WEEK 6: Comment on “jihad”, due 2/21/09

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WEEK 6: Comment on “jihad”, due 2/21/09

17 Feb

Comment on the video on “jihad” below. Draw your arguments from lectures and discussions in class concerning Islam as a religion of peace:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG9dMKiDzC4&eurl=http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/2009/01/what-is-jihad.html&feature=player_embedded

11 Comments

Posted by azlyrahman on February 17, 2009 in culture

11 responses to “WEEK 6: Comment on “jihad”, due 2/21/09”

almasbhatti

February 22, 2009 at 3:35 am

This was an insightful video because it shed light on an issue that many Muslims don’t know themselves. In the video the man who went to talk to the speaker was confused about what it really meant to fight for one’s religion. When the speaker explained that you cannot kill out of aggression, the man realized everything he had been taught was wrong. I believe many extremists do not acknowledge that rule and think they are right because they are dieing for their religion. It’s important for everyone to watch this video to understand what a true “Islamic warrior” is.

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carsonlee2688

February 23, 2009 at 4:15 am

“Jihad” has always been portrayed in my mind as a degenerate calling of the Muslims that they abuse as justification for extremist terrorism. Such as, when the 9/11 terrorist strike occurred on American soil, broadcasting systems all over America displayed merciless crowds of Muslim in the Middle East screaming “jihad!” That left quite an impression on me regarding the calling of every Muslim to live for “jihad”. Watching the short youtube clip on what “real” Jihad, as my perspective of jihad did change over the years of studying the core of Islam and reading some Surahs, I realized that jihad in it’s fundamental sense is not about suicide bombing or terrorizing an innocent nation, but rather a greater calling to “struggle” for the ways of Allah. Contrary to what Al-Qaeda, an Islamic extremist group, does in it’s degenerate efforts to struggle for the ways of Allah, jihad is actually a beneficial, virtuous act of improving oneself and his society. Yeah, it was a surprise for me too. I also learned that there were types of jihad: a greater jihad and a lesser jihad. The greater jihad is basically the inner struggle of the Muslim, much like the way we Christian struggles to overcome sin. “The greater jihad is about holding fast against any ideas and practices that run contrary to the Muhammad’s revelations (Qur’an), sayings (Hadith) and the examples set by how he lived his life (Sunnah). Lesser jihad is more of the physical struggle of a Muslim in defense of the faith. Within Islamic jurisprudence jihad is the only form of warfare permisslbe under Islamic law.
Do I believe that Islam is a religion of peace? Well, not really. Islam does allow warfare, even though it is under the permission of Islamic law. Although, I don’t know what kind of warfare is permisslble, to me, whether it’s fighting for power or fighting for “world peace”, when a certain condones warfare, that religion, no matter what the reasons may be, I would not consider that religion a religion of peace. As is self-explanatory in its title, greater jihad is greater and lesser jihad, extremely lesser in its virtue (in my opinion). I am absolutely all for greater jihad, for it also a part of Christian belief to fight the desires of one’s own flesh for the sake of being holy and pure before God. But, on the other hand, lesser jihad seems like to me, as mentioned before, just a justification for letting their anger or frustration loose on non-Islamic “infidels”. In short, I think even the truest, quintessential, prototype Muslim would not, according to the beliefs of Islam be a man of “absolute” peace in comparison to a true, prototype Christian. I believe this simply because, in the Christian belief, disregarding the fact that many so-called Christian in the of “God” committed atrocious acts of violence to non-believers and believers alike, in our past history, violence is absolutely a demarcation. The Bible tells us that, “A bruised reed he (Jesus) will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory (Matthew 12:20).” We as Christians are to live according to how Jesus lived, therefore it is unthinkable that we should be involved in any kind of violence. Of course Islam has its reasons for condoning some acts of warfare as just. Which I will continue to learn more about!

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khernandz

February 24, 2009 at 5:58 am

Based in what I have seen in this short video it seems that some muslins are having trouble understanding the true meaning of the jihad. The speakers said that the greatest jihad is to battle our souls which means to fight against all the evil that is within us. However, some believe that the greatest jihad is to fight against the unbelievers in battle. This is where all the confusion begins, for many muslins use Islam to serve their owns needs. They use some of the holy versus of the Quran to justify the killing and murdering of innocent people. Surah 53 verse 38 says “No soul should bear the burden of another.” Also, another verse of the Quran says “We should only fight in God’s cause against those who fight us, but we should not commit aggression for God does not love aggressors.” Therefore, retaliation is allowed against those who are guilty of crimes, and they should be the only ones who shall pay the consequences of their acts. However, false followers of the religion use a verse that says “kill them wherever you find them and drive them out of the places from where they drove you out, for persecution is worse than killing.” It seems that this verse is used a lot to justify the run actions of many muslins who misunderstand the true meaning of the jihad. I believe that we all sometimes misunderstand certain things that are written in the Quran or the Bible, but the reason this happens is because we don’t see what’s beyond the words. In my opinion, to understand the word of God we should read the holy scriptures over and over again. Moreover, we should have patience for the true meaning will come to us through time.

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russellglickman

March 7, 2009 at 12:01 am

A “jihad”, from my understanding, is a noun which means “a religious struggle ordained by Allah for truth and justice”. It seems to be a strong, prevalent idea in Islam, and in the lives of all those who follow it. The film clip presented above exhibits a wise Muslim man who has an interesting interpretation of the word jihad, and on violence in general. Contrary to the ideas that may motivate the Muslims who commit violent acts on television, he believes a jihad is a righteous and honorable thing to do, but only if the reasons behind the violence are righteous and honorable as well. Specifically, he recalls a story from the Qur’an where a man decides- at the last minute -not to kill another man who spat upon him, because he sees that his actions will be based on aggression, and not on justice. This significant story illustrates how a jihad should be justified, reinforcing the wise Muslim man’s views. Though this man appears to understand jihad in a reasonable manner, the unfortunate fact is that not every Muslim sees it that way.
It’s important to remember that, like all Islamic ideas, “jihad” can be interpreted in a thousand ways. Muslim people go through all sorts of struggles in their lives. These conflicts that they undergo can either be within, against the environment, or against another person or people. This provides three main ways in which jihad can be interpreted. When you look at it as an inner battle, jihad has a specific meaning. It is considered a quest for spiritual perfection. Muslims experience this inner jihad every time their righteous, religious ideas fight against immoral or unjust ones (perhaps the “evil whisperings” of Shaitan”). This type of jihad is peaceful in that it does not involve violence. When it is between a person and the environment, violence is also usually out of the picture. This type of jihad could involve a person struggling to reach a certain personal or political goal. It could also be applied to a Muslim who lives in harsh conditions, who must struggle with the environment for survival. However, when the word “jihad” is viewed as from one person to another, violence forcefully enters into the idea. People fight with each other all the time, in various ways. Some fights are more minute and passive, like the one described by the man from the video clip. Other fights, such as wars, can be tremendous. Regardless, it’s certain that any jihad between two people(s) seems like the most serious one of all, since it can be used to justify physical combat between them. In light of all this, it is interesting to note that depending on which interpretation a Muslim believes, his or her concept of a jihad could be much different from that of another Muslim.
Trouble arises when one’s reason for a person vs. person jihad is based on his or her passionate religious faith. This opens the window to a whole landscape of frightening possibilities. Because the rationale for the war is now backed by their faith, this gives Muslims a passionate determination to fight. It leaves no room for doubt in their minds. The Qur’an even provides an additional incentive for people to fight. It states that those who die in jihad will instantly go to heaven! When such stout resolve is directed towards anything, it can be undoubtedly harmful. Organizations like Al-Qaeda use jihad as their rationale behind the hundreds of horrific bombings that have occurred in recent years. They declare the jihad towards “infidels”, or those who deny Muhammad [pbuh]. This pretty much includes everyone who is not a Muslim. Indeed, certain Muslims have utilized jihad as a means to rationalize acts of terrible violence. But really, do they not ever ask themselves if Allah truly intended them to be doing this?
In the end, it’s worth mentioning that there exists hypocrisy in Islam with regard to jihad. Islam is considered a religion of peace. Yes, Muslims may engage in minor, non-violent jihads with others like the one described in the video. But just how peaceful was it when those Muslim jihadis decided to crash aircraft into two skyscrapers, killing thousands of people, in the name of Allah? Would their God truly condone such an act? Ultimately, it’s all about interpretation. A jihad can be whatever a Muslim wants it to be. It makes one think: If only the Qur’an supported a peaceful jihad with no room for interpretation, perhaps our lives would be much more peaceful in today’s world.

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fatmaablak

April 14, 2009 at 6:30 pm

The word Jihad does not mean “Holy War”. Jihad means effort or endeavors against man’s own self. Jihad is to work hard to do right things. Islam ask his followers to recognize their duty towards themselves, and that duty is Jihad, striving for good against evil, beginning with the conquest of a man’s own lusts. His training for Jihad is not only military training; it is the whole structure of Islamic discipline. Without the wider human aim there can be no Jihad. In the religious sense, it probably applies to the whole effort of the Muslim to assert and establish the sovereignty of God in men’s mind, by performing his religious duty as laid down in the Quran, an effort, which should last through all his life. It should govern every action of his life, or he is no true Muslim. This duty may be summarized as the fight for good against evil in every connection and in every field, beginning with a man’s own heart and mind. Our Holy prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“The greatest Jihad is that against a man’s own lust;” Which means that the best way of recommending the belief in Allah’s universal sovereignty and extending the new realm of peace and brotherhood is by the example of righteous conduct. The term Al-Jihad-ul-Akbar. “The greatest Jihad,” is also applied by the Holy prophet (peace be upon him) to the effort of the student to become learned and the effort of the learned to spread knowledge.

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frangrez

April 28, 2009 at 2:32 am

According to me, the meaning of “Jihad” totally depends from person to person. As we show in the video that the speaker is trying to explain the true meaning of “Jihad”, the greatest Jihad is to battle our souls which means to fight against all the evil that is within us. But as I said in the begining that the meaning depends on how person takes it. I think muslims are having trouble to understand the true meaning of “Jihad”. Jihad appears frequently in the Qur’an and common usage as the natural expression is striving in the way of Allah. Jihad requires Muslims to “struggle in the way of God” or “to struggle to improve one’s self and/or society.” Jihad is directed against Satan’s inducements, aspects of one’s own self, or against a visible enemy. The four major categories of jihad that are recognized are Jihad against one’s self, Jihad of the tongue, Jihad of the hand (Jihad al-yad), and Jihad of the sword. It is just that people are taking the meaning of “Jihad” in the wrong sense.

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xrims69

May 7, 2009 at 7:48 pm

As seen and heard in the video, the man says Jihad is to battle our souls. From my own learning experience, there are two types of Jihad. The first is to fight in a war. Otherwise known as, “Holy War.” It is to fight for your freedom. To fight for what is right. To fight for your family. To fight for the safety of your people. To fight for the protection of your homeland. To fight for the right to practice your religion. That is one of the two Jihads. The other Jihad is to live the life of complete obedience to the one and only Allah. To live as a good person. To live as a good Muslim. To follow the five pillars of Islam. To live everyday to the fullest, educating yourself in education itself, and educating yourself in the religion. Allah doesn’t like stuborn people who only focus on the religion. He loves the smart people. A Muslim cannot truely understand and love Allah and see His greatness and His creations and all of the power Allah has. If you educate yourself deeply, you see that Allah created many things to run a certain way. The human body itself is a miracle. The way the mind works. If you do not know the science of the world, than you don’t have true examples of Allah’s great power and can’t see the beauty of what he has done for all mankind. With all this you complete what Jihad really is.

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johngleasonjr

May 7, 2009 at 8:01 pm

The word “jihad”, to me, has always been a concept that I was unable to grasp. The word is often used with a negative connotation when spoken of by the American media. There is an automatic assumption that the way the Islamic fundamentals are teaching the idea of “jihad” is necessarily how it is truly presented within the Quran. However, as are most assumptions of the American media on Islam, this is truly not the case.
I have found that one of the biggest problems people have with understanding jihad is that the Muslim community itself does not have a total consensus on the meaning. Along with many other teachings of the Quran, extremists have used this term to fit their political and ideological agendas. Unfortunately, this is the concept that is portrayed as the true meaning to the American people, which leads to a double misconception. I did not know the concept of greater and lesser jihads before the lectures and videos prevented in class.
Now, I understand both the true meaning of the word, as well as the basis for the misconceptions. However, I still do fear the most of the American public will never have a chance to clear their misconceptions. The majority of the population has already concluded their educations, and will have no further oppurtunity to be re-educated according to the true facts of Islam.

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janetquagliero

May 7, 2009 at 11:56 pm

In my mind I have always thought that “Jihad” was a scarey term since I have heard it on the news pertaining to things that I thought were horrible, but in fact it means “struggle”. The true jihad was not meant to be a violent aggression against innocent people, like on 9/11, but a struggle to fight evil within oneself, which is the greatest jihad (per the video). It is a major fallacy that it means to kill those from other religions or even unbelievers if they are innocents. The troubled man in the video stated that the Qur’an teaches “an eye for an eye” but retaliation is only permitted against the guilty party, not the innocents.
It is also said in this video that the greatest threat to the Muslims today in what is in their hearts. The fact that people have misconstrued the true meaning of jihad is a major threat to Islam and society and one of the causes of this is to serve certain political agendas. It is safe to say that Prophet Mohammad would have never condoned this. Very enlightening video! Worth watching it!

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xrims69

May 8, 2009 at 6:52 pm

XRIMS69 is Yamiz from tuesday/thursday class at 3:20 to 4:30.

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davet29

May 8, 2009 at 7:54 pm

I honestly enjoyed this video on Jihad. I think it is so true. We aren’t fighting other people, brothers, or nations. We should be fighting ourselves. We should be holding back our mundane desires and control ourselves. We are fighting a greater evil. That evil is ourselves. I honestly believe that is the hardest battle in life.
In this video I noticed 3 men. The First man got up because he totally disagreed with what his brother was saying. That was a sign of unfaithfulness and he lacked humility. He completely defied and was being ignorant to this new teaching. The second brother was quiet and containing himself. He was angry and evidently showed it at the end of the video. He was angry at all the bloodshed and people dying. But the brother reminded him that this was happening because those same people were losing their own jihads or innerbattles. So we cannot follow their example and kill out of anger. God would not accept that from us. The third brother was uncomfortable but he was humble. He was silent and listened to what his brother was saying. He might’ve agreed or simply he squirmed in his seat at the sight of his brothers getting up and leaving and getting bothered by this teaching. I would be bothered too if people didn’t see things my way or God’s way. That’s just the way God made us.

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