Jihad?

As I write this the Mumbai Terror attacks have been continuing for more than 40 hours leaving more than 155 people dead and many more in critical conditions. This is no doubt, a major trajedy of 21st century India. A trajedy in more than one way.

A trajedy that the Indian Naval Forces or the Intelligence Agencies could not detect and prevent such a large scale attack. In the case of attacks involving one or two terrorists, I agree that detecting it is nearly impossible. Like needle in haystack. But in this case more than two dozen people were involved.

A trajedy that so many innocents with no relation to the nation or its policy has lost their lives.

A trajedy that we lost so many brave officers fighting to protect the nation. I salute you, sirs.

A trajedy that even after 50 years, the demons of partition still haunt us. (Assuming this is indeed Pakistan-based Lakshar group)

A trajedy that this atrocity is perpetuated by Muslims. Muslims, to whom it is incidenty taught or rather ordered in the Quran not to attack any one not attacking you(innocents). Further it is even taught that crops or property should never be destroyed. Can these misguided people even be called Muslims? I doubt it.

THE HOLY QUR'AN (5:32)…Whoever took a single life (one soul), except if it be for murder or spreading mischief and corruption in the land - It would be as if He killed the whole of Humanity; And (likewise) if any one saved one life, it would be as if he saved the life of all people.

Is this Jihad? No. Jihad means to 'strive'. The best form of Jihad is against one's self. i.e., striving against one's own unrighteous thoughts and desires. Of the four forms of Jihad, only one is the Jihad in the sense we know today.

Muslim jurists explained there are four kinds of jihad fi sabilillah (struggle in the cause of God):^[88]

• Jihad of the heart (jihad bil qalb/nafs) is concerned with combatting the devil and in the attempt to escape his persuasion to evil. This type of Jihad was regarded as the greater jihad (al-jihad al-akbar).
• Jihad by the tongue (jihad bil lisan) is concerned with speaking the truth and spreading the word of Islam with one's tongue.
• Jihad by the hand (jihad bil yad) refers to choosing to do what is right and to combat injustice and what is wrong with action.
• Jihad by the sword (jihad bis saif) refers to qital fi sabilillah (armed fighting in the way of God, or holy war), the most common usage by terrorists today.

Most of the so called Jihad nowadays are nothing more than political freedom fights. Palestine, Bosnia, Kashmir, et al.

Let us pray for a better future.



Image Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008