ABOLITION OF JIHAAD?

As long as human life, liberty, conscience, conviction and faith are recognized and respected, man must have the right to defend himself and these rights. Every acquired right, individual or collective, can and must be defended if it is threatened. Therefore, each individual or collective has the right to defend itself. It is precisely this principle that gives the right to each state to have its own defence.

As for the Muslim, it is obligatory upon him to practice his faith and preserve his Deen (his religion). Therefore, it is obligatory for him to fight against any attempt or tendency that could cause harm and damage to his faith (Imaan). This is called 'Jihaad'.

TYPES OF JIHAAD

There are several types of Jihaad, including:

1. Jihaad against his own nafs (passions).

2. Jihaad against deviationist tendencies.

3. Jihaad against men.

WAYS OF DOING JIHAAD

There are several ways to do Jihaad, including:

1. Jihaad with the word.

2. Jihaad with the pen.

3. Jihaad with weapons.

Jihaad with weapons, as we have just seen, is one way, but not the only way to do jihaad. And this is done in order to defend and preserve one's faith and religion.

Jihaad is therefore a defensive and not an offensive means. And defence is a sacred right and therefore legitimate, just as offense is a crime, and therefore blameworthy. Consequently, to believe and to make believe, as often as we try to do it, that Jihaad only consists of taking up arms is a serious mistake just as it is a serious mistake to believe that Jihaad by force (by arms) was abolished after Ghazwa Badr (the battle of Badr). How can one entertain such an idea when the beloved Prophet (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam) has, after Ghazwa Badr, fought several other battles (Jihaad) such as Uhud, Ahzaab, Tabouk and Hunain. After the Prophet (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam), the Khulafa-e-Rashideen (Radiyallahu anhum) also made Jihaad.

Therefore, to believe or to make believe that the Jihaad has been abolished is equivalent to no longer believing in human rights and in his right to defend himself and his rights, which would be ridiculous. If human rights are sacred, the right to defend these rights is all the more sacred.

Hadhrat Anas (Radiyallahu anhu) reported that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam) said: "Jihaad has started since Allah sent me and will continue until the last part of my Ummat do the Jihaad with Dajjaal. Neither the deviation of someone who is deviated nor the justice of someone who is just can abolish it." (Abu Daawud)

[English version of "Abolition du Djihaad ?" – Al Haadi – Vol. 1 No. 3]