The term Jihad means a struggle, not just against others but against desire, ambition and human aspirations to follow what is preached by Islam. The Qur’an mentions “Jihad Fi Sabilillah,” or the “struggle towards the path of Allah.” So, it should be under guidance of the Qur’an and Prophet’s Hadith. 

Terrorism, in fact, is completely the opposite of Jihad. Any act of violence that instills fear in the minds of innocent people is an act of terror, particularly because this fear is not a fear against anything wrong, like corruption or theft. Instead, it is a fear of the powerful who wish to become more so.

The Holy Quran teaches tolerance towards other faiths and guides:

“There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is henceforth distinct from error. And he who rejects false deities and believes in Allah has grasped a firm handhold which will never break. Allah is Hearer, Knower.” (2:256)

TYPES OF JIHAD

Jihad is of various kinds, some of which are obligatory upon everyone who is accountable, and some are obligatory upon the community as a whole – if some people undertake them then the rest are relieved of the obligation.

Jihad al-nafs (jihad against one’s self) and jihad al-Shaytaan (jihad against the Shaytaan) are obligatory upon everyone who is accountable. 

Jihad against the hypocrites and combatant disbelievers is obligatory upon the community as a whole.  

• Jihad al-nafs (jihad against one’s self) is of four kinds: 

1 – Striving to learn the teachings of Islam without which one cannot attain success and happiness in this world or in the Hereafter; if this is missing then one is doomed to misery in this world and in the Hereafter. 

2 – Striving to make oneself act in accordance with what one has learned. Simply knowing without acting, even though it may not cause any harm, is not going to bring any benefit. 

3 – Striving to call others to Islam, teaching those who do not know about it. Otherwise one will be one of those who conceal that which Allah has revealed of guidance and teaching, and it will not benefit him or save him from the punishment of Allaah. 

4 – Striving to bear patiently the difficulties involved in calling people to Allah and the insults of people; bearing all that for the sake of Allah. 

• Jihad against the Shaytaan is of two types: 

1 – Warding off the doubts that he stirs up to undermine faith. 

2 – Striving against him to ward off the corrupt desires that he provokes. 

The first jihad is followed by certainty of faith, and the second is followed by patience. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

• Jihad against the hypocrites and combatant disbelievers is of four kinds: 

With the heart; the tongue; one’s wealth; and oneself. Jihad against the hypocrites is more along the lines of using words and ideas Jihad, whereas Jihad against the combatant disbelievers is more along the lines of physical fighting, which is also called Qital (Jihad with sword) 

Indeed, Islam does provide guidelines for war. But in those guidelines, the killing of women, children, the old and the weak is expressly forbidden. Even destruction of a standing crop or a tree is not allowed, as Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, the first Caliph, told Islamic armies:

“I instruct you in ten matters: Do not kill women, children, the old, or the infirm; do not cut down fruit-bearing trees; do not destroy any town . . . ” (Source: Imam Malik’s compilation of the Hadith “Kitab al-Jihad.”)

The Prophet also said that no non-combatant can be killed by a Muslim army in any circumstances. “Do not kill any old person, any child or any woman” (Source: The collections of Abu Dawood).

HISTORY BEHIND WAR WITH COMBATANT DISBELIEVERS

The idea of waging physical jihad against the combatant disbelievers went through a number of stages. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

“The first thing which his Lord revealed to him (the Prophet) was to read in the name of his Lord who had created. That was the beginning of his Prophethood, where Allah commanded him to recite to himself but He did not yet command him to convey that. Then He revealed the words: ”You (Muhammad) enveloped in garments! Arise and warn!”[The Qur’an 74:1-2]

So he became a Prophet with the word ‘Iqra (Read!) and he became a Messenger with the words, ‘O you (Muhammad) enveloped in garments…’ Then Allah commanded him to warn his closest kinsmen, then to warn his people, then to warn the Arabs around them, then to warn all the Arabs, then to warn all of mankind. He continued to call them for over ten years from the beginning of his Prophethood, without fighting. Then permission was given to him to migrate (to Madinah), and permission was given to him to fight… Then he was commanded to fight those who fought him, and to refrain from fighting those who left him alone and did not fight him. 

The permission by God to migrate to Madinah was given only after prolonged and unbearable persecutions for embracing Islam in Makkah. The enemies of Muslims in Makkah pursued them even after their expulsion. Hence, permission to defend their life, property, faith and their new place of abode, Madinah, and fight back the enemies was given by Allah. 

Even in this hostile and difficult situation a clear demarcation between combatant and non-combatant disbelievers was made. The Qur’an explicitly said:

“Allah does not forbid that you be kind and just to those who did not fight against you on account of religion, nor drove you out of your homes. Surely Allah loves those who are equitable. Allah only forbids you to be friends with those who have fought against you on account of religion and who have driven you out of your homes and have abetted in your expulsion. And any who make friends with them, they are the wrong-doers.” [The Qur’an 60:8-9]

It is all right to treat the disbelievers, who are not hostile, kindly. Justice demands that Muslims should not be hostile to those who are not hostile to them. Enemy and the non-enemy are not alike. One has every right to adopt a stern attitude towards those who persecuted them for embracing Islam and compelled them to leave their homes and pursued them even after their expulsion. But as for those who were not partners in persecuting them, they should treat them well and should fulfill the right they have on them because of blood and other relationships.

Instruction to sever relations with the disbelievers was given in the preceding verses of the Qur’an. These verses clarified that its real cause is not their disbelief but their hostility to Islam and their tyrannical treatment of the followers of Islam. The Muslims, therefore, should distinguish between the hostile disbeliever and the non-hostile disbeliever, and should treat those disbelievers well who have never treated them with evil. Its best explanation is the incident that took place between Asma, daughter of Abu Bakr, and her disbelieving mother. A wife of Abu Bakr’s was Qutaylah bint Abdul Uzza, who was a disbeliever and had remained behind in Makkah after the migration. Asma had been born of her. After the peace treaty of Hudaibiyah when the traffic opened between Makkah and Madinah, she came to Al-Madinah to see her daughter and also brought some gifts. Asma herself has related that she went to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and asked: Should I see my mother. And can I treat her as a daughter should treat her mother. The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: Yes, treat her as your mother. (Musnad Ahmad, Bukhari, Muslim). Asma’s son, Abdullah bin Zubair, has given further details of this incident. He says that Asma in the beginning had refused to see her mother. Then, when she received Allah and His Messenger’s permission she met her. (Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim). This by itself leads to the conclusion that a Muslim’s serving his unbelieving parents and his helping his unbelieving brothers and sisters and relatives is permissible when they are not hostile to Islam.