Jihad English pronunciation: /dʒɪˈhɑːd/; Arabic: جهاد ǧihād [dʒiˈhæːd], meaning "struggle" is an obligatory duty of Muslims. A person who does this struggle is called a Mujahid which is a singular of Mujahideen. Different Muslims disagree on the definition of it but they agree on the meaning.
Quranic Verses on Jihad[]
The Glorious Qur’an says:
“…take not life, which God hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom.” [6:151]
In another verse
“Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors. And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have Turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith.” [2:190-191]
Hadith on Jihad[]
The Prophet said:
"Jihad of the elderly, the young, the weak, and women, is Hajj and 'Umarah."(Sahah)" [Sunan an-Nasa'i 2626]
Views of Scholars[]
Sheikh ul Islam Ibn Tamiyya[]
According to Shaykh ul Islam Ibn Tamiyya, If a group from those who ascribe themselves to al-Islam, deny a part of the Shari'ah [the divinely revealed legislation] which is categorically established, it then becomes obligatory to fight them by the unanimous agreement of the Muslims, up until the point that all of the Deen is for Allah, just as Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq and the Companions radi Allahu 'anhum 'ajma'een fought those who refused to pay the Zakaat
Tahir ul Qadri[]
According to Tahir ul Qadri, Jihad has been hijacked by terrorists. Qadri said in his speech at Global peace and unity conference "“the literal meaning of jihad is exertion, struggling, striving, and putting extreme efforts according to extreme abilities, to counter evil, to achieve good for sake of Allah.” and "there is no verse in Quran which advocates killing, brutality and terrorism.".[1]