Islam and War Flashcards
Is there pacifism in Islam?
no
the Qur’an encourages all Muslims to ‘struggle in the way of Islam’
What is the struggle against evil called?
jihad
What does Qur’an teach Muslims about the struggle against evil?
it must first start within themselves
What does the world Islam mean?
peace
What does the word jihad mean?
struggle
How many types of jihad are there? What are they?
two
greater jihad
lesser jihad
What is a greater jihad?
the personal spiritual struggle or effort of every Muslim to follow the teachings of Allah in their own lives
Give seven examples of a greater jihad
overcoming anger, greed, pride and hatred
forgiving someone who has hurt them
working for social justice
being a good friend and neighbour
helping the poor and needy
doing good deeds
visiting the mosque regularly and studying the Qur’an
What does the Qur’an teach about struggle?
in order to follow the will of God people will face many struggles; both inside themselves (greater jihad) and the world (lesser jihad)
What is the connection between a greater jihad, Muslims and God?
makes them better Muslims and brings them closer to God
What is a lesser jihad?
the struggle to build a good Muslim society; also Holy war (the struggle to defend against oppression; with force if necessary)
Is the use of violence permitted in a lesser jihad?
yes but there are strict rules about how wars should be fought
Quote (Surah 2:190) about transgressors
“Fight in the case of God those who fight you, but do not transgress the limits; for God loves not the transgressors.”
Quote the Qur’an about permission to fight
“Permission to fight is given to those against whom war is being wrongfully waged.”
What are the strict rules (8) in Islam about when a war (lesser jihad) can be fought justifiably by Muslims?
it must be fought for a just cause: Islam is being attacked, people are suffering an injustice, in self-defence, it must be the last resort
all possible non-violent methods of solving the problem must have been tried
it must be authorised and led by a Muslim authority but Islam teaches Muslims they must not be the first to declare war
it must be fought in such a way as to cause the minimum amount of suffering
the aim of the war must be to bring about good: Muslims are taught that it is wrong to fight as an act of aggression or to conquer another country; the aim has to be to bring about a just society
innocent civilians (especially the old, young, and women) must not be attacked
it must be ended as soon as the enemy lays down his arms
it must not be used to colonise, suppress or impose Islam on non-believers