 with sword? Why one fights with weapons? To realize personal ambitions and that is sin, not jihad. Jihad with weapons could be permitted at best for ones own defence as Qur’an strictly forbids Muslims from committing aggression as Allah does not love aggressors. If despite all this one commits aggression it cannot be responsibility of Islam.
If a person distorts meaning of jihad to realize his personal ambitions no fair-minded person will hold Islamic teachings responsible for that. If someone does as western media and a section of politicians have been doing, it is not only utter ignorance but also because of their vested interests. A serious scholar would never buy such cheap propaganda. But unfortunately the lay readers and watchers of media do fall victim to it and develop strong prejudices against Islam and Muslims.
It is interesting to note here that western media changes its colour according to its interests. In seventies of the last century when after war between Egypt and Israel oil became a precious commodity and west could not do without the Arab oil, a month long Islamic festival was organized in London and Islam’s contribution to world civilization was projected in a very positive light and the media carried hundreds of articles praising Islam and its contribution.
However, when Israel emerged as strong and Arab states were controlled thanks to unconditional support of USA, the whole attitude of the US rulers changed and especially so after the collapse of Soviet Union, they need another powerful enemy and so they began to project Islam as an ‘evil’ as earlier communism was an ‘evil’. First they used Osama bin Laden to bring about collapse of Soviet Union and then targeted Osama to portray Islam as an ‘evil’.
So it is all function of ones interest and not any conviction Now that political conditions are changing fast in West Asia one has to see how media portrays Islam. Now it would be difficult for US rulers to get away supporting few despots in that region and will have to deal with common people’s representative. Their unconditional support to Israel may also have to be reviewed.
Islam’s contribution to the world civilization is so great that only very petty minded people can reduce it to Osama’s misguided actions or it is only to serve ones powerful vested interests. No religion, let alone Islam, can be reduced to mere violence. Had it been so how millions of people for centuries will follow it? Political ideologies based on violence may be followed in a period of crisis. The best examples are Nazism and Fascism. Such ideologies also are rejected during normal periods.
However, religion is based on spiritual experience and is meant for inner development. Its eternal basis can only be love and spiritual growth, not violence and destruction. State and violence could go together as state happens to be coercive agency of the ruling classes but religion and violence can never go together. Religion provides succor to discontented soul and helps people overcome their inner crisis. Its very basis is on faith in goodness and higher values.
The ultimate aim of religion is to produce what Sufis refer to as Insan-i-Kamil i.e. perfect human being. Muhammad (PBUH) is considered as such a human being and hence he has been referred to as Rahmatun lil ‘Alamin i.e. Mercy of the worlds. It is mercy, compassion, not hatred which leads a person to perfection. The core values of Islam, like other religions, are truth, compassion, justice and wisdom which made it contribute so richly to world civilization. Violence has no place at all in this rich contribution.
Violence, hatred and destruction go together. Hitler and Mussolini are embodiment of these characteristics. No great religious personality universally respected like Muhammad and others can ever display such characteristics. Osama bin Laden has a destructive personality and all he could ask Muslims was to take revenge from western powers. Islam on the other hand, advises believers to stick to Truth and Patience with wisdom. Qur’an describes wisdom as khayran kathira i.