Sunday, September 16, 2001

Terrorism corrupts
teachings of Islam’s holy
book—the Koran

---

By Saleem Ahmed
Special to the Star-Bulletin

THE WORD jihad immediately conjures images of bearded, hawk-nosed, fanatic Muslims on the warpath, killing infidels indiscriminately in total submission to Allah (the Arabic word for God), not fearing death as this would only assure them a berth in Paradise. The tragic killing and destruction at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon are cited as proofs.

But that perception is not correct. No passage in the Koran, the Muslim holy book, gives wanton license to kill. "Holy War" is permitted only in self-defense, and only to counter oppression. The Koran states:

"Fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for God does not love transgressors ... And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression and there prevail justice and faith in God; but if they cease (fighting), let there be no hostility except against those who practice oppression." (2:190-193)

"Do not take for friends hypocrites .... except those who join a group between whom and you there is a treaty (of peace) or those who approach you with hearts restraining them from fighting you as well as fighting their own people ... Therefore if they withdraw from you and do not fight you, and (instead) send you (guarantees of) peace, then, God has opened no way for you (to war against them)." (4:89-90)

"If the enemy inclines toward peace, you (also) incline toward peace." (8:6)

Thus, Muslims are forbidden to initiate aggression; only to retaliate in self-defense. They are not to conquer, subjugate, and kill others, drive them from their homes, or usurp their land. The "war" is to end immediately when oppression ceases. Muslims are are to protect the innocent, especially women and children; no plundering or rape is to occur.

Unfortunately, the word jihad has been used inaccurately -- not only by non-Muslims but by Muslims. The latter have used it often for their own self-serving reasons. It has been used as a rallying point to inspire people for all sorts of purposes, and was used by both Iran and Iraq in their war against each other.

The tragedy in New York City and Washington, D.C., cannot be justified as jihad by any passage in the Koran. Unfortunately, some Americans on the mainland have started a hate campaign against Muslims by twisting the meanings of these Koranic verses and painting all Muslims and Islam as evil.

Saleem Ahmed:
The Koran allows violence
only in self-defense.

If humanity has evolved over the past 5,000-plus years, one can only hope that we have learned that a "holier than thou" attitude gets us nowhere. We are all together in this mess. Since we probably cannot destroy any one group, the least we can do is to try "peaceful co-existence." Ideally, we should do better than that and live in peace and harmony.

The Koran directs Muslims to acknowledge, honor, and respect all prophets that God sent the world over ("those named and those unnamed") and make no differentiation among them. While the Koran mentions Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, and other Biblical prophets, I include among "the unnamed" Zoroaster, Gautama Buddha, Vardhamana Mahavira, Lao Tzu, and Confucius as well as the unnamed prophets of Hinduism, Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, Australian aborigines, and ancient Europeans. They were sent to guide us onto the "right path." We should similarly honor and respect religious reformers of more recent times, such as Guru Nanak and Baha'ullah.

Actually, jihad has a broader meaning: "to strive in a noble way." While it includes "holy war," Muslims are commanded to put into daily practice the concept of the "holy peace" of jihad. These include peaceful means to counter injustice, helping the poor, tending the sick, protecting the weak, giving in charity, showing humility, rising above selfishness, and controlling one's ego.

God has promised paradise to those who engage in righteous activities daily and to those who lay down their lives fighting oppression and injustice. Peaceful jihad carries a higher status than violence. The Prophet Muhammad emphasized this when he said: "The best jihad in the path of God is to speak a word of justice to an oppressive ruler."

The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. carried out jihad to end racial discrimination in the United States; Nelson Mandela conducted jihad to end apartheid in South Africa; and Mother Theresa carried out jihad to help the downtrodden in Calcutta.

Let us collectively embark on a jihad of love, understanding, and tolerance. We owe this to the innocent people who were mercilessly snatched away from us on Sept. 11.

---

Saleem Ahmed of Hawaii Kai is a Muslim
who serves on the American Muslim Council
in Washington, D.C.