Principles of Islam
19. Greater Jihad
~ 54 ~
never asks its believers to do the ‘greater’
jihad
by
means of the gun.
This is a clear proof that
jihad
is, in actual fact, a
wholly peaceful activity, carried out through
peaceful methods. It has nothing to do with violent
activities or violent threats.
Jihad
through the Qur’an means striving to the
utmost to present the teachings of the Qur’an before
the people. That is, presenting the concept of One
God as opposed to the concept of many gods;
presenting
akhirah-oriented
life as superior to world-
oriented life; principle-oriented life as against
interest-oriented life; a humanitarian-oriented life as
more elevated than a self-oriented life and a duty-
oriented life as a categorical imperative taking
moral precedence over a rights-oriented life.
Jihad,
according to Islam, is not something about
which there is any mystery. It is simply a natural
requirement of daily living. It is vital both as a
concept and as a practice because, while leading his
life in this world, man is repeatedly confronted by
such circumstances as are likely to derail him from
the humanitarian path of the highest order.
