Jihad as an essential principle of human life an understanding from the Qur’anic perspective

Many a Qur’anic concept has been misunderstood and misinterpreted by both protagonists and antagonists. JihÉd is one such Qur’anic term. Today its meaning, purpose, and application appear confusing. The most popular import of this term is war against the enemies of Islam. D...

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Main Author: Khan, Israr Ahmad
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: International Islamic University Malaysia 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:http://irep.iium.edu.my/22034/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/22034/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/22034/1/4-Jihad_as_an_Essential_Principle_of_Human_Life.pdf
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spelling iium-220342012-03-06T02:37:41Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/22034/ Jihad as an essential principle of human life an understanding from the Qur’anic perspective Khan, Israr Ahmad BP170.3 Missionary work of Islam Many a Qur’anic concept has been misunderstood and misinterpreted by both protagonists and antagonists. JihÉd is one such Qur’anic term. Today its meaning, purpose, and application appear confusing. The most popular import of this term is war against the enemies of Islam. Does this meaning of jihÉd commensurate with its Qur’anic usage? Or have Muslim scholars and commentators of the Qur’an imposed their own idea of jihÉd in the minds of the people? To resolve this entangled and misunderstood Qur’anic usage of jihad in an objective manner is a big challenge to the Muslim scholars of the post-modern era. The word jihad has occurred in the Qur’an forty one times, eleven times in Makkan revelations and the remaining thirty times in Madinan revelations. It has been used in both noun and verb forms. In order to understand, and interpret the concept of jihad in the Qur’an, one has to read it within the contexts it has occurred. To read a statement in isolation of its context is in sheer contrast with universally established rule of justice. If the word jihad in the Qur’an is read and deliberated over within the given context, it may appear that jihad is not an act of Islamic life like solah, zakah, hajj, nikah etc but rather it is an underlying principle of life to be applied in every walk of life. It is like the other Qur’anic principles of life such as ihsan, taqwa, ‘adl etc. The word jihÉd denotes doing the best everywhere, whether in devotional matter, social life, economic undertaking, political struggle, cultural activity, educational endeavor, or military expedition. It is suggested here that all the forty one verses where the word jihad has occurred in the Qur’an should be interpreted by applying coherent methodology. The writer of this paper hereby proposes to do his part of jihad with intellectual honesty to interpret the word jihad as used in the Qur’an. For that purpose, he will, wherever it is possible, refer to scholars’ views and evaluate them critically so as to unfold the truth concerning jihad in the Qur’an. International Islamic University Malaysia 2011 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/22034/1/4-Jihad_as_an_Essential_Principle_of_Human_Life.pdf Khan, Israr Ahmad (2011) Jihad as an essential principle of human life an understanding from the Qur’anic perspective. Journal of Islam in Asia, Spcl (1). pp. 315-340. ISSN 1823-0970 http://www.iium.edu.my/jiasia/ojs-2.2/index.php/Islam
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Local University
institution International Islamic University Malaysia
building IIUM Repository
collection Online Access
language English
topic BP170.3 Missionary work of Islam
spellingShingle BP170.3 Missionary work of Islam
Khan, Israr Ahmad
Jihad as an essential principle of human life an understanding from the Qur’anic perspective
description Many a Qur’anic concept has been misunderstood and misinterpreted by both protagonists and antagonists. JihÉd is one such Qur’anic term. Today its meaning, purpose, and application appear confusing. The most popular import of this term is war against the enemies of Islam. Does this meaning of jihÉd commensurate with its Qur’anic usage? Or have Muslim scholars and commentators of the Qur’an imposed their own idea of jihÉd in the minds of the people? To resolve this entangled and misunderstood Qur’anic usage of jihad in an objective manner is a big challenge to the Muslim scholars of the post-modern era. The word jihad has occurred in the Qur’an forty one times, eleven times in Makkan revelations and the remaining thirty times in Madinan revelations. It has been used in both noun and verb forms. In order to understand, and interpret the concept of jihad in the Qur’an, one has to read it within the contexts it has occurred. To read a statement in isolation of its context is in sheer contrast with universally established rule of justice. If the word jihad in the Qur’an is read and deliberated over within the given context, it may appear that jihad is not an act of Islamic life like solah, zakah, hajj, nikah etc but rather it is an underlying principle of life to be applied in every walk of life. It is like the other Qur’anic principles of life such as ihsan, taqwa, ‘adl etc. The word jihÉd denotes doing the best everywhere, whether in devotional matter, social life, economic undertaking, political struggle, cultural activity, educational endeavor, or military expedition. It is suggested here that all the forty one verses where the word jihad has occurred in the Qur’an should be interpreted by applying coherent methodology. The writer of this paper hereby proposes to do his part of jihad with intellectual honesty to interpret the word jihad as used in the Qur’an. For that purpose, he will, wherever it is possible, refer to scholars’ views and evaluate them critically so as to unfold the truth concerning jihad in the Qur’an.
format Article
author Khan, Israr Ahmad
author_facet Khan, Israr Ahmad
author_sort Khan, Israr Ahmad
title Jihad as an essential principle of human life an understanding from the Qur’anic perspective
title_short Jihad as an essential principle of human life an understanding from the Qur’anic perspective
title_full Jihad as an essential principle of human life an understanding from the Qur’anic perspective
title_fullStr Jihad as an essential principle of human life an understanding from the Qur’anic perspective
title_full_unstemmed Jihad as an essential principle of human life an understanding from the Qur’anic perspective
title_sort jihad as an essential principle of human life an understanding from the qur’anic perspective
publisher International Islamic University Malaysia
publishDate 2011
url http://irep.iium.edu.my/22034/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/22034/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/22034/1/4-Jihad_as_an_Essential_Principle_of_Human_Life.pdf
first_indexed 2023-09-18T20:33:42Z
last_indexed 2023-09-18T20:33:42Z
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