0
Jihad
Jihad (جهاد) is a tenet of Islam and a religious duty to strive in the way of God. There are two general ways to do this, the Greater Jihad and the Lesser Jihad. The Greater Jihad is an introspective journey to conquer your internal demons and follow the Divine Laws more closely than previously; this kind of jihad should be entirely peaceful. The Lesser Jihad refers to conflicts and confrontations between Muslims and Non-Muslims or other Muslims, which often erupt in war, but can also be performed through non-violent protests, debate, and advocacy.
500 Questions
When and in which surah was jihad made compulsory?
Asked by Wiki User
Jihad is an Arabic word that means struggle. All people of the world of all religions and faiths are struggling (practicing Jihad); since start of mankind creation; to have better life, better education, achieve their goals of life, raising up their children, caring for the poor, ... etc. Same per Islam religion, Jihad is obligatory to every Muslims; same as in other religions. Refer to question below for more information.
How can you write a sentences using the words jihad and Muslims about religion?
Asked by Wiki User
Jihad is what represents the struggles that Muslims have personally just to make god happy.
What type of rocket does Hamas have?
Asked by Wiki User
Hamas uses grad style rockets, mortors and Kassam missiles. Kassam missiles are no bigger than about 4' long.
Hezbollah uses katyusha rockets which are normally fired from the back of a truck and are about 9' long and have a longer range.
Why is jihad important?
Asked by Wiki User
There is, perhaps, no term today that is more misunderstood than the term "jihad". Nowadays, the word jihad has solely come to signify "holy war", terrorism, or the mass murder of innocent people. However, what is jihad really about and what is its correct meaning? The term jihad is in fact derived from the Arabic verb "jahada", which linguistically means to strive or struggle. In Islam, however, jihad means to exhaust utmost effort striving to please God. This, unsurprisingly, includes fighting, as fighting is a form of struggle. In fact, majority of the time the term jihad is mentioned in the Qur'an it means "fighting in the way of God" (for His sake), and to make His Word the highest. The one who engages in jihad is called a mujaahid; the plural is mujaahideen.
Jihad is a very important part of Islam. Unlike Christians, Muslims do not believe in the idea of "love thy enemy" or turning the other cheek when we are attacked. Instead, we believe in the divine principle, "fight those who fight you." This general guideline and rule agrees with our human nature and survival instinct. That is because it is only natural for one to retaliate against aggression and defend one's life, property and wealth from any external attack.
Sadly, this basic human right - the right to defend oneself - is nowadays denied to Muslims by modern-day democracies and so-called free nations, such as Britain and the USA. This is clearly evident in the fact that Muslims in Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, Chechnya and Kashmir who are resisting the brutal occupation of their lands are continually branded and portrayed as terrorists and violent extremists by Western powers.
On top of this, any Muslim in the West that has the fortitude to condemn the evil actions of Coalition forces is similarly branded as a "terrorist sympathiser" or accused of "glorifying terrorism" for believing in the right of Muslims to defend their land from occupation. It is not even allowed for us to discuss the causes of 9/11 or 7/7 - in order to gain lessons - without fear of being labelled a terrorist fanatic.
The irony of this situation is that if tomorrow Britain is under occupation, every Briton would consider it their right, without any question, to fight for their country and defend their land, even if such actions were deemed terrorism by other nations.
So, in summary, jihad does not translate as "holy war" or the killing of innocent people. It is to strive, with utmost effort, to please God and fight in His way. It is famously reported that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "The best form of jihad is to speak the truth in the face of a tyrant ruler."(Abu Daawud and Al-Tirmidhi)
The greatest tyrants today are those who prefer the rule of man over the laws of God (Sharia law). Jihad and the establishment of Sharia law on earth are the only two things which will unite all people, of all races, and rid the world of oppression, poverty and corruption for good.
Which are the correct meanings of jihad?
Asked by Wiki User
First, we should clarify that there are two types of jihad. Greater Jihad, which is an introspective journey to conquer your internal demons and follow the Divine Laws more closely than previously, is a practice to promote a person's piety. Lesser Jihad is usually brought to life in the form of warfare between Muslims and Non-Muslims or other Muslims, but can also be expressed in non-violent protest or debate.
Muslims are quick to point out that the attacking of civilians is a violation of the terms of a Lesser Jihad, but there are serious debates in the Islamic communities worldwide as to what a "civilian" is. A number of leading Sheikhs, including Egypt's Qaradawi, for example, have held that since almost all Israelis are drafted in the Israeli Defense Forces, there is no civilian population in Israel and targeting Israeli non-combatants is NOT a violation of the jihad requirements to avoid civilian deaths. Bin Laden and his ilk have expanded these rulings to say that all people in a democracy publicly vote on the government and are, therefore, responsible for its decisions. In that way, targeting the non-combatants in a democracy would NOT be a violation of the jihad requirements to avoid civilian deaths. Muslims who follow these perspectives are willing to perform violent acts against civilians. In most cases, these civilians are Non-Muslims.
One particularly recent example of Non-Muslims killed in a declared jihad are the Assyrian Christians and Yazidis being hunted down by ISIL in northern Iraq. Whether ISIL is properly within the terms of a Lesser Jihad when it performs these activities is hotly debated in Islamic circles, but it is incorrect to say that Non-Muslims are not being killed as a result of something that is, at least facially, a jihad. Other examples include the Palestinian Intifadas which primarily targeted Jewish Israeli civiians, the Mumbai bombing which targeted primarily Hindu Indian civilians, etc.
Note: This answer is confusing because of double-negatives and exclusion of people groups who cannot ever be combatants, such as Arabs married to Americans/Israelis, blind Israelis, unborn children inside the womb of a non-Muslim, people who have no arms, tourists.
Why was Hamas established?
Asked by Wiki User
Hamas was created to destroy Israel. They tried to destroy Israel since 2006 but they did not come close. They bombed Israel over 50,000 times and only 131 people died.
Hamas was founded by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, a Palestinian spiritual leader who became an activist in the local branch of the Muslim Brotherhood after dedicating his early life to Islamic scholarship in Cairo. Beginning in the late 1960s, Yassin preached and performed charitable work in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, both of which were seized by Israeli forces following the 1967 Six-Day War. In 1973, he established al-Mujamma' al-Islami (the Islamic Center) to coordinate the Muslim Brotherhood's political activities in Gaza. Eventually as Fatah and other secular-aligned Palestinian militant groups were less and less successful, the Muslim Brotherhood stepped into the breach as a theocratic-aligned Palestinian militant group. The rest, as they say, is history.
Is Hamas Muslim?
Asked by Wiki User
Hamas claims that they are a SUNNI Jihadist organization. It is the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwan al-Muslimin) and, as a result, has the same religious policies as the rest of the Brotherhood, which is Sunni-oriented.
How do you say jihad in arabic?
Asked by Wiki User
Jihad is an Arabic word and it is pronounced the same as it is in English.
Who is the subjuct writing of thuhfathul mujahideen?
Asked by AnasMhdgp8544
The subject of writing of Thuhfathul Mujahideen in biology. This is about a gene that start back in history.
Who were the mujahideen?
Asked by Wiki User
Mujahideen in general is used by Muslims to refer to those who share their Islamic faith and struggle in the path of Allah. The literal translation is "people doing jihad".
What is the purpose of Jihad in the Muslim religion?
Asked by Wiki User
Jihad is an Arabic word that means struggle. Accordingly, it could be either:
- self Jihad (or oneself struggle and is called the greatest Jihad), and
- military Jihad (or struggle with others and is called the smallest Jihad)
The purpose of self Jihad (or the major or the Greatest Jihad) is to self struggle to avoid doing wrong deeds and/or committing sins that are forbidden by Islam and by your community. For example, strive to do properly the ritiual worship, to do charity, to avoid committing sins, to be forgiving, to be tolerant, to be honest, to keep promise, etc.
The purposes of Military Jihad is:
- First: to defend home land and home people against any invaders.
- Second: to provide help and support to other people who are oppressed and unable to practice their own will and freedom of choice.
In both cases, Muslims (as in all other faiths) are commanded, by their religion, to be fair and just. They should not to kill a woman, child, or an old man or any civilian. They are commanded not to be excessive in using force and not to terrify civilians. America, in the media, refer to Jihad only as the military type, but forget about the self Jihad.
The above is general view about what is called Jihad (especially in Islam) and its purpose and about those who are practicing Jihad and are called, recently, jihadists.
This term is, however, wrongly used by some Western media. When they say that someone is doing Jihad by, for example, selling bombs to terrorist organizations, this has nothing to do with Jihad (reference to "Jihad Jane"). Also, killing civilians or terrifying the innocents to force some agendas is not Jihad but terrorism which is denounced in Islam. On the other hand, resisting invasion and occupiers is an act of self-defense and Jihad and should not be related to terrorism.
It is to be emphasized that Islam religion, per Quran revelation to prophet Muhammad (PBUH), is a religion of peace, tolerance, forgiveness, and respect of all people irrelevant to their colors, cultures, and faiths.
In Arabic Jihad means?
Asked by Wiki User
What Is The Meaning Of Jihad?
There is, perhaps, no term today that is more misunderstood than the term "jihad". Nowadays, the word jihad has solely come to signify "holy war", terrorism, or the mass murder of innocent people. However, what is jihad really about and what is its correct meaning? The term jihad is in fact derived from the Arabic verb "jahada", which linguistically means to strive or struggle. In Islam, however, jihad means to exhaust utmost effort striving to please God. This, unsurprisingly, includes fighting, as fighting is a form of struggle. In fact, majority of the time the term jihad is mentioned in the Qur'an it means "fighting in the way of God" (for His sake), and to make His Word the highest. The one who engages in jihad is called a mujaahid; the plural is mujaahideen.
Jihad is a very important part of Islam. Unlike Christians, Muslims do not believe in the idea of "love thy enemy" or turning the other cheek when we are attacked. Instead, we believe in the divine principle, "fight those who fight you." This general guideline and rule agrees with our human nature and survival instinct. That is because it is only natural for one to retaliate against aggression and defend one's life, property and wealth from any external attack.
Sadly, this basic human right - the right to defend oneself - is nowadays denied to Muslims by modern-day democracies and so-called free nations, such as Britain and the USA. This is clearly evident in the fact that Muslims in Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, Chechnya and Kashmir who are resisting the brutal occupation of their lands are continually branded and portrayed as terrorists and violent extremists by Western powers.
On top of this, any Muslim in the West that has the fortitude to condemn the evil actions of Coalition forces is similarly branded as a "terrorist sympathiser" or accused of "glorifying terrorism" for believing in the right of Muslims to defend their land from occupation. It is not even allowed for us to discuss the causes of 9/11 or 7/7 - in order to gain lessons - without fear of being labelled a terrorist fanatic.
The irony of this situation is that if tomorrow Britain is under occupation, every Briton would consider it their right, without any question, to fight for their country and defend their land, even if such actions were deemed terrorism by other nations.
So, in summary, jihad does not translate as "holy war" or the killing of innocent people. It is to strive, with utmost effort, to please God and fight in His way. It is famously reported that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "The best form of jihad is to speak the truth in the face of a tyrant ruler."(Abu Daawud and Al-Tirmidhi)
The greatest tyrants today are those who prefer the rule of man over the laws of God (Sharia law). Jihad and the establishment of Sharia law on earth are the only two things which will unite all people, of all races, and rid the world of oppression, poverty and corruption for good.
What is the jihadist network?
Asked by Wiki User
A jihad network is an interconnected system of things or people. In computing, it is a system of intersecting lines or channels of communication with and within a group.
What kind of struggle is a true jihad?
Asked by Wiki User
First, we should clarify that there are two types of jihad. Greater Jihad, which is an introspective journey to conquer your internal demons and follow the Divine Laws more closely than previously, is a practice to promote a person's piety. Lesser Jihad is usually brought to life in the form of warfare between Muslims and Non-Muslims or other Muslims, but can also be expressed in non-violent protest or debate.
Muslims are quick to point out that the attacking of civilians is a violation of the terms of a Lesser Jihad, but there are serious debates in the Islamic communities worldwide as to what a "civilian" is. A number of leading Sheikhs, including Egypt's Qaradawi, for example, have held that since almost all Israelis are drafted in the Israeli Defense Forces, there is no civilian population in Israel and targeting Israeli non-combatants is NOT a violation of the jihad requirements to avoid civilian deaths. Bin Laden and his ilk have expanded these rulings to say that all people in a democracy publicly vote on the government and are, therefore, responsible for its decisions. In that way, targeting the non-combatants in a democracy would NOT be a violation of the jihad requirements to avoid civilian deaths. Muslims who follow these perspectives are willing to perform violent acts against civilians. In most cases, these civilians are Non-Muslims.
One particularly recent example of Non-Muslims killed in a declared jihad are the Assyrian Christians and Yazidis being hunted down by ISIL in northern Iraq. Whether ISIL is properly within the terms of a Lesser Jihad when it performs these activities is hotly debated in Islamic circles, but it is incorrect to say that Non-Muslims are not being killed as a result of something that is, at least facially, a jihad. Other examples include the Palestinian Intifadas which primarily targeted Jewish Israeli civiians, the Mumbai bombing which targeted primarily Hindu Indian civilians, etc.
Does Jihad always mean holy war in the sense of physical armed combat?
Asked by Wiki User
NO. Not at all. Very unfortunetely, most of the non-Muslims, and many of the Muslims mis-understand Jihad. They confuse it with 'Killing'. It is not true. Jihad in Islam is of many kinds. The highest is 'striving' to control one's own animal, ruthless, brutal and evil passions. It is very difficult to remain cool and composed in the face of aggression. Islam demands 'patience' from its followers. Speaking truth, refraining from corruption of all kinds, being just to all humans and even all creatures, being honest in all matters of life, and being steadfast and upright in the face of temptation are among the actions which are the demand of Jihad of the Highest kind.
Preaching Islam by the word of mouth and practicing it in one's daily life is also Jihad. Spending money in the way of Almighty Allah, doing acts of charity, helping the needy and the poor is also Jihad.
When the enemies of Islam attack the Muslims, the Muslims must take up arms if negotiation fails and there is no alternative but to fight. Almighty Allah says in the holy Qur'an:
Sura (chapter) Al-Baqra-2: Aya: 190; "Fight in the cause of Allah against those who fight you, --But do not transgress limits. For Allah does not love transgressors. Aya-193: And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah, but if they cease, let there be no hostility except to those who are oppressors."
Thus it must be clear in the minds of the true Muslims that killing human beings in the name of religion is not permitted in Islam. Killing of one innocent human being irrespective of his religion, caste, color or country is like killing of all human beings in the Eyes of Almighty Allah (God). Almighty Allah has created all human beings and loves them all.
How do Muslims believe you get to heaven?
Asked by Wiki User
I`m a Muslim .. and I`m Arabian
first I want to apologize for my bad English
we Muslims believe that the things in quran and what Prophet Muhammad asked us to do
will get us into heaven
for example : don`t lie , don`t kill , don`t steal ,
don`t have sex ( exept your wife ) , treat people in a good way ( if they are none Muslims treat them better that you treat a Muslim ) , smile to people , don`t hurt their feelings , don`t talk about someone in a bad behind his back , don`t forget your parents and make them happy
pray 5 times , fast in Ramadan , help the poor people give them money
well there is alot of things we get us into heaven
but that doesn`t mean that 100% we will get inot heaven
if a Muslim doesn`t do these things .. he will be pushe to Hell; unless being forgiven by Allah (God in English).
Answer BFulfilling your duties as a good Muslim will get you into the Paradise per God mercy and forgiveness. Refer to question below on the duties of a good Muslim.What is the difference between a lesser and greater jihad?
Asked by Wiki User
Literally Jihad means striving, struggle, effort. Idiomatically in Islam it means struggle in the way of Almighty Allah. It may be in any form. Preaching of Islam and Justice by the word of mouth, spending money and physically taking part in battle to establish peace and stability in a Muslim society. Anyhow, the Greater Jihad is Jihad against one's ownself. Controlling one's own passions. Giving up ones bad passions, greed, lust etc and obeying Almighty Allah and beloved Prophet (SAW) sincerely and unconditionally.
Who launched the jihad in 1826?
Asked by Wiki User
God did.
Jihad means, simply, to strive to establish good, over evil. It can take many forms: writing, speaking, voting, etc. It can also take the form of fighting; however, it can never take the form of terrorism. God established these things not only for the Muslims. He established it even in the Bible. But terrorism is something different completely. Terrorism is not jihad because jihad is only for just causes and in just ways.
How did the jihad influence the lives of Muslims?
Asked by Wiki User
As concerns the Greater Jihad, which is an introspective journey to conquer your internal demons and follow the Divine Laws more closely than previously, this leads to an increase in the level of piety of the practitioner. As concerns the Lesser Jihad, this is usually in the form of warfare between Muslims and Non-Muslims or other Muslims. This jihad is almost necessarily violent, unless the actor chooses to use non-violent protest or debate as his form of jihad.
Historically, the Lesser Jihad is easier to document than the Greater Jihad, if only because political history is much easier to discern from the historical record than personal development. The Lesser Jihad has, in my view, been a strongly negative influence in the growth and development of Islam as a culture. It has given dogmatic backing to regressive and violent individuals in the Muslim community who often turn that violence against fellow Muslims. Historically, the idea of Jihad resulted in the bloody conquests of India, Central Asia, Southeastern Europe, and northern Sub-Saharan Africa. In both medieval and modern times, the idea of Jihad has motivated numerous terrorist and paramilitary organizations, which target both Muslims and Non-Muslims for extermination. In the medieval period, you had fundamentalists like the Almohads and Safavids. In the modern period, you have Al-Shabaab, the Taliban, ISIL, and Hezbollah, for a small sampling.
What are the different meanings of the word jihad?
Asked by Wiki User
Struggle is another name for Jihad. Refer to related question below.
Is Hamas a terrorist group?
Asked by Wiki User
According to the U.S. Department of State, Hezbollah is still a terrorist group. Here are some reasons why the U.S. classifies Hezbollah as a terrorist group.
A History of Violence
Hezbollah's violence against the U.S. began in 1982, with the kidnapping - but eventual release - of David Dodge. The most deadly violence occurred in 1983, when Hezbollah suicide bombers attacked the U.S. Embassy and marine barracks in Beirut. These two attacks resulted in the deaths of three-hundred and four Americans. Likewise, in 1984, Hezbollah attacked the U.S. Embassy annex in Beirut, killing two Americans and twenty-two Lebanese. During this period, Hezbollah also bombed a restaurant in Spain and hijacked a Kuwaiti Airlines plane. These attacks killed eighteen American servicemen and two U.S. civilians. In 1985, the Party of God hijacked TWA flight 847, killed a U.S. Navy diver, and held many other American civilians hostage. Additionally, Hezbollah kidnapped and murdered several dozen other Americans during the 1980s.1
The U.S. Government regarded these violent attacks against U.S. and Israeli civilians as inexcusable, and began to regard Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. By 1997, the United States decided to officially designate Hezbollah as a terrorist group.2 The U.S. justified this designation by claiming that Hezbollah's violent activities threatened American interests.
Controversy over Hezbollah's Terrorist Label
In spite of the United States' denunciation, Hezbollah began to act less like a terrorist organization and more like a political party and began nominating candidates for national elections. The following years witnessed a steady progression in Hezbollah's political strength. Many scholars argue that Hezbollah lost its radical religious agenda during the 1990s, including the desire to create an Islamic state.3 Hezbollah's goals became more pragmatic and began to stress social and political issues, rather than constantly demand the destruction of Israel. The Party built hospitals, schools, clinics, and libraries across southern Lebanon. The Party of God's political and social activities continued throughout the 1990s and gained the support of nearly all Shi'a Muslims, along with many Sunnis and Christians.
Additionally, Hezbollah reduced violent activities after Israel withdrew from Lebanon in 2000. Even the Israelis note that Hezbollah engages in violence only after Israel escalates its activities along the border.4 Most of the fighting on the Lebanon/Israeli border follows a "tit-for-tat" sequence, rather than continuous violence. In addition, the Party of God has refrained from attacking the U.S. in any way since 1989. Hezbollah also publically stated that the Party no longer considers the U.S. a target for violence.5
The Terrorist Label
Hezbollah's apparent transformation from violent resistance to political participant challenges the label of terrorist organization. The word terrorism invokes connotations of bloodshed and intolerance, not political participation and social programs as in Hezbollah's case. Currently, only the U.S., Netherlands, Canada, and Israel label Hezbollah a terrorist organization.
Yet, Hezbollah retains some associations that question the organization's complete separation from terrorist activates. The most dangerous of these associations is Hezbollah's cordial relationship with Iran. Iran remains a state sponsor of terrorism and a vehement enemy of the United States. The Iranian Government orchestrated most of Hezbollah's kidnappings during the 1980s and may have orchestrated the Beirut bombings.6 Iran donates $60-100 million a year to Hezbollah and the Party of God occasionally uses this money to train terrorists in Sri Lanka and Colombia. Hezbollah's close relationship with Tehran seriously questions the Party's total abandonment of terrorism.
Second, Hezbollah's practice of using human shields and kidnapping soldiers in its resistance against Israel remains problematic. Bruce Hoffman notes that terrorists often violate the rules of war, including taking civilian hostages, torturing captured soldiers, attacking embassies, and using civilians as shields.7 Hezbollah bombed embassies in the 1980s and 1990s, kidnapped, tortured, and killed many Israeli hostages, and constantly use civilians as human shields. During the 2006 War, Hezbollah frequently used residential areas as a base for its rocket attacks, hoping that Israeli Forces would hesitate to respond for fear of civilian casualties. Nevertheless, Israeli did attack the positions and many innocent Lebanese lives were lost.8 Hezbollah's violation of the rules of war and use of human shields indicates that it retains some terrorist elements.
Third, Hezbollah refuses to disarm and occasionally uses violence to fulfill its political objectives in Lebanon. In 2008, the Lebanese Government demand that the Party disarm. Instead of complying, the Party of God violently seized control of southern Beirut and portions of Druze territory. Additionally, Hezbollah forced the government to reorganize the cabinet and give the Party of God veto power over parliamentary decisions. Through violence, Hezbollah gained much of the political power it now possesses.9
Finally, Hezbollah continues to maintain a security wing known as Hezbollah International. Its former leader, Imad Mugniyah, was killed in Syria in 2008, but Hezbollah International continues to operate. This branch of Hezbollah remains extremely secretive, and Party leaders deny its existence. Over the years, however, the U.S. has pieced enough evidence to expose the terrorist practices of Hezbollah International. For example, in 1995, Singapore security forces foiled a Hezbollah International plot to attack Israeli and American vessels. Similarly, in 2001, Mexican authorities arrested a Hezbollah cell reportedly on its way to carry out attacks against Mexican officials. Likewise, in 2001, Canadian operatives reported that Hezbollah was attempting to sneak into the U.S. via the Canadian-U.S. border. Finally, Hezbollah's international branch continues to maintain relations with other known terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda, Iraqi militants, Hamas, and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia.10 These practices indicate Hezbollah's continued status as a terrorist organization.
Conclusion
Hezbollah continues to transform socially and politically, but it retains some terrorist characteristics. Contemporary Hezbollah is very different from its radical origins in the 1980s. Nonetheless, the Party of God's association with Iran, violation of the rules of war, use of violence for political objectives, and its international branch justifies the United States' terrorist label.
1. Jeremy M. Sharp, "Lebanon: The Israel-Hamas-Hezbollah Conflict," CRS Report for Congress (August 14, 2006).
2. Combating Terrorism," The Official Report of the Cabinet-level Task Force Chaired by Vice-President George Bush (New Jersey: DIANE Publishing Co., 1987).
3. Cliff Staten, "From Terrorism to Legitimacy: Political Opportunity Structures and the Case of Hezbollah," Online Journal of Peace and Conflict Resolution 8, no. 1 (2008): 32-49
4. Judith Harik, Hezbollah: The Changing Face of Terrorism (London: I.B. Tauris, 2004), 167-168.
5. Rosemary Hollis and Nadim Shehadi, Lebanon on Hold (London: Chatham House, 1996).
6. Jaber, 97-143.
7. Bruce Hoffman, Inside Terrorism (New York: Columbia University Press, 2006), 26.
8. "Hezbollah's Human Shields," The Washington Times, July 30, 2006, accessed April 22, 2011, http://www.washi ngtontimes.com/news/2006/jul/30/20060730-093558-9976r/.
9. Bilal Y. Saab, "Rethinking Hezbollah's Disarmament," Middle East Policy 15, no. 3 (2008): 94-98
10. Jeremy Goldberg, "In the Party of God: Hezbollah Sets up Operations in South America and the United States," The New Yorker (October 2003): 21-29.
What does Hamas stand for?
Asked by Wiki User
Hamas is an Arab Muslim Terrorist and Paramilitary Organization. Hamas operates out of the Gaza Strip and Qatar. (Prior to 2011, Hamas operated out of Syria, but their Anti-Assad position during Arab Spring got them evicted from Syria.) Their goal is to eliminate Israel and create a theocratic Islamic Palestinian State. Some particular elements of Hamas Ideology include:
Jihadist Ideology
In terms of politics, Hamas is a Jihadist organization. Jihadism is a political ideology whose goal is to bring a particularly repressive version of the religious tenets of Islam into the daily functioning of a government and its laws. Additionally, it believes that violence in defense of the faith is the preferred way to do this. Jihadism is a political ideology rooted in Islamic religious concepts, but not part of the Islamic religion per se. Hamas argues that its Jihadist struggle is part of the holy Islamic struggle of Jihad and anyone who opposes them is not properly guided (in Islam). Because of the religious sectarian orientations, Hamas identifies itself as avowedly Sunni, but accepts Shiites because of Iranian funding.
Anti-Israel Sentiment
In the Jihadist conception, only Muslims should be in power in the State and any non-Muslim minorities should have a secondary role if they should have one at all, whereas Jews are too "uppity" in having created a state where they are in the dominant position. Second, Israel is situated in territory which used to be governed by Muslims for nearly 1300 years (with a century-long break under the Crusader States). As a result, Israel is considered a usurpation of historical Islamic authority whereas European countries (for example) never had Islamic authority before.
Anti-Semitism (Jew-Hatred)
Hamas is a virulently Jew-hating Organization. Not only do they oppose Israel's very existence, they have references in their charter to the elimination of all Jews throughout the world. While Islam is not inherently Anti-Semitism, its doctrines are easily to meld to an Anti-Semitic world vision and historically have been melded in such ways. Islam has several Anti-Semitic thrusts. In addition to the crucifixion of Jesus the Messiah (which is not deicide in Islam since Jesus is not God in Islamic theology and because Jesus eluded the attempt to crucify him), Muslims have made the argument that Jews are the killers of the Prophets plural, even though Jesus was the only one of the 35 prophets in the Qur'an who Jews attempted to kill (per Islamic teachings). Additionally, Muhammad and the early Muslims had negative political and military relationships with Arabian Jews which led to Anti-Semitism having a greater prominence in the early Islamic tradition. Hamas has endorsed and promoted all of these Anti-Semitic Views.
Terrorism and Attacking Civilians
The most common and identifiable Hamas terrorist action is the suicide bomber who blows himself up to take out some enemies as well as himself, but Hamas has increasingly used missiles and rockets. Most Muslim terrorists wish to inspire fear in their enemies and therefore primarily attack civilians, considering them part of the enemy.
Palestinian Nationalism
Hamas argues that the Palestinians are the indigenous people of the southwest Levant and Hamas is aggrieved that people from abroad would come to the land that their people's parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents had lived on and worked for as long as they could remember. Hamas refuses to help settle Palestinian Refugees and encourages the children and grandchildren of refugees to remember where in current-Israel they came from: the exact village and street. The point is to create an emotional and intractable grievance to push for Palestinians having the right to go back to their homes in contrast to more realistic solutions.
Welfare for Public Support
Since Hamas exists in Palestine, which has a weak internal support structure, it will use its own funds to build schools, parks, hospitals, and other social services in the communities it occupies. It provides goodwill with the local inhabitants and allows them to more effectively spread whatever messages they may wish to say.
Irreverence Towards Democracy
Hamas has actively engaged in elections in Palestine with its own political parties. However, the engagement is a farce, because if the governments formed after the elections were not desirable to Hamas, Hamas has engaged in militant actions to force the national government to capitulate to their desires. As a result of Hamas's discontent there was a Palestinian Civil War in Gaza and the West Bank. Hamas continues to murder Fatah militants and politicos in the Gaza Strip as a method of securing power.
What are muslims striving for in jihad?
Asked by Wiki User
they are striving for:
- obeying God and getting His satisfaction
- assuring better life forthemselves and community
- helping the needy people
- benefitting the environment
- having good morals per islam teachings
- doing good for mankind
