bus, she continued to wear it regardless. That’s Greater Jihad. These don’t seem like incredibly flashy or sacrificial things, but they truly are so difficult. Allah knows this, hence why Greater Jihad is just that; the greater sacrifice in the eyes of Allah.

Now we move onto Lesser Jihad which people are far more familiar with. When we Muslims revert to our savage ways and go to holy war. However, with Lesser Jihad comes many regulations. War can only be declared in self defence, if another nation attacks or if a nation is oppressing its own people and Muslims. Jihad is not going to war to spread Islam, it is simply protecting it.

Lesser Jihad is a final resort, only if peace is impossible. Nothing about oil or money or fighting for power; so no, ISIS are not on jihad, they’re evil individuals, not real Muslims at all.

As for the rules during war, they are extensive. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave the following orders

• Do not kill any child, any woman, or any elder or sick person. (Sunan Abu Dawud)

• Do not touch civilians

• Do not practice treachery or mutilation. (Al-Muwatta)

• Do not cut down trees (Al-Muwatta)

• Do not slaughter animals, except for food. (Al-Muwatta)

• Do not kill the monks in monasteries,

• Do not kill those sitting in places of worship. (Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal)

• Do not destroy the villages and towns,

• Do not spoil the fields and gardens (Sahih Bukhari; Sunan Abu Dawud)

• Do not wish for an encounter with the enemy; pray to God to grant you security; but when you [are forced to] encounter them, exercise patience. (Sahih Muslim)

• No one may punish with fire except the Lord of Fire. (Sunan Abu Dawud).

• Accustom yourselves to do good if people do good, and do not do wrong even if they commit evil. (Al-Tirmidhi)

As is hopefully clear, every single terrorist group claiming Islam has broken these sacred rules. They are not true Muslims, they are terrorists. Lesser Jihad comes with many rules and regulations, and even then it is still not regarded as highly as Greater Jihad.

Hopefully, the next time you watch the news mention the dreaded word Jihad, you can see that it’s not Allah who has commanded those evil people to do what they do or, it is their ignorance. Their lack of morals, and their lack of knowledge on Islam.

Islam is a beautiful religion and, as all religions on Earth do, it promotes peace and kindness above all else. Allah is merciful, and the Quran couldn’t make it any clearer; fighting for Islam is noble when done for the right reasons, in the right way. However, it is all of our individual struggles and overcoming them that is nobler still.