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Misconception of word "JIHAD" after sep 11th .
Allah has said in the Qur 'an that He does not love those who create trouble in the Earth.
(16:90, 9:111) He also said that people who do wrong will be punished. Now this .
doesn't mean that Islam is against fighting or defending one's self. Allah said, "And .
those who, when they are oppressed wrongly, help and defend themselves." (42:39).
What Islam is against is random violence and senseless killing. According to the Qur'an, .
"If you kill a life it is as if you killed all life." Of course the life in question is of an .
innocent person. (See 190,2:229 and 16:90 for example.).
Now the word Jihad literally means, to struggle or strive, or to work for something with .
determination. It does not mean war. The Arabic word for war is Harb and the word for .
fighting is Qital. The goal of a physical Jihad is not to have a big war, gain riches or kill .
people, it is to further the cause of Allah and to create justice on Earth. (5:0) Then, when .
the evil is removed, or the other side wants peace, we are to make peace as well. (8:61).
If Muslims are being oppressed or victimized, then we can fight back. (16:41-42) If .
anyone dies in a Jihad they automatically will go to Paradise. A Shaheed or Martyr, is .
described this way by Allah, "Don't think that those who were killed in Allah's Cause are .
dead.
According to Islamic teachings, a Muslim army should only fight against those who are .
fighting us. (22:3940) We are not allowed to hurt women, children, innocent people, old .
people, farmers, the sick, nor are we allowed to harm plants, homes, property or animals. .
Anyone who declares a Jihad, but then doesn't follow these rules, is a wrong-doer and .
must be stopped.
STEREO TYPE AFTER SEP 11TH .
There is no such thing as terrorism in Islam. Nor can a Muslim ever be a .
fundamentalist because there is only one way to follow Islam - the right way. And the.
non-Muslim media is controlled by people who like to make Islam and Muslims look .
