Islam Rediscovered
12. Islamic Fundamentalism
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stressed that the word
“jihad”
has nowhere been
used in the Quran to mean the waging of war. The
Quran is imbued with the spirit of peace and
tolerance. Its culture is not that of war but of mercy.
ON ISLAM AND JIHAD
At the very beginning of the Qur’an, the first
invocation reads: “In the name of God, the most
Merciful, the most Beneficent.” Throughout the
Qur’an, this verse is repeated for no less than 114
times. Even one of God’s names is
As-Salam
(Peace).
Moreover, the Qur’an states that the Prophet
Muhammad, may peace be upon him, was sent to
the world
as a mercy to mankind
(21:107).
The word
‘jihad’
has nowhere been used in the
Qur’an to mean war in the sense of launching an
offensive. It is used rather to mean ‘struggle.’ The
action most consistently called for in the Qur’an is
the exercise of patience. Yet today, the ‘Muslim
Mujahidin
’ under unfavourable conditions have
equated “God is Great” with “War is Great.”
In the light of on-going conflict, we must ask why
so great a contradiction has arisen between the
