Everyone is aware about the word “Jihad” i.e. also known as holy war. Muslim scholars defines it as “in a religious sense, as described by the Quran and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (s), “jihad” has many meanings. It can refer to internal as well as external efforts to be a good Muslims or believer, as well as working to inform people about the faith of Islam.”

Muslim scholars describes that:

• Jihad is not a violent concept.
• Jihad is not a declaration of war against other religions. It is worth noting that the Koran specifically refers to Jews and Christians as “people of the book” who should be protected and respected. All three faiths worship the same God. Allah is just the Arabic word for God, and is used by Christian Arabs as well as Muslims.
• Military action in the name of Islam has not been common in the history of Islam. Scholars says most calls for violent jihad are not sanctioned by Islam.
• Warfare in the name of God is not unique to Islam. Other faiths throughout the world have waged wars with religious justifications

After studying the above one remains in no doubt the nature of Islamic Jihad. It will convince a lot of people those are not that much familiar with the Quran and Hadiths as well as the history?

Let’s examine what Quran said about the Jihad.

“Surely Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and their belongings and in return has promised that they shall have paradise. They fight in the way of Allah and slay and are slain. Such is the promise He has made incumbent upon Himself in the Torah, and the Gospel and the Quran. Who is more faithful to this promise than Allah? Rejoice, then in the bargain you have made with him”
Al – Tawbah 9:110

Defining the contract between Allah and the Muslims Mr. ZagarIshaq Ansari writes that “when a man has true faith it involves a commitment to devote himself sincerely to God and thus attain His reward in return for that commitment. This two way commitment has been described as “Transaction”. What this means is that faith is in fact a contract according to which man places all that he has – his life, his wealth – at the disposal of God; he “sells” them to God. In Return he accepts God’s promise of paradise in the next life.

It is clear that Islam is a contract between God and Muslim. God guarantees paradise to the believer provided that he is willing to kill or get killed for God’s sake. It shows how desperate Allah is for an acknowledgement from the unbelievers.

Dr. Anwar Shaikh elaborate it that Allah:

–          Has no respect for human life and dignity, whatsoever; al He is concerned with is His Self and the most urgent need for praise, pacification and prostration. Yet He declares in the Quran that he is Samad i.e. He is totally independent and has no needs or desires.

–          Murder is the most heinous crime but Allah thinks of it as a Holy Play (Jihad). It expresses His regard for morality!

–          Most importantly, it is a contract between Allah and Muslims. Again, Allah declares that so beneficial this contract is to believers that It ranks as a bargain. In other words, it is quite legitimate to commit a crime like murder if it benefits the perpetrator!

–          To persuade believers for commission of heinous misdeeds, Allah assures them that he is the best keepers of promise.

 

He further adds that it is evident that Jihad means challenging non- Muslims to a duel, which legalizes all the horrors of war and immorality.

 

Another famous scholar of Quran AllamaShabbir Ahmad Usmani writes in “Tafseer – E- Usmani that “what a better trade and mightier success might be than that God became the buyer of our ordinary persons and transient wealth? He further describes that how much merciful Allah is that “the wealth selves of ours, as a matter of fact, are His creations and a little relation with them has made them our wealth and our person. Despite this fact, God has fixed the price of ourselves and wealth and that is paradise, the highest place of virtue and honor and the means to reach the purchase himself. It is the kindness of God and a great honor given to man”

 

            How a man is lured to indulge in Jihad?  AllamaShabbir Ahmad Usmani has quoted that The Holy Prophet has said, “There will be such bounties in the paradise that no eye, ear or heart have ever perceived them.” So it is the most excellent reward of GOD.

He said that He only demands their sacrifice when needed.  This is why it is said that they kill and are killed in His way – they present their wealth and their persons in His way, then they kill are or are killed. In both cases the bargain is done and the price paid became their fortune.

Then what a better occasion for the believers would be to rejoice and feel proud in their fortune than that God, the most honored and glorious himself becomes the purchaser and with such a glorious style.

Abdullah bin Rawaha has rightly said that this is such a glorious bargain where after there is no question of loss whatsoever. May God admit us into the party of such believers?

Hence credo of Muslims organization like Taliban ISIS actually lies with the lines of their scholars that  “Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. The Qur’an is our law. Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope.”

How they can be said wrong when they are following what is being taught to them. They are bound to do that as they are believers and are bound with the agreement they has entered with Allah.