Jihad In Classical And Modern Islam

The notion of Jihad ("Holy War") is very much alive in the Islamic world, and plays a prominent political role. In the West, Jihad is often associated with violence and fanaticism. Muslims, however, emphasize that the real meaning is "effort toward a religiously commendable aim" and that it can be applied to both defensive warfare and peaceful activities for the sake of religion. The aim of the present book is to elucidate the concept of Jihad. It provides basic reading materials translated from Arabic and Turkish, an introduction, and two essays on modernist and fundamentalist interpretations and the significance of Jihad nowadays. The translations include hadiths (sayings and deeds of the Prophet Mohammed), excerpts from al-Muwatta' of Malik Ibn Anas (d. 796) exhorting Muslims to participate in Jihad, the legal doctrine of Jihad as expounded by the famous philosopher and jurist Averroes (d. 1198), and a treatment of its religious and moral aspects by Ibn Tamiyya (d. 1328). A treatise on Jihad by the late rector of the famous al-Azhar University in Cairo, Mahmud Shaltut (d. 1963), rounds out the collection.

What is jihad? Does it mean violence, as many non-Muslims assume? Or does it mean peace, as some Muslims insist? Because jihad is closely associated with the early spread of Islam, today's debate about the origin and meaning of jihad is nothing less than a struggle over Islam itself. In Jihad in Islamic History, Michael Bonner provides the first study in English that focuses on the early history of jihad, shedding much-needed light on the most recent controversies over jihad. To some, jihad is the essence of radical Islamist ideology, a synonym for terrorism, and even proof of Islam's innate violence. To others, jihad means a peaceful, individual, and internal spiritual striving. Bonner, however, shows that those who argue that jihad means only violence or only peace are both wrong. Jihad is a complex set of doctrines and practices that have changed over time and continue to evolve today. The Quran's messages about fighting and jihad are inseparable from its requirements of generosity and care for the poor. Jihad has often been a constructive and creative force, the key to building new Islamic societies and states. Jihad has regulated relations between Muslims and non-Muslims, in peace as well as in war. And while today's "jihadists" are in some ways following the "classical" jihad tradition, they have in other ways completely broken with it. Written for general readers who want to understand jihad and its controversies, Jihad in Islamic History will also interest specialists because of its original arguments.

Is Islam fundamentally violent? For influential New Atheists such as Sam Harris, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and Richard Dawkins, the answer is an emphatic yes, largely because of the Islamic doctrine of jihad. According to this view, when al-Qaeda plotted 9/11 or ISIS planned any one of its recent terrorist attacks, they were acting in accord with Islamic scripture. Jihad, Radicalism, and the New Atheism scrutinizes this claim by comparing the conflicting interpretations of jihad offered by mainstream Muslim scholars, violent Muslim radicals, and New Atheists. Mohammad Hassan Khalil considers contemporary Muslim terrorism to be a grave problem that we must now confront. He shows, however, that the explanations offered for this phenomenon by the New Atheists are highly problematic, and that their own interpretations of the role of violence in Islam exceed those of even radicals such as Osama bin Laden. In showing all of this, Khalil offers critical insights on a most pressing issue.

Jihad is one of the most loaded and misunderstood terms in the news today. Contrary to popular understanding, the term does not mean "holy war." Nor does it simply refer to the inner spiritual struggle. This book, judiciously balanced, accessibly written, and highly relevant to today's events, unravels the tangled historical, intellectual, and political meanings of jihad. Looking closely at a range of sources from sacred Islamic texts to modern interpretations, [This book] opens a critically important perspective on the role of Islam in the contemporary world. [The author] also describes some of the conflicts that occur in radical groups and shows how the more mainstream supporters of these groups have come to understand and justify violence.-Back cover.

In this book, Dr. Louay Safi provides a systematic analysis of the Qur’anic reference and the prophetic traditions on peace and war. He critically examines the views of classical and modern Islamic scholars in light of the original intent of the Shar’ah. While his views on this subject were articulated as early as 1988, his analysis continues to provide a balanced understanding of the most misunderstood concepts of Islam.

The series Religion and Society (RS) contributes to the exploration of religions as social systems– both in Western and non-Western societies; in particular, it examines religions in their differentiation from, and intersection with, other cultural systems, such as art, economy, law and politics. Due attention is given to paradigmatic case or comparative studies that exhibit a clear theoretical orientation with the empirical and historical data of religion and such aspects of religion as ritual, the religious imagination, constructions of tradition, iconography, or media. In addition, the formation of religious communities, their construction of identity, and their relation to society and the wider public are key issues of this series.

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and their aftermath have focused the world's attention on Islamic fundamentalism. This accessible volume aims to rebutt the misconceptions about Islam articulated by many European intellectuals down the centuries. For non-Muslims these still obstruct a clear understanding of both the nature of Islam and the history of Christian/Muslim interactions.

Introduction: Jihad Today -- PART ONE: JIHAD NOW Chapter One: Are We Already Fighting A Jihad? How radical Muslims use jihad as a modern-day rallying cry -- Chapter Two: Europe: Jihad in the Making? -- Chapter Three: The Jihad Way of War -- PART TWO: JIHAD THEN: EXPLODING THE MYTHS OF "TOLERANT ISLAM" Chapter Four: Jihad in the Qur'an: Is war the will of Allah? -- Chapter Five: Muhammad in the Field: The wars of the Prophet -- Chapter Six: In the Prophet's Footsteps: Jihad and dhimmitude in early and modern Islam -- Chapter Seven: The Modern Myth of Islamic Tolerance: The fact of modern Islamic intolerance -- Chapter Eight: Jihad in Eclipse and Resurgent -- Chapter Nine: Terrorism: Jihad abused? -- Chapter Ten: Everybody Must Get Stoned: The strange alliance between radical Islam and the post-1960s Left -- Chapter Eleven: How to Fight the War We're In.