My presentation submitted to Dr. Gharib on the Hadith "I Have Been Ordered to Fight"-- Also shedding light on the notion of Jihad between widespread misconception and truthful meaning as presented in the Hadith.

1. Hadith- Second Year
Presented to Dr. Gharib Khalil
By: Maha Youssuf

2. Misconception over „Fighting the
Disbelievers‟; Explained in light of the
Noble Hadith
 Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)
narrated that the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) said;
 "I have been ordered to fight against people until they
testify that there is no god but Allah and that
Muhammad is the messenger of Allah and until they
perform the prayers and pay the zakat, and if they do so
they will have gained protection from me for their lives
and property, unless [they do acts that are punishable] in
accordance with Islam, and their reckoning will be with
Allah the Almighty."
-- [Related by Imams Bukhari and Muslim- may Allah
be pleased with them]

3. Introduction
 The use of the verb “fight” here refers to the notion
of struggle, and fighting the ideology of disbelief.
And fight as a verb means moving against the tide;
that is the prevailing disbelief at the time of the
commencement of the Prophet‟s mission.
 Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had to fight disbelief
out of people‟s minds and hearts, yet not through
the use of force, which was used only to ward off
offence and injustice launched and practiced against
Muslims back then.

4. Compulsion ??!!
 The Hadith doesn't‟t and shouldn't‟t in any way be
perceived as contradicting Allah‟s outright
statement in the Quran that there is no compulsion
in religion, i.e. nobody is to be forced to embrace the
religion of Islam and adopt the Islamic faith.
 “There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the
religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong.
So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has
grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it.
And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.”– {Quran 2:256”}

5. Compulsion ??!!
 Similarly those who are forced to “verbally”
abandon their religion are not considered to have
actually left Islam, given the fact that they were
forced to utter what‟s against their true belief.
 “Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief...
except for one who is forced [to renounce his
religion] while his heart is secure in faith. But those
who [willingly] open their breasts to disbelief,
upon them is wrath from Allah , and for them is a
great punishment;”–- {Quran 16:106}

6. Compulsion ??!!
 So Islam doesn't‟t condone the use of
force to force people into or out of one
faith or another. Embracing or
abandoning faiths should be done
voluntarily and out of deep and
genuine conviction.

7. The Concept of Jihad
 Idiomatically, Jihad, an Arabic word
derived form the root "Jahad", means
to "struggle" and struggle takes
various forms and is driven by a
variety of motivations: either spiritual,
physical, or mental- group or
individual struggle.

8. The Notion of Struggle
 Contrary to widespread misconception about the
idea of armed struggle and forcing people into
Islam, Islam doesn't call for armed struggle except
to defer attack by enemies, and not to initiate wars
and risk the lives of the innocent.
 The faulty affiliation between Jihad and armed
struggle and “terrorism” is politically motivated,
and used as a means to intervene with nations‟
domestic and foreign policies.

9. A Few Insights
 A deep look into the teachings of Islam would
render a totally different understanding of this
noble doctrine than what's sometimes said about it
being an ideology that's dangerous and prejudiced
against other faiths. Islam, as the word means in
Arabic, is one derivation of the root Salam, or peace.
And indeed it promotes peaceful-coexistence and
warding off whatever that may inflict harm on
human beings.

10. A Few Insights
 Allah says in the Qur'an:
 "On account of [his deed], We decreed to the
Children of Israel that if anyone kills a person–
unless in retribution for murder or spreading
corruption in the land– it is as if he kills all
mankind, while if any saves a life it is as if he
saves the lives of all mankind. Our messengers
came to them with clear signs, but many of
them continued to commit excesses in the
land." -- {Qur'an 5:32}

11. Misconception
 Apart from the widespread misconception about
Islam being spread by the power of sword, Islam's
truthful message lays strict emphasis on the sanctity
of human lives, whether Muslims or followers of
other faiths. Its teachings safeguard people's rights
and safety and has set sever punishments for acts of
sin that violate the sanctity of human lives and their
well- being.
 It's an ideology that fights terror not promotes it.

12. Reflections
 Islam prescribed fighting only its enemies, which
doesn't‟t generally encompass those who do not believe
in Islam.
 The enemies of Islam, as explained in many instances
throughout the Quran and Sunnah, are not merely the
disbelievers, but particularly those of them who fight the
Muslims and Islam as an ideology seeking to annihilate
it.
 The enemies of Islam used to persecute the prophets
(including Prophet Muhammad) and the believers In the
throughout the course of life of Prophet Muhammad and
earlier prophets, and they will continue to exist till the
end of time.