Concept of Jihad: An Analysis of Early Selected Muslim Sources

Abstract

Purpose- The purpose of this paper is to discuss the concept of jihâd. The discussion will include structures “of Jihad as evident in the “Holy Qur’ân”, “Prophetic tradition Hadîth”, and a collection of writings of the medieval jurists such as Imam al-Shafii and ibn Taymiyah. In this study, the early conceptualization of Jihâd, as a “lexeme, and generic term” will also be reviewed in order to come to a rudimentary understanding of the concept.  This will be substantiated with examples from the Prophetic period, the era of the “Rightly Guided Caliphs”, “the Umayyad”, Abbasid and “Mongol empires”. The focus will be the Middle East and Asia.

Design/methodology/approach- The article will be qualitative, focusing on primary, secondary and related sources.  An important aim would be to ascertain the function of jihâd as a lexical term and as a concept within the chosen literary contexts. On the other hand the research methodology would tend to be more detail orientated paying attention to micro aspects such as the semantic field of jihâd receives an attention. On the other hand, a macro- approach will be followed in order to ascertain the function of the concept of jihâd in the broader context. Literature consulted and a predetermined goal will determine research methodology.

Research limitations/implications-The article shows that the simplistic translation of jihâd into English as ‘holy war’, as is common in some scholarly and non-scholarly discourses, constitutes a severe twisting and misunderstanding of its Qur’ânic usage.

Practical implications-The basic problem to be addressed is to ascertain how a religious sanctioned concept is interpreted by classical scholars compared to modern trends of thought whereby the so so-called terrorism has prevalent.

Findings-The article finds that the hypothesis to be tested is, whether the variations in viewpoints pertaining to the word jihâd can be ascribed to selective use of texts Qur’ân, hadîth, Islamic jurisprudence and early Muslim history.

Originality/value-The article enhances us with an understanding of the concept of jihâd in Islam and its various forms.

Keywords-Jihâd, Holy war, Qitâl and Harb

Paper type- Research paper.

DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/12-8-03

Publication date: April 30^th 2022