Did God sanctify jihad

Answer 1

According to Islam, Jihad is sanctified by God, provided that it is performed in accordance with the requirements stated in the Shari'a. Just about every other group of people rejects the concept of Jihad as something sanctified by God, either because they do not believe that God has ordered Muslims to become stronger in their faith or conquer other countries or because they do not believe that the Muslim God exists.

Answer 2

That depends upon whom you ask, and how you define jihad. Dictionaries define it as "the duty of Muslims to maintain Islam, through striving, struggling, and perseverance."

Muslims will, clearly, see jihad as Divinely sanctified, since it is an Islamic duty. The only remaining issue would be how to carry it out.

Non-Muslims will be divided among:

a) those who sympathize with Islam or are influenced by it;

b) those who are neutral concerning Islam; and

c) those who are hostile to Islam, or believe that it is not a true religion.

If jihad is carried out through methods that are legal under international law, then group "a" may see it as Divinely-sanctified, or at least a positive thing. Group "b" might not have formulated an opinion on the matter. Group "c" would not see jihad as Divinely sanctified.

If jihad is carried out by means that are not legal under international law (such as through violence), then many Muslims (and their sympathizers) would not see that form of jihad as sanctified; and non-Muslims of groups "b" and "c" also would not.