In general, disagreement among Muslims regarding the use of jihad has been deeply influenced by social and political contexts. In fact, in recent decades, many Muslims believe it is their right or obligation to wage jihad against religious, political or social oppression.
Evidence
For the most part, modern-day literature on jihad focuses on the greater jihad: the struggle to be a loyal servant of God, the struggle for the good of Muslim society and against corruption and decadence, etc. At the same time, almost all of these writings emphasize that there is a wider argument. They point out the linguistic derivation of the term “jihad” from jahada, which means “to exert oneself” or “to strive” and that this has a much friendlier connotation than the word qital, which means “to fight.” The latter necessarily implies killing or bloodshed, whereas jihad does not. 60 For this reason, “holy war” is not considered to be an accurate definition by modern-day scholars. — Asena Karipek, Portrayals of Jihad, 69 (
#contradicts, via linked claim)
While prominent Muslim terrorists like bin Laden often invoke religious language and symbols, it is doubtful that religious ideology is the main driving force behind their violent acts. John Esposito argues that the causes of terrorism are more often than not rooted in political and economic grievances. Statements from bin Laden and other terrorists often refer to the long history of Western interventionism in Muslim-majority regions and to larger political grievances, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the presence of US military troops in the Middle East, US exploitation of the Middle East’s oil and energy resources, and the legacy of European colonialism. Even if we consider the possibility that the religious convictions articulated by Muslim terrorists are genuine, religion alone cannot explain their actions. — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 284 (
#corroborates, via linked claim)
The devout middle class, which sometimes has the backing of other segments of society, typically tends to be more conservative in its orientation and constitutes the “moderate” Islamist wing. While members of this class share the vision of creating an Islamic state, they prefer to do so under conditions of social stability that advance their economic interests. Urban youth displaced from the middle class due to a lack of opportunity, on the other hand, tend to be open to more confrontational and violent tactics; they constitute the “radical” wing of the Islamist movement. At times these two groups have cooperated with each other; at other times they have gone their separate ways. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 346 (
#expands, via linked claim)
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: Jihad means struggle and carries a contested internal and external history — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 285; There is no universally accepted definition of jihad and nor has there ever been throughout history. There is not even one definition currently accepted by all Muslims. Rather, the doctrine of jihad is the product of the interpretations of various individuals and authorities and how they have applied the principles of sacred texts in various historical and political contexts.; This opinion stems from a verse in the Qur’an that states that there is no compulsion in religion. They also point to other verses that seem to suggest Islam’s acceptance of a diversity of religious beliefs. Jihad is also used in the context of dying for Islam. According to the Qur’an, dying for Islam is the highest form of witness to God. Jihad is sometimes invoked in order to encourage Muslims to participate in wars against non-Muslims because a Muslim who dies on the battlefield for the cause of Islam will be directly admitted into heaven. (+13 more)
Related
- Modern Islamic scholars define jihad as spiritual striving, not holy war (similarity 0.87)
- Jihad means struggle and carries a contested internal and external history (similarity 0.87)
- Most Islamic scholars reject jihad as a tool for forced conversion (similarity 0.87)
- Class position determines whether Islamists adopt moderate or radical tactics (similarity 0.85)
- In their view, jihad is universal revolutionary struggle and that the modernists’ search for moral justifications for jihad is senseless because jihad is prescribed by the Qur’an. At the same… (similarity 0.85)
- Jihad spans warfare, inner struggle, defending the oppressed, and serving parents (similarity 0.84)
- The modern period also brought about a new ‘fundamentalist’ movement, which came with a reinterpretation of Islam and its own stance on jihad. The fundamentalists tended to focus less on legal… (similarity 0.83)
- By the end of the 19th century, Khan’s interpretation of jihad as defensive warfare became popular in the Middle East, especially in Egypt. This was due to the adoption of this ideal by Muhammad… (similarity 0.82)
- The holy war tradition is Western, not originally Islamic. (similarity 0.81)
- Political grievances drive terrorism more than religious ideology does (similarity 0.80)
- Jihad originally obliged peaceful mission, with war only as last resort (similarity 0.79)
- Prominent Islamophobes like Pamela Gellar, Robert Spencer, Daniel Pipes, Steven Emerson, and Frank Gaffney, as well as others, portray jihad as Muslims’ attempt to force non-Muslims to convert to… (similarity 0.78)
- Mainstream political usage has severed the word jihad from its Arabic meaning (similarity 0.78)
Broader Connections
- Modern Islamic scholars define jihad as spiritual striving, not holy war
#contradicts(0.70) — Asena Karipek, Portrayals of Jihad, 69 - Political grievances drive terrorism more than religious ideology does
#corroborates(0.35) — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 284 - Class position determines whether Islamists adopt moderate or radical tactics
#expands(0.30) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 346