Indeed Jihad, as a part of the teachings of Islamic Shari'ah, is always receiving attacks and accusations from the enemies of Islam. Oftentimes jihad is identified with acts of terrorism. As a result, Islam is described as a religion that is full of violence and cruelty. Therefore, it is necessary for the effort to straighten out the meaning of jihad to be done, so that the sublimity of jihad is not tarnished and that the Muslims, including their ulama's, do not get stuck on the negative stigmas launched by their enemies.

Jihad in Islam

Just like Solat, Zakat, Hajj and other ibaadahs, jihad is a part of the teachings of Islam. Jihad, in fact, is among the obligations in Islam that is very sublime, that it becomes the 'beacon' of Islam.

Linguistically, jihad means: to exert the available ability and power, be it with words or actions (Fayruz Abadi, Al-Muhîth Dictionary, the word ja-ha-da.) Linguistically, jihad could also mean: deploying the whole ability to achieve an objective (An-Naysaburi, Tafsîr an-Naysâbûrî, XI/126).

As for in the conception of shar‘î (shari'ah), the fiqh experts (fuqaha) define jihad as an effort to deploy immediately their entire strength in war fie sabilillah, including in terms of opinions or dissemination of logistics and etc. (to win a battle). Therefore, it is the fight in the framework of raising high the kalimah of Allah that is called jihad. (An-Nabhani, Ash-Shakhsiyyah al-Islâmiyyah, II/153. See also, Ibn Abidin, Hâshiyah Ibn Abidin, III/336).

In al-Quran, this jihad in the sense of fighting consists of 24 words. (See Muhammad Husain Haikal, Al-Jihâd wa al-Qitâl. I/12). The obligation of jihad (fighting) has been established by Allah SWT in al-Quran in many of the verses. (See, for example: QS an-Nisa’ [4]: 95); QS at-Taubah [9]: 41; 86, 87, 88; QS as-Saf [61]: 4).

In fact jihad (fighting) in the cause of Allah is a virtuous and sublime deed where the doers will achieve paradise and eternal pleasures in the akhirah. (See, for example: QS an-Nisaa’ [4]: 95; QS an-Nisa’ [4]: 95; QS at-Taubah [9]: 111; QS al-Anfal [8]: 74; QS al-Maidah [5]: 35; QS al-Hujurat [49]: 15; QS as-Saff [61]: 11-12. On the other hand, Allah has denounced and threatened those who are reluctant to conduct Jihad (fighting) in the cause of Allah (See, for example: QS at-Taubah [9]: 38-39; QS al-Anfal [8]: 15-16; QS at-Taubah [9]: 24).

The question is, when and where is jihad, in the sense of fighting, done? First: When the Muslims or their countries are attacked by the kafir people or country. For example in the case of Afghanistan and Iraq which are attacked and occupied by America until now, also in the case of Palestine which is invaded by Israel. This is what's called defensive (difâ‘î) jihad. In a condition like this, Allah SWT has obliged Muslims to retaliate against the act of attackers and drive them out of the lands of the Muslims (see QS. Al Baqarah [2]: 190).

Second: When there is a group of Muslim community who are fought against by the kafir people or country. The Muslims are obligated to help them. Because, Muslims are brothers, like a one body. Due to that, an attack on some of the Muslims is in essence an attack on the entire Muslims all over the world. It is also due to this that the efforts to defend the Muslims in Afghanistan, Iraq or Palestine, for example, is the duty of the Muslims all over the world (see QS. al-Anfal [8]: 72).

Third: When the Da'wah of Islam conducted by the Daulah Islam (Khilafah) is obstructed by the kafir rulers with their physical strength. Da'wah is a call of the minds, non-physical. When obstructed physically, it is wajib for the Muslims to conduct jihad to defend Da'wah and remove the physical obstacles that exist in front of them, under the leadership of a khalifah. This is what's called offensive (hujûmî) jihad. It was this that was also done by the Prophet (SAW) and the Sahabahs after succeeding in establishing a Daulah Islam in Madinah. They never stopped conducting jihad (fighting) in the framework of removing the physical obstacles for the sake of spreading the Islamic Da'wah and for the sake of the establishment of the kalimah of Allah.

It was with this offensive jihad that Islam spread to the rest of the world and the territories of Muslim rule was also increasingly expanding, dominating the various parts of the world. This is a historical fact that cannot be denied. In fact, jihad (fighting) is a method of Islam in the spread of the Da'wah of Islam by the State (Daulah Islam) (see QS al-Baqarah [2]: 193).

The Sublimity of Jihad Cannot be Tarnished

As mentioned above, jihad is a sublime deed. Imam an-Nawawi, in Riyâdh as-Sâlihîn, made a special chapter about jihad. He, among others, cited the words of the Prophet (SAW), as narrated by Abu Hurairah: Rasulullah (SAW) was once asked, “What is the best deed?” He replied, “To believe in Allah and His Apostle.” The questioner then asked, “What is the next (in goodness)?” He replied, “To participate in Jihad (fighting) in Allah's Cause.” He was asked again, “And then what?” The Prophet replied, “A Hajj that is mabrur.” (HR al-Bukhari and Muslim).

Imam Ibnu Hajar also said that in that hadith (or similar hadiths) fighting in Allah's cause (jihad fie sabilillah) is the foremost deed after iman in Allah and His Apostle (Ibnu Hajar al-Asqalani, Fath al-Bari, 5/149).

Due to that, it is incumbent upon Muslims to preserve this sublimity of jihad from anyone who tries to tarnish and denigrate it, whether it be because of ignorance, or because of malice (as done by the kafir Western invaders) against the activities of jihad. Because, besides the meaning of jihad having been applied in a less precise manner, the sublimity of the jihad has also been purposely vilified by the kafir Western imperialist. The West, for example, has long called Islam a ‘barbaric’ religion just because it teaches jihad.

President Bush even called Islam as a radical and fascist religion, while the former British PM called Islam the ‘ideology of Iblis’; also, among others, due to the factor of jihad. Colin Powell when he became a U.S. Secretary of State had also said, “If they only send the young generation to madrassa, the madrassa is not doing anything, but indoctrinating them into bad aspects. Teaching hatred will not bring peace for all of us in this region.” (Media Indonesia, 23/1/2004).

Why is that? All that is no other than a form of their propaganda, so that the Muslims stay away from jihad. Because, nonetheless the West realizes that jihad is the biggest threat for their survival over the Islamic World. Due to that, the West even strives to remove jihad from teachings of Islam. It is manifested, among others, through the efforts of the West in imposing secular education curriculum to madrassas or pesantrens, or other institutions of Islamic education, because all this time those institutions are deemed to be teaching violence or producing ‘terrorists’.

In short, every Muslim must be wary of the every effort of the kafir Western invaders who endeavour to manipulate, even eliminate the teaching and ruling of jihad from Islam for the sake of their political interests. Due to that, it is wajib for the ulama's to remain and continue to teach the doctrine of jihad, as well as calling on the ummah to prepare it. Wallahu A’lam Bi Sawab.

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