1. Jihad
in Islam
AWARE Center

2. Testimony of Faith:
“I bear witness that there is no god
but the One God and that
Muhammad is His Messenger.”
No false gods:
• human
• material
• ideological
• self
Implications of One God:
One people
– Equality
– Respect
– Cooperation
– Protection

3. Jihad
Unending struggle for human perfection in
self-discipline, reason, morals,
behavior, and integrity.
• Knowledge
• Truthfulness
• Sobriety
• Courage
• Moderation
• Chastity
• Charity
• Humility
• Patience
• Faith
• Compassion
• Forgiveness
• Purity
• Gentleness

4. Jihad
Unending struggle for social perfection
• Life
• Liberty
• Equality
• Dignity
• Justice
PEACE

5. life
“…do not kill yourselves...” (4:29)
“Do not kill your children out of fear of
poverty…” (17:31)
“Do not kill any person Allah has made
inviolate, except with the right to do so.”
(17:33)
- self defense
- capital punishment
- combatants in war

6. Liberty
(freedom from subjugation)
“Say, ‘People of the Scripture!
Come to a proposition which is the
same for us and you – that we
should worship none but God, and
not associate anything with Him and
not take one another as lords
instead of God.’” (3:64)

7. equality
• The prophet Muhammad repeatedly said,
“I bear witness that all people are
brothers.”
• He told his followers that “an Arab is not
superior over a non-Arab, nor a white over
a black… the most honored of you is the
most righteous of you.”

8. dignity
• “The alms are for the poor, the destitute, those
who collect it, reconciling people’s hearts,
freeing slaves, those in debt, spending in the
way of Allah, and travelers. It is a legal
obligation from Allah. Allah is All-Knowing, All-
Wise.” (9:60)
• “Do not consume one another’s property by false
means, but only by means of mutually agreed
trade.” (4:29)
• “Women have rights similar to men.” (

9. Justice
The foundation of peace and progress.
• “…be upholders of justice… even against
yourselves or your parents and relatives.
(4:135) (i.e. don’t let the love of a people prevent you
from being just.)
• “…bear witness in justice, and do not let
the hatred of a people prevent you from
being just. Be just; that is nearer to
righteousness.” (5:8)

10. What is
Jihad?
• The struggle for self-perfection
• The struggle for social perfection
• Ultimately, the struggle for peace

11. Does
Jihad
=
voilence
?????

12. Do Muslims
Love Violence?
• First 13 years, Muslims were not allowed to fight,
even when they were tortured, imprisoned,
exiled, and killed.
• “Permission to fight has been granted to those
against whom war is wrongfully waged… (22:39)
• “Fighting is prescribed for you even (though) it is
hateful to you. It may be that you hate
something when it is good for you… God knows
and you do not know.” (2:216)

13. When is violence
justified?
• When necessary to restore peace:
“If two parties of the believers fight, make
peace between them. But if one of them
attacks the other unjustly, fight the
attackers until they revert to God’s
commands. If they revert, make peace
between them with justice, and be fair.
God loves those who are fair.”
(49:9)

14. When is violence
justified?
• When necessary to restore liberty, dignity:
“What reason could you have for not fighting in
the Way of God – for those men, women and
children who are oppressed and say, ‘Our
Lord, take us out of this city whose inhabitants
are wrongdoers! Give us a protector from
You! Give us a helper from You!’”
(4:75)

15. • When necessary as self-defense:
“Fight, in the way of God, against those who
fight you, but do not go beyond the limits.
God does not love those who go beyond the
limits.”
(2:190)
“…expel them from where they expelled you.”
(2:191)
When is violence
justified?

16. • 1978 UN General Assembly Resolution
reaffirmed:
“the legitimacy of the struggle of
peoples for independence… from...
foreign occupation by all available
means, particularly armed struggle.”
When is violence
justified?

17. Retaliation for aggression:
“And fight in God’s cause against those who
initially wage war against you, but do not
initiate aggression for, verily, God does
not love aggressors… Thus if anyone
commits aggression against you, attack
him just as he attacked you – but remain
conscious of God, and know that God is
with those who are conscious of Him.”
(2:190, 194)
When is violence
justified?

18. Jihad
Mohammed’s rules of engagement:
• Never kill innocent people
• Never torture prisoners of war
• Never kill animals or destroy crops, except for food
• Never mutilate the dead
• Don’t destroy infrastructures
• Protect women, children, the elderly
• Bury the dead of both sides
• Provide prisoners’ needs
see www.un.org

19. What is
Jihad?
• The struggle for self-perfection
• The struggle for social perfection
• The struggle for peace

20. Life
Liberty
Equality
Dignity
Justice
PEACE