Why does a peace loving religion require Jihads?

Question

Isnt this an oxymoron? Besides todays Jihads theres been hundreds before it...

Islamic jihads (holy wars), mandated by the Koran, killed millions over 12 centuries. In early years, Muslim armies spread the faith rapidly: east to India and west to Morocco. Then splintering sects branded other Muslims as infidels and declared jihads against them. The Kharijis battled Sunni rulers. The Azariqis decreed death to all "sinners" and their families. In 1804 a Sudanese holy man, Usman dan Fodio, waged a bloody jihad that broke the religious sway of the Sultan of Gobir. In the 1850s another Sudanese mystic, 'Umar al-Hajj, led a barbaric jihad to convert pagan African tribes -- with massacres, beheadings and a mass execution of 300 hostages. In the 1880s a third Sudanese holy man, Muhammad Ahmed, commanded a jihad that destroyed a 10,000-man Egyptian army and wiped out defenders of Khartoum led by British general Charles "Chinese" Gordon.

Are Jihads peaceful ways to an Islamic heaven?

Answer 1

How can the slaughter of another be a peaceful way to an islamic heaven?

If we put a head count to the islamic killings, and i dont mean only violent blood thirsty killings, what kind of numbers would we come up with? .

I mean spiritual killing.

Is it not a blood thirsty violent way to an islamic heaven?

Answer 2

Jihad does not mean "holy war" . Jihad is derived from the root jhd whose primary meaning is to strive or to exert oneself. Jihad is required to protect the faith against others; it can be performed using anything from legal, diplomatic and economic to political means. If there is no peaceful alternative, Islam allows the use of force as the last resolution, yet it God has set are strict rules of engagement. For instance innocents -- such as women, children, or invalids – should never be harmed, and any peaceful overtures from the enemy must be accepted. Ofcourse the term has been abused by Muslims and Non-Muslims thus giving it a bad reputation. A crime is a crime. When the rules of engagement aren't followed and the lives of innocent are harmed, we cannot say this was a jihad because Allah (swt) is displeased with aggression. Addressing it as a jihad is only glorifying the criminals deeds and shifting the focus off the real problems.
If you want to read more checkout:
http://www.dislam.org/content/view/364/38/

Answer 3

As a Roman Catholic, I am ashamed of the Inquisition. That being said, I am also cognizent that The Holy Roman Catholic Church has, in modern times, not only made attonement for the sins of our forebears but strived to bring peace and tolerance to the world.

Almost all religions proscribe to the tenet of propagation of the faith. There was a time when religious homogeny and political homogeny were one and the same. In a tolerant, secular world, there is no place for Inquisition, Crusade or ... Jihad.

Jihadists fight (mis)guided by faith. The secular governments of the world, having been organized and bound by the concept of religious freedom, propagate a faith of religious freedom. I guess you could call this a "secular jihad".

In the long run, however, which do you think is more endearing to God (Allah, Yaweh, etc.), freedom to worship Him as you choose, or being forced to conform to someone else's Idea of worship?

OK, the short answer is NO!

Answer 4

First I would like to say to Mr." whynotaskdon" that his fabrication is cheap, there is no verse in Qura'an with the name "The Sword"

Second , what is wrong with " Jihad"?
Third, do you know the meaning of Jihad?

Now, read any Islamic reference, and you will find the meaning of Jihad, is:...
1- Controlling self and fighting Satan by not doing any wrong, is Jihad
2- Teaching others what is Islam, is Jihad.
3- Traveling far from home seeking knowledge beneficial for humans and Islam , is Jihad.
4- Defending your family against murderers is Jihad.
5- Defending your country against enemy, is Jihad.

What is wrong in Jihad...
Hello Mr. whynotaskdon....do you know all these things, if not you are not, worth being asked.

Answer 5

In recent years, a great deal of attention in the media have been given to the threat of "Islaamic Fundamentalism". Unfortunately, due to a twisted mixture of biased reporting in the Western media and the actions of some ignorant Muslims, the word "Islaam" has become almost synonymous with "terrorism". However, when one analyses the situation, the question that should come to mind is:

Do the teachings of Islaam encourage terrorism?

The answer: Certainly not!

Islaam totally forbids the terrorist acts that are carried out by some misguided people. It should be remembered that all religions have cults and misguided followers, so it is their teachings that should be looked at, not the actions of a few individuals. Unfortunately, in the media, whenever a Muslim commits a heinous act, he is labeled a "Muslim terrorist".

However, when Serbs murder and rape innocent women in Bosnia, they are not called "Christian terrorists", nor are the activities in Northern Ireland labeled "Christian terrorism". Also, when right-wing Christians in the U. S. bomb abortion clinics, they are not called "Christian terrorists". Reflecting on these facts, one could certainly conclude that there is a double-standard in the media! Although religious feelings play a significant role in the previously mentioned "Christian" conflicts, the media does not apply religious labels because they assume that such barbarous acts have nothing to do with the teachings of Christianity. However, when something happens involving a Muslim, they often try to put the blame on Islaam itself - and not the misguided individual.

Certainly, Islaamic Law (Sharee'ah) allows war - any religion or civilisation that did not would never survive - but it certainly does not condone attacks against innocent people, women or children. The Arabic word "jihaad", which is often translated as "Holy War", simply means "to struggle". The word for "war" in Arabic is "harb", not "jihaad". "Struggling", i.e. "making jihaad", to defend Islaam, Muslims or to liberate a land where Muslims are oppressed is certainly allowed (and even encouraged) in Islaam.

However, any such activities must be done according to the teachings of Islaam. Islaam also clearly forbids "taking the law into your own hands", which means that individual Muslims cannot go around deciding who they want to kill, punish or torture.

Trial and punishment must be carried out by a lawful authority and a knowledgeable judge. Also, when looking at events in the Muslim World, it should be kept in mind that a long period of colonialism ended fairly recently in most Muslim countries. During this time, the people in these countries were culturally, materially and religiously exploited - mostly by the so-called "Christian" nations of the West. This painful period has not really come to an end in many Muslim countries, where people are still under the control of foreign powers or puppet regimes supported by foreign powers.

Also, through the media, people in the West are made to believe that tyrants like Saddam Hussein in Iraq and Moamar Qaddafi in Libya are "Islaamic" leaders - when just the opposite is true. Neither of these rulers even profess Islaam as an ideology, but only use Islaamic slogans to manipulate their powerless populations. They have about as much to do with Islaam as Hitler had to do with Christianity! In reality, many Middle Eastern regimes which people think of as being "Islaamic" oppress the practice of Islaam in their countries. So suffice it to say that "terrorism" and killing innocent people directly contradicts the teachings of Islaam.

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Prepared by: Abu 'Iyaad

Answer 6

""Why does a peace loving religion require Jihads?""

A very Simple Answer to this question.

The PEACE that we are talking about can ONLY COME when EVERYONE worships the moon god allah.

It is in the Qurän !

See ""The Verse of The Sword"" == Quarán 9:5 .

Answer 7

to know,go to www.islamonline.net