Jihad - A Holy War Essay - 6110 Words

Jihad It was once a word unfamiliar to American ears. But in recent years it has become all too familiar. The actions of Muslim militants and terrorists have seared the word into American consciousness. Yet even with thousands of innocent civilians killed on American soil by Islamic terrorists, the full significance of the Muslim concept of jihad has not been grasped by the American public. In the days after September 11, 2001, American leaders rushed to portray Islam as a peaceful religion that had been quot;hijackedquot; by a fanatical band of terrorists. One hopes that these assurances were merely tactical—that nobody was meant to believe them and that they were meant to assure the Muslim world that the inevitable American†¦show more content†¦They will have to face it in the future. The Muslim Worldview To understand the connection between Islam and violence, one must understand certain facets of the Muslim worldview. One of the most important is the fact that, according to the historic Muslim understanding, there is no separation between religion and government—what in Christianity would be called the separation of church and state. We are not speaking here of the secularist idea that the state should marginalize religion and discourage people from voting their consciences as Christians. We are talking about the idea that church and state are not the same thing and that they have different spheres of activity. This idea of a separation between religion and government is not characteristic of most peoples in world history. It is a contribution to the world of ideas that was made by Christians—indeed, by Christ himself. In his book Islam and the West, historian Bernard Lewis explains: quot;The notion that religion and political authority, church and state, are different and that they can or should be separated is, in a profound sense, Christian. Its origins may be traced to the teachings of Christ, notably in the famous passage in Matthew 22:21, in which Christ is quoted as saying: ‘Render therefore unto Caesar the things which areShow MoreRelatedChristian Holy War And Jihad1471 Words   |  6 Pagestook place in the 11th century that attempted to recapture the Holy Land of Jerusalem, called upon by Pope Urban II could be considered a Christian Holy similar to Muslim’s calling for Jihad. Jihad in Islamic practice is a Holy War fought by Muslims to guard and/or spread their belief as a civic duty. Through the effort to take back Jerusalem from the Muslims, the Pope was calling the Roman Catholics in Europe to militarily conquer the Holy Land and ultimately resulted in the Christians recapturing JerusalemRead MoreJihad : The World Is Mindful Of The Ter m `` Jihad ``1407 Words   |  6 Pagesgroup in the world yet controversial, the world is mindful of the term â€Å"Jihad†. The term has been coined and implemented negatively by the extremists in the name of Islam resulting in a shaken misbalance in the Islamic as well as in the rest of the world. In the light of recent events, the Arabic word â€Å"Jihad† has gained vital attention. The reason I chose this word is to make a little effort providing true and basic insight of jihad as described in Islam. Most people are aware of this term, use and criticizeRead MoreJihad Is A Symbol Of Destruction And Terrorism909 Words   |  4 PagesArguably the most misunderstood term in the religion of Islam, Jihad could mean one of two things: a struggle for or against something or a Holy War against a nation. The idea of Jihad came about when Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), most praised and recognized Prophet of Islam, wanted to spread Islam. Today, Jihad is a symbol of de struction and terrorism. It is frequently seen in the headlines of Western media as a demeaning term meaning an all-out explosive battle has been ensuing betweenRead More The meaning and Concepts of Jihad Essay848 Words   |  4 PagesThe Holy of Holy Wars: Jihad In light of recent events in the global community, one word that is used frequently but rarely truly understood is the Islamic word Jihad. Jihad has become a very volatile word, so it is necessary that those who use it should understand exactly what it means, what it entails, and what significance it has in current global events. There are many interpretations of the word Jihad, but the most common literal translation from Arabic to English is struggle. ManyRead MoreThe Jihad is probably one of the most misunderstood and feared terms in modern day America. Ever1300 Words   |  6 PagesThe Jihad is probably one of the most misunderstood and feared terms in modern day America. Ever since the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11th, 2001, the Muslim religious duty of Jihad has had only negative connotations. Of course, seeing two trademark buildings collapsed and mangled on the groundwith thousands dead all in the name of religion would have anyone jump to a negative conclusion. But what most people don’t understand is that the meaning of the term â€Å"Jihad†Read MoreEssay on The Terrorists Attack on the World Trade Centre in New York1205 Words   |  5 Pages The terrorists attack on the World Trade Centre in New York on September 9, 2001 which changes the western concept about Islam and Muslims. Moreover, Islamic concept â€Å"Jihad† is criticized and it is questioned among Non-Muslims. 9/11 attack not only effects non-Muslims but also the Muslims who have no connections with the terrorist groups. As well as they do not support these terrorism. These Muslims face the hatred of the non-western people. They feel guilty about the Sin, they neitherRead MoreIslam and Jihad Essay1185 Words   |  5 Pagesword Jihad literally means holy struggle. It is not holy war. War is war. No war can be holy. The blood of humans is holy and sacred. The Quran says unjust killing of one man means the killing of the whole mankind. What is just killing and what is unjust killing. When some body kills a man without any reason or justification it is unjust killing. When the judge gives the capital punishment to this murderer and issue s the order of his death, it is a just killing. Similarly, when a war isRead MoreDoes Religion Cause Wars?1258 Words   |  6 PagesThere is a conventional belief among many individuals that religion is the main cause of the present and past wars inflicting torment within the world. However, many humans fail to see past that belief; they are unable to understand that religion is just a small factor amongst the many contributing to the cause of wars. In fact, religion is merely a tool and an excuse used to hide the need for power and sins of the human nature. Among these factors, it may be the misinterpretation of religious teachingsRead MoreMuslims Of The Third Crusade : Saint Or Saladin?1314 Words   |  6 Pagesthat â€Å"I have become so great as I am because I have won men’s hearts by gentleness and kindliness,† (Saladin). In a war that was preceded by the mess of the Second Crusade, it was necessary that each army would be of one accord with the teachings of t heir religion in their conquests and convictions. In the Third Crusade, the Muslim armies adhered consistently to the doctrine of jihad in the protection of their territory, their truce with the Franks, and their treatment of Jerusalem’s inhabitants.Read MoreA Short Note On Da And Its Attack On America On September 11, 2001 Essay824 Words   |  4 PagesPresident and any inaccuracies will be addressed in the memo. Background Al Qai’da began in the 1980’s due to the war between the Russians and Afghanistan. â€Å"Al- Qaeda â€Å"The Base† was developed by Usama Bin Laden and others in the early 1980’s to support the war effort in Afghanistan against the Soviets.† (FBI.gov). Bin Laden created the group based on Syyid Qutb’s teachings that Jihad should be waged in order for the Quran to be what is followed in society. It should be noted that after victory in