The Jihad

The Jihad is Arabic for a struggle, and an effort to strive, and to fight. Many others, in mostly the west have the idea of the Jihad as considered an Islamic Holy War. The idea of what the Jihad is and how it is played out has been difficult to distinguish, because it has been often changing since the beginning of the religion and the writings in the Qur’an. The tradition of the Jihad is very important to the Muslims according to some it is the 6th pillar of Islam. However, the point to the Jihad is not easily understood some say it is to spread the Muslim faith and others say it is to gain world control for the Muslims. (source) (source) (Kepel) (Spencer)

Originally the Qur’an did reference a form of the Jihad but this was the internal struggle and effort. However, besides this, some people explain that the first Jihad occurred when Muhammad was frustrated that he had very few followers. He immediately set out to get more, during this time he was writing the Qur’an and the contents started including a reference to qital (Jihad). The Qur’an was referencing this to “suggest a war of conquest or conversion against all unbelievers.” This seems a bit extreme to us looking into a different religion. The use of the Jihad had now morphed to be very extreme in some cases. An example of it today is the attack on 9/11. The Islamic belief is that when they attack few the many will learn. Meaning that if a Muslim woman were to not follow their laws she would be stoned of killed but this would teach others not to do as she did. It is an extreme way to get what you want and it brakes all moral codes. (source) (source) (source) (Spencer)

An example of how extreme this is and how determined the Muslims are, is this quote from Osoma bin Laden (1998):
“The ruling to kill the Americans and their Allies—civilians and military—is and individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in and country in which in is possible to do it… to comply with God’s order to kill the Americans and plunder their money wherever and whenever they find it. We also call on Muslim uleme, leaders, youths, and soldiers to launch raid on Satan’s U.S. troops and the devil’s supporters allying with them.” (source)


You maybe thinking well this person was just a radical, and that is completely valid! However, many people followed along with him and intend to carry out what he wished. Some see it as the 6th pillar of Islam (5 pillars of Islam) but they are incorrect. However, “Still, "jihad" is considered to be every Muslim's duty--be it the struggle to improve society, preventing the exploitation of the poor or vulnerable, or improving oneself before the Day of Judgment.” (source) This thought is scary that to the Muslims it is a duty to kill people in order to get what you want. (source) (Spencer)

“The purpose of jihad, in other words, is not directly to spread the Islamic faith but to extend sovereign Muslim power (faith, of course, often follows the flag). Jihad is thus unabashedly offensive in nature, with the eventual goal of achieving Muslim dominion over the entire globe.” (source)
We have seen that through the growth of the Jihad the meaning of it has morphed. This quote explains in and essence what the purpose of the Jihad is today.

The effects of this effort have become unbelievable. Over 2 million people have been killed in this effort and there has been the dislocation of at least 4 million has taken place, and this is only in Sudan. “Making it the greatest humanitarian catastrophe of our era.” (source)The attack on 9/11 is also considered a form of the Jihad and over 2,500 were killed in that attack. The effects are numerous along with the deaths. (source) (source) (source) (Kepel)


The Jihad is summed up today to mean a struggle and effort. In one sense it is in the mind but in another it is to revolutionize the world to be Muslim. The Muslims justify their actions in war through the Jihad. They live by it and consider it a duty to God (Allah). This responsibility has however morphed through the years and has now become to mean world domination. To you and I this is very strange and intense but to the Muslims they can justify their actions and think it is right. (source) (source) (Kepel)


Book Sources:

Spencer, Robert. The Truth about Muhammad: Founder of the World's Most Intolerant Religion. Robert Spencer; Massachusetts, 2006.

Kepel, Gilles. Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam. I.B. Tauris: U.K., 2006.

Augustine's Just War Theory

Just War is a theory and at most times a universal code that all countries live by when concerning war. It is still being used today often. This theory has been an extremely controversial issue especially with the war in Iraq. While although St. Augustine is accredited to creating and introducing the theory of Just War he was not the main contributor, Thomas Aquinas continued the theory to make it into a formula and to specify the criteria in concordance with military tactics. (source) (source)


Saint Augustine’s view of war was stated in his writings.

“Notice that there can be no life without pain, but no pain without some kind of life. In t he same way that there can be peace without any kind of war, but no war that does not suppose some kind of peace. This does not mean that war as war involves peace; but war, in so far as those who wage it or have it waged upon them are being with organic means to be ordered and, therefore, to be, in some sense, at peace ”(Augustine 457)

While although Augustine did not deny that war was always going to occur, his idea was that there would be a certain way in conducting it. This idea would be that the fight for a war would be in effort to reach peace, instead of fighting to just kill. The people declaring war and the people having war declared upon them both need to follow these certain rules. Augustine was under the opinion that war was always an effort for man and this was from the fact that man has a sinful nature. He figured that war is inevitable. (source) (Augustine)


From one source we can see a series of eight conditions that Augustine included in his idea of just war. “1.) A punitive concept of war, 2.) assessment of the evil of war in terms of the moral evil of attitudes and desires, (3) a search for authorization for the use of violence, (4) a dualistic epistemology which gives priority to spiritual goods, (5) interpretation of evangelical norms in terms of inner attitudes,(6) passive attitude to authority and social change, (7) use of Biblical texts to legitimate participation in war, and (8) an analogical conception of peace.” (source)


To clarify and put in simpler terms the Just War theory is made up of three distinct parts the first is Jus ad Bellum, the second is Jus in Bello, and the third Jus post Bellum. The first one includes just cause, comparative justice, legitimate authority, right intention, probability of success, last resort, and proportionality. The second part is made up of different actions the countries must take while in war which includes distinction (combat only toward enemy soldiers, and not civilians), proportionality (anticipation on what the outcome will be), and military necessity (the limitation of excessive combat). Lastly the third concept is of ending the war properly. This includes just cause that you completed the mission, right intention good conditions and no revenge, public declaration, it is known, discrimination the truth is more important, and proportionality the allowance of human and country rights bust be kept. (source) (Mattox)


Each country when being created needs to base its concept of war on this in order to make this theory work, even St. Augustine agreed with this when he said in his book City of God: “This explains why a father must apply certain regulations of civil law to the governance of his home, so as to make it accord with the peace of the whole community.” (Augustine) (Elshtain)


Its incredible that after all these years our world still uses this theory in fact, many of the big and meaningful ideas we use today were created back in history before the technology it makes you think that maybe the technology is not as helpful as we think. These ideas and concepts that Augustine created are very useful and true today these are needed to have at least somewhat of an ordered world.



Book Sources:


Augustine. City of God. Doubleday: New York; 1958.


Elshtain, Jean Bethke. Just War Against Terror: The Burden of American Power in a
Violent World. Basics Books: New York; 2003


Mattox, John Mark. Saint Augustine and the Theory of Just War. Continuum: New York;
2006.