'Jihad' and the 'Zealous Idiots'

The concept of Jihad in Islam

A religion is only worthy of the name if it rhymes with common sense. If it cannot win through this, and it must use the sword to overcome its shortcomings, it needs no other argument to prove its sham. The sword it wields cuts its own throat before it reaches its target. 

The objection that the sword was used during the early years of Islam, thus attesting to the legality of Jihad, is based on an ignorance of the conditions prevailing during this period. Islam has never allowed the use of the sword to be a source of rallying. Also the Holy Qur’an forbids constraint – the use of force – in religious matter. 

Why was the sword used?

The circumstances leading to this measure had absolutely nothing to do with the propagation of religion; they are related to the protection of life. They can be summed up as thus: the inhabitants of the deserts of Arabia were barbarians who could scarcely distinguish good from bad. They had harboured a hatred for the nascent Islam and had become its worst enemies. The reason for this hatred can be easily understood. The arguments put forward by the early Muslims concerning the uniqueness of God and the Islamic truths were devastating for the idolaters of Mecca and its environs.

Soon the inhabitants of these regions realized that it was unseemly for man, the most noble of divine creatures, to submit to stone. The Meccans were thus unable to counter the new adherents on the basis of arguments. The most reasonable ones were quick to join Islam. Family ties were broken and the son separated from his parents and the brother from his brothers. This exasperated the Meccans and it became clear to them that the only recourse to counteract the spread of the new religion – which was to the detriment of their parents’ false beliefs – was the use of extreme measures. The new Muslims were thus savagely persecuted. 

The story of the early years of Islam demonstrates the barbarity and cruelty with which these converts were abused and how many of them were coldly killed. But these measures had not prevented others from joining Islam. When the implacable enemies of Islam realized that the persecutions were futile, they made the decision to physically eliminate the Holy Prophet of Islam, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). But their design was foiled because God the Almighty had decided to save the Holy Prophet (pbuh) by sending him to Medina. But unbelievers could no longer sleep soundly when they learned of the incessant progress of those they had persecuted. They pursued therefore the Muslims to Medina and only the elimination of these people could bring them tranquillity. The reaction of Islam could only be to defend itself. For what mistakes did Muslims have to go through a butchery without being allowed to defend their lives?

Why should the inveterate persecutors not pay the price of their exactions? Can anyone, without prejudices, sincerely argue that - for lack of evidence - Islam has had to use the sword to increase the number of its followers? Those who supported such objections against Islam were guilty of grave injustice all the more because they knowingly concealed the facts. It is true, however, that both Muslim and Christian missionaries are to blame for this unjust accusation against Islam.

Jihad: Behind the False Doctrine 

The ignorant mullahs claiming to support Islam by their repeated sermons and fatwas imbued the false doctrine of Jihad in the heads of ordinary people on the one hand, and on the other hand the objections of Christian missionaries, who were considered scholars, have only fuelled this false conception.

Since the doctrine of Jihad was supported by evidence from two opposing parties, its true meaning could not be properly understood by the popular masses. If the missionaries had honestly declared that the fatwas of the mullahs were based on ignorance of the history of Islam, and that the circumstances prevailing at that time no longer existed today, the concept of the Jihad would have long been erased from the face of the earth. But they never considered the unfortunate consequences of such a stance and their zeal for their own religion cast a veil on their ability to grasp the truth. 

It must also be mentioned that the permission to defend themselves and kill the enemies of Islam was not granted to Muslims as long as the Arabs had not exceeded all limits in their oppressive abuses, and were guilty of crimes punishable by death. But clemency (forgiveness) was still possible for all those who embraced Islam and recognized their wrongs and crimes and expressed strong repentance. The unity of religion had engendered such strong ties of brotherhood such that past events, as painful as they might have been, were forgotten. It is here that some opponents of Islam have gone astray and concluded that the new religion was forced on the infidels.

The responsibility to deprive a whole world of the beauties of Islam lies in the mullahs who taught doctrines hostile to human nature and to Islam, the true way of life of man.

Jihad: The Struggle against Persecution

In fact, the facts are exactly the opposite; there was no constraint at this level; it was a favour granted to those who should have received death as punishment. It would be absurd to make a connection between a justified punishment and an obligation. They deserved death not because they did not believe in the mission of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) but because they had killed many innocent souls. The extreme sanction of the law applied to them. But the grace of God is infinite and He has given them another chance to repent. This clearly shows that Islam was not only intended to kill these kinds of infidels but was open to forgiveness, even if the criminal should have been punished by death.

Islam had to face other problems. The religious prejudices were so strong in those times that if a member of a tribe adopted the new faith, he was threatened with being tortured or put to death. The persecution was so excruciating that living became a burden. Islam also had to overcome this obstacle by establishing freedom of religious beliefs and practices, and to do so it had to defend itself by waging wars.

The first wars of the Islamic era fall under the principles which I have elaborated so far. Islam has never used the sword for its propagation or for any other cause. Constant efforts were made to erase its existence and it had to defend itself to ensure its survival. The use of arms was an obligation and not a choice because its opponents were also armed.

Subsequently the true principles of Islam forgotten, the doctrine of Jihad was interpreted differently and ignorance caused that hatred developed against this religion (i.e., Islam). But the culprit cannot be Islam because its source is pure and healthy. 

Jihad and the 'Zealous Idiots'

The fact that this doctrine was identified to Islam by zealous idiots who do not respect human life cannot be questioned. And the blood of the innocents shed since did not satisfy them until now. They still have a Bloodthirsty Reformer, according to their image of the Mahdi and the Islamic Messiah. And through them, they are eager to display the most hateful image of Islam before all the different nations, so that everyone thinks that Islam has always resorted to force and violence to propagate itself, admitting that Islam does not even have a hint of truth to its credit to conquer the hearts of men.

It would seem that those who support such opinions are not sufficiently satisfied with the humiliation and decadence that Islam has already suffered, and they strive to denigrate it even more. These people are a source of shame and especially reproaches for Islam. But now God does not want that Islam be recognized as a barbaric religion and He wants to chase the clouds that have piled up above it. It is also unfortunate to see that the opponents of Islam made no effort to search for the truth and that they let themselves be influenced by the propaganda that Islam used the sword to spread from its first steps.

It is high time for Islam to get rid of these accusations. 

If the mullahs were to unite to uproot this evil they would do their coreligionists the greatest good. The rejection of, and the disgust for Islam expressed by other nations are understandable. And this situation will not change as long as this concept of Jihad persists. For all these misunderstandings the Muslims themselves are to blame. The responsibility to deprive a whole world of the beauties of Islam rests with the mullahs who taught doctrines hostile to human nature. What religion can claim to be from God if its teachings need the lightning of the sword to penetrate the hearts of men?

Such considerations have been sufficient to repel any well-meaning soul from the Islamic truth. These are the evils that require the coming of a Reformer, a Khalifatullah. In an overview of the internal state of Islam today, we can only note a great disappointment and total disarray.

With the coming of this humble servant, to explain to you the faith, to reveal the truths of God and of the human nature, the Islamic world and the whole humanity have everything to gain by submitting to the divine will and devote their lives wholly in the obedience of God and His Elect of this era. Insha-Allah. 

------Extracts from the Friday Sermon of 05 April 2019~ 28 Rajab 1440 AH delivered by Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius.