Today Islamist extremism and terrorism are major concern for intellectuals and policy makers around the world. The ideological underpinning of radical Islam is key to understand the motivational elements behind the terrorist organizations, but the ideological elements are often ignored. Transnational Islamists movement is promoting dangerous themes that call for a clash of western and Islamic values. Since 9/11 this tendency has increased among the radical Islamists in Muslim countries throughout the world. Groups like Hizb ut- tahrir, Jemaah Islamiya, Muslim Brotherhood and others are engaged in long term project of raising consciousness among Muslims about Western countries, and terrorisms are not confined to some sporadic violent event, rather it is a war of ideas between the two groups. The world view of Western countries and that of the people who follow radical Islam are entirely different. Unless and until the philosophy and concepts that are involved in shaping the mentality of radical Islamists are understood in religious- philosophical thoughts of propagators of radical Islamism in history, it will be difficult to check the activities of terrorists and politically uncommitted Muslims in joining them.
Many scholars and analysts have emphasized time and again that terrorism cannot be defeated either by military means or law and order exercise. Ideology is the key factor in motivating the terrorists. The reason is the word jihad, its meaning and concepts are often used by the terrorists of Osama varieties to wreak violence upon the innocent civilians of different countries around the world. It is repeatedly used and abused by the jihad leaders and ideologues to further their political agenda upon the society. The movement launched by Muslim terrorists of which Al-Qaeda is the most notorious and violent manifestation is characterized by a broad based, global ideology of militant Islamic Puritanism called jihadism (Global jihadism to be precise).
The word jihad after the death of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was used contrary to its meaning found in the Quran. First this word was used during the reign of Abu Bakr (632-34), first caliph of Islam to fight the internal rebellion which arose on the question of the non- payment of Zakat by the Arabian tribes often referred in Islamic history as ridda war. With the commencement of the Umayyad reign when Islamic caliphate was converted into a worldly empire, the word jihad was frequently used in the context of war and often by the Muslim political elite for the furtherance of their political power. From that time onwards till recent times the word jihad has been much used and abused by the various stake holders for the enhancement of their political and economic interest. The word jihad has got so much political and religious meanings and its use and inferences has been so powerful in history that various empires and states were made and unmade in history by the application of this word in the context of warfare. It is the zeal of jihad (warfare) that led to such a rapid expansion of Islamic caliphate during the time of Umar, the second caliph of Islam (632-44). It was used by Umayyad (662-750), Abbasid (750-1258) dynasties, Salahuddin Ayubi against the crusading armies of the Christians and many Muslim rulers and leaders for political gains. And they have been quite successful in their endeavor throughout history by applying the word jihad in the meaning of warfare. The word jihad has already shown its utility and the potency in history. From the latter part of 20th century till now the word jihad is again showing its utility and potency in the hands of Islamic radicals and terrorists.
Throughout Islamic history the word jihad has been inextricably linked with the political projects of various rulers and stake holders. And it had devastating effects upon both the parties who used and upon whom it was used. This is the reason throughout Islamic history this word has been much debated and contested by the Islamic religious scholars, Muslim political philosophers, jurists, historians, the Quranic exegetes and the compilers of hadith. They also discussed the political perspectives of this word. Often Islamic religious scholars, jurists, Muslim political philosophers discussed the utility, application and use of the word jihad from the point of view of formation of Islamic state and caliphate. On the question of Islamic state and caliphate, the word jihad and its applicability had been discussed and are highly contested among religious scholars, jurists, Muslim political philosophers etc. Their contention about the use of this word has led to the emergence of Islamic radicalism in history because of their emphasis upon jihad being necessary for the maintenance and upkeep of Islamic state and caliphate. The traditions of discussing the meaning and concept of the word jihad from the stand point of formation of Islamic state and caliphate once started from the medieval period are still debated among Islamic radicals and jihadi ideologues and they upon these assumptions are leading jihadi or terrorist activities around the world. It is in this context the relevance of the word, jihad and its applicability become totally interlinked with political Islam, Islamism, fundamentalism, Islamic radicalism, Muslim militancy, political violence etc. In this research project on jihad an effort has been made to discover the evolution of the meaning and application of the word jihad.
The research project carried out by Centre for Study of Society and Secularism and funded by HBF, ‘Jihad its Historicity and Contemporary Relevance’ has focused mainly upon removing misunderstandings as found among cross sections of people of the world regarding its linkage with Islam in general and Muslims in particular. During the research it has been found that in the Quran the word jihad has not been used in the context of holy war. Its use as holy war is added in the course of Islamic history from the time of Umayyad dynasty and continues till today. It occurred under the compulsion of socio-economic factors in which Muslim ruling elite played a major role. In Islamic history Muslim ruling elite from time to time misused it for the enhancement of their political power. Though under the colonial period the word jihad was used as a tool for liberation struggle in various Muslim countries and even Sufis during this period participated in this jihad which is an aberration than a norm. Through the course of Islamic history the meaning, use and application of the word jihad has been changing. But there are two permanent features of this phenomenon. One, overwhelming mass of Muslim population was never involved in its misuse rather they were more inclined towards the Sufi brand of Islam. Secondly Islam as a religion per se had nothing to do with its misuse. Majority of Muslim population always favored Sufi’s definition of jihad as peaceful inner struggle through the course of history.
The research project on jihad has helped in demolishing several myths woven around the theme of jihad. Most of the notions of the people regarding jihad in media, (both electronic and print) academia and among general population around the world have been found to be totally untrue during the research and which are crystal clear in the analysis of various chapters of the project.
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