Category Archive: JIHAD

Jul
27

Words do matter

by JOOST LAGENDIJK – TODAY’S ZAMAN J.lagendijk@todayszaman.com 26 July 2011 After the Norway massacre in which a homegrown extreme-right Islamophobe killed dozens of people, a profound debate started in the United States and Europe on how this could happen. One of the most sensitive elements in that discussion is the relationship between, on the one …

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Jul
27

Norway attacks confirm danger of racial hatred, xenophobia, Islamophobia

27 July 2011 Moscow, Interfax – The recent terror attacks in Norway evidence the need to strengthen international cooperation in resisting racial hatred and xenophobia, Moscow believes. “Firstly, I would want to join the sincere condolences expressed to the Norwegian people,” Russian Foreign Ministry Envoy for Human Rights, Democracy and the Supremacy of Law Konstantin …

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Apr
25

Islam about Peace, not Hatred

Muslim terrorist, Arab jihadist, Islamic militia. In recent years, these words have almost become synonymous with each other in the daily news. With the onslaught of news coverage of the Middle East, all the news about Islam and Muslims seems to be bad. All Americans see on their televisions are visions of turban-clad men screaming …

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Apr
04

The Spirit of Tolerance in Islam

by Muzammil H. Siddiqi Intolerance is on the increase in the world today, causing death, genocide, violence, religious persecution as well as confrontations on different levels. Some times it is racial and ethnic, some times it is religious and ideological, other times it is political and social. In every situation it is evil and painful. …

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Jan
28

“Lybia’s Talk”

by Dr. Ibrahim Abu-Rabi When Professor Mahmoud Ayoub asked me to talk about Muslim identity, I said to myself, this would be an easy topic. However, the more I pondered this, the more I came to realize that discussing identity in Islamic theology and history is not an easy matter. I would like to discuss …

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Jan
28

Jihad and Just War in Islam

by Dr.Munir El-Kassem Many people believe that Jihad is synonymous with “Holy War”, or fighting in general. Not only it is wrong to equate Jihad with fighting, it constitutes a gross misunderstanding of historical facts to use “Jihad” and “Holy War” exchangeably. In order to clarify the principle of Jihad one needs to engage in …

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Jan
05

Islam and War: A State Action

In Islam, war is not the prerogative of the individual but of an established government. Only an established government can declare war. In other words, individuals can pray on their own, but they cannot wage wars of their own accord. Only when a war is declared by the ruling government, can the public join in …

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Dec
18

Madina Charter, Pact

Full Text of the Madina Charter 1. This is a document from Muhammad the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), governing relations between the Believers i.e. Muslims of Quraysh and Yathrib and those who followed them and worked hard with them. They form one nation — Ummah. 2. The Quraysh Mohajireen will …

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Dec
11

Dialogue in the Muhammadan Spirit and Meaning

I do not like to make claims and I have a poor memory, but in spite of this I can recite tens of verses, one after the other, that are concerned with forgiveness, dialogue and opening one’s heart to all. This demonstrates the allembracing nature or universality of Islam. For example, the Qur’an states, “peace …

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Dec
11

Jihad: Does It Really Mean Holy War?

Al-Hajj Talib ‘Abdur-Rashid, imam of the Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood in Harlem answers a question that has puzzled both non-Muslims and Muslims for ages. What is jihad and what role does it play in the lives of Muslims? Answer: Jihad is one of the most misunderstood of Islamic terms used today, and many Muslims are …

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Dec
11

Save a Life, Save All Humanity–Take a Life, Kill All Humanity

For years Islamic terrorists have justified their actions as being compelled by their faith. Osama Bin Laden reportedly thanked Allah when he heard the news of this week’s attack. Other terrorist groups invoke Islam as well. Hezbollah, the name of one militant group, is the Arabic word for Party of God; Hamas is the Islamic …

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Dec
11

Does Islam Promote Violence?

John Esposito, raised a Roman Catholic in Brooklyn, New York, is the director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University. He spoke with Beliefnet after the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. How did Islam get this reputation for violence? Americans have very little background about Muslims. Historically, Muslims were not visible …

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Dec
11

What the Qur’an Really Says About Violence

It is open season on Islam these days, with conservative critics making remark after remark that attack Islam, Muslims, the Qur’an, and the Prophet Muhammad as pervasively and inherently bad. An essential argument these conservatives and others have against Islam is that the Qur’an preaches violence. The most popular verse quoted is the fabled Verse …

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Dec
10

War Ethics in Islam

Question: I am not a Muslim. Yet I’m a peace-loving person and I am eager to know whether there are ethics that govern war in your religion, especially as we know and see what happens nowadays: gross violations of all ethics and teachings. Your earliest response will be very much appreciated. In The Name of …

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Oct
25

Islam and Jihad (3)

How should you not fight for the cause of God and of the feeble and oppressed men and women and children, who cry: “Our Master! Bring us out of this town whose people are oppressors! Give us from Your presence some protecting friend! Give us from Your presence some defender!” (4:75) Some rules. As believers …

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Oct
25

Islam and Jihad (2)

The Companions of the Prophet were fearless on the battlefields, and as sincere and humble as dervishes in worshipping God. Those victorious warriors used to spend most of their nights praying to God. Once, when night fell during battle, two of them took turns in standing guard. One rested while the other prayed. Having become …

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Oct
25

Islam and Jihad (1)

Jihad has the literal meaning of exerting our best and greatest effort to achieve something. It is not the equivalent of war, for which the Arabic word is qital. Jihad has a much wider connotation and embraces every kind of striving in God’s cause. A mujahid is one who is sincerely devoted to his or …

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