I've written before on the importance of reclaiming Jihad, but I've noticed a recent trend and felt it worthy to revisit the subject.
It has become commonplace in the current political climate for Muslims to regularly define (and sometimes redefine) the concept of Jihad. As I see it, there are three popular approaches, all factually correct, but functionally useless to those aspiring to holistically actualize this sixth pillar of Islam.
First, there are those who are keen to denounce blatant acts of terror and violence and disassociate said acts from the venerable principle of Jihad. This approach basically provides us with a clear definition of what Jihad is NOT.
That's all fine and well, but it fails to answer the obvious follow-up question - If that isn't Jihad, then what is?
The other popular trend is to emphasize the internal aspects of Jihad - the spiritual battle with the nafs (ego). Surely, you will find no greater proponent of this concept than this writer. The nafs is truly one of the greatest obstacles to pleasing our Creator.
However, this fails to address the outward needs of man. While struggling to purify our inner selves, we cannot turn a blind eye to the filth surrounding ourselves. The flood of secular hedonism is overtaking our homes yet we are busy with spring cleaning and interior decorating.
Finally, you find those focused on the spiritual Jihad responding to the claim that their ilk has abandoned the physical Jihad by waxing poetically on the glorious history of Sufi Mujahideen.
While this history is impressive to say the least, it says nothing about current day teachers of Tasawwuf and their inadequate approach to Jihad. Far too many of those calling to the ways of the inimitable Hasan al-Basri and Abdullah ibn Mubarak have become derelict with their obligations towards Jihad.
While countless awliyah of the past sufficed themselves with focusing on the inner self, content with the basic framework for "Islamic" governance provided by the sultans, emirs, and caliphs - the same cannot be said for today's situation wherein the Shariah has been shredded apart and relegated to the private domain. Yet, these spiritual inheritors of ibn Arabi and Imam Ghazali remain blind to contemporary political realities, choosing the route of passivity and non-interventionism.
Sadly, very few out there are interested in negotiating a balanced approach to Jihad that finds one combating the oppressions of the nafs while equally turning back the oppressive hands of the tyrant.
WAW
4 days ago
24 comments:
er, and you naeem, author of this blog and with clearly plenty of time on your hands, are capable of negotiating a balanced approach to jihad?
this post is as useless as the useless discussions you are referring to. think about it.
Bismillah
Asalaamu alaikum.
Hmm... and where has adab gone to?
Br. Naeem, here is my meaningless opinion on the matter:
i cringe at the oft-repeated phrase that shaykhs of tasawuff don't support or encourage the outer jihad but are somehow content to talk only of the inner jihad. some shaykhs of tasawuff probably do not have the qualifications to call for outer jihad. others may genuinely believe that the outer jihad will naturally come when we have our inner selves properly aligned (this happens to be my personal outlook, but i do not know if shaykhs have said this or not). and still others may very well be calling to outer jihad as well but because they are shariah compliant rather than terrorists and/or media hogs, those who do not study under them do not know just what it is they teach.
i would also suggest that without a khalifah there is the serious problem of who has the right to announce an outer jihad and make it compulsory, and who is controlling its methods to ensure they are shariah compliant? is it remotely possible for Muslims to unite behind someone who tried to be that person? i don't think it is, because we cannot even respect differing opinions without pronouncing takfir on others, so how would we all accept a leader?
perhaps it is that we are at a stage, in these last days, where outer jihad is simply not really possible until the Mahdi comes and reveals himself, Allahu alim. This is certainly not a subject that i know a lot about nor is my opinion worth anything, these are just the thoughts and reflections that come to me. i believe that i am making the "greater" jihad of the nafs, and that i am a very poor soldier at it! but if i cannot even handle the inner jihad, who am i to say anything of the outer?
BismillahirRahmanirRahim
Salamu'alaykum,
>While this history is impressive to
>say the least, it says nothing
>about current day teachers of
>Tasawwuf and their inadequate
>approach to Jihad.
Louder than words.
http://www.yursil.com/SeyhEffendiAslanMaskhadov.jpg
http://www.kommersant.com/photo/300/DAILY/2005/040/X20050308033_l.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/228/491820206_64331986e6.jpg
http://www.nakshibendi.com/images/derg9.jpg
http://www.nakshibendi.com/images/derg11.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2616/4171770417_026f4bd9c0_o.png
http://www.library.cornell.edu/colldev/mideast/aydogan.htm
Bosnian Mujahids, top right corner.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albumss215/avkhan/MSN17.jpg
Most are dead. Innallaha wainnallahi rajoon.
Lets be more careful about 'inadequate' approaches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gq_pTIxKXI
If the above comments have been even slightly useless--mine will be utterly useless.
I understand your message completely and feel that it is something worth bringing attention theoretically yet practically it IS second hand to our own personal wars against our nafs.
How does that saying go: be the change you wish to see in the world.
Hypothetically speaking, if every Muslim rectified himself, then would there be a need for this outwardly form of Jihad (Not saying this will ever be possible).
I think you tend to give Physical jihad due credit but it goes in vain because practically speaking is does fall second to our jihads against our nafs.
Thats my two cents. I hope I made sense. I realize I haven't been making a lot of sense for the past few weeks. Lol.
-Faique
I'm not into Sufism, so I'm going to avoid that aspect of the discussion. The vast majority of Muslims will probably never get into a role involving the lesser jihad, insha'allah, which, under the traditional classification, leaves us only the greater jihad to concentrate on. (And I believe very strongly in working on the greater jihad, if only because I feel it's necessary for the sake of my soul.) But I also agree with Naeem that we should address the "outward needs of man," so I would suggest a new classification; call it the "intermediate jihad." The other day I wrote a comment on Daily Kos that reads in part:
More importantly, when you say that the Qur'an, ahadith and shari'ah aren't fully compatible with "modern human/civil rights," we would agree... that these so-called "modern" human/civil rights need to be reformed. Just because something is "modern" doesn't necessarily mean that it's the best thing or solution available; as far as Muslims are concerned, much of "modern" society is gravely lacking in providing the solutions needed to problems people face. We Muslims feel Islam offers a better solution to those problems.
The reference to "modern human/civil rights" was merely to throw the original commenter's response into his face, so to speak, reverse the situation; however, the basic point remains: Islam is a solution to humanity's problems, the "flood of secular hedonism" and "filth surrounding ourselves," as Naeem wrote. If you want to engage in a never-ending jihad that both helps to correct society and avoids bloodshed, the intermediate jihad may be just the thing to work on.
Bismillah
Asalaamu alaikum.
JD: "Islam is a solution to humanity's problems, the "flood of secular hedonism" and "filth surrounding ourselves," as Naeem wrote. If you want to engage in a never-ending jihad that both helps to correct society and avoids bloodshed, the intermediate jihad may be just the thing to work on."
Okay, i agree with this, and i know that i and many other Muslims are involved in addressing oppressions and inequalities in our own communities and being involved with social services and other means by which we attempt to create more just systems and influence others towards the same. But this is not what Naeem was talking about, clearly, because shaykhs and scholars most emphatically and very publicly talk about that issue ALL THE TIME.
i would also question how you can be so cavelier about suggesting that Muslims won't ever participate in the jihad of the nafs. The fact is that if a Muslim isn't doing so then his Islam is only a half-life and very very weak. It seems that you would be calling for not even bothering to balance the two forms of jihad at all and only emphasizing the outer jihad, which frankly is exactly what is wrong with Muslim societies already.
Bismillah
Salaams... sorry, i was typing that just as i was needing to get out the door to work so did not fully flesh out.
The thing is, there is no such thing as "intermediate" jihad. Islam has a clear definition of jihad, the inner and the outer. What you, JD, are describing as an intermediate jihad happens to be something i believe is also compulsory upon Muslims - looking to the needs of mankind - but it is not jihad. We can't decide to call it jihad, or insist that it is the "best" jihad that is more valuable than what jihad really is. Islam is for all time, and the answers really are in Islam. We don't make it up as we go along, and we don't change Islam to fit our needs. We need to change ourselves to fit Islam, that is what the Qur'an and the Sunnah call us to do. That is what shaykhs call us to do. Change ourselves to fit Islam.
AA-
@Abu Layla, allow me to introduce you to the food chain of uselessness. First, there are the people I wrote about who digest the realities of the world and they come up with their useless discussions. Then comes me, who swallows their useless discussions and poops out a useless blog post. Finally, there's you, who after reading my post, lets out the most useless crap in the form of your useless comment. Think about it. :-)
Seriously bro, if I had any legitimate answers, I would have stopped dilly-dallying a long time ago. Instead I am mired in my ignorance, wasting my time blogging my hours away. Sigh.
@Yursil, appreciate the references, but surely you can't be presenting an argument based on exceptional cases, right?
You must admit that the vast majority of 'traditional' ulema nowadays have betrayed the spirit of true Jihad (that balance I wrote about).
Individual cases exist, I admit. In addition to your examples, the DP article I linked to listed mujahideen in Somalia and Iraq. However, what teachings of resistance are being taught in the countless circles of knowledge in the Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and the West? I fear very little.
AA-
@Aaminah, appreciate your thoughts. For the most part, I find myself in agreement. Yes, there may be many ulema teaching a holistic approach to Jihad in their circles outside the limelight. Yes, the correct approach may be to simply prepare ourselves for the Mahdi. And most definitely yes, we are not ready to all unite under one banner of Jihad, not without a strong central power (ie. Mahdi, khilafa, etc.).
That being said, I don't believe that the outer jihad is any one, singular event that we must all partake in.
"i would also suggest that without a khalifah there is the serious problem of who has the right to announce an outer jihad and make it compulsory"
This is not what I'm talking about. I'm not calling for outright warfare in which Muslim of the world must unite and take up arms.
The way I see it, there is a major effort to cram the Shariah into the personal sphere. And anyone who wishes otherwise is a radical extremist. We need to resist this trend. Our Jihad must be for a holistic realization of the Shariah.
And unfortunately, too many shuyookh are indirect participants in this 'privatization' effort with their constant focus on the 'greater Jihad' of the nafs. (Btw, I think you misunderstood JD when he was saying that the vast majority of us will never participate in the lesser Jihad - he was referring to combative Jihad)
@JD, I really like this intermediate Jihad. I might run with it. :-)
With the caveat that it not simply be what Sr. Aaminah was referring to - the calling to social good and community work. For I agree with her that so many are already doing this.
What I'm calling for (and I think you may be in agreement) is a campaign to bring back the Shariah into our lives (economically, politically, and socially). This requires the purification of our inner selves in conjunction with the purification of our societies and because the latter cannot take place by force, I am leaning towards your Intermediate Jihad.
This Jihad would be focused on resisting efforts to squeeze the Sharia out of the public domain. This Jihad would resist the calls for democratization, especially when such a step has proven to be a sham in so many places (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, etc.). This Jihad would counter the move towards Western liberalism and all its detestable garbage and instead seek a system of governance in line with the Islamic ethos.
Oh, and your Daily Kos comment was pure genius! Very nice.
Salaam 'alaikum.
Aaminah & Naeem: Thank you both for your comments. After I wrote my comment yesterday I felt it could use some further clarification, but I didn't have the time to repond until just now (after jumu'ah).
First off, I want to emphasize that I'm not badmouthing the jihad against the nafs, the greater jihad; on the contrary, as I pointed out in my comment, this particular jihad is very important to me personally, as it is to many, many Muslims worldwide. Both the greater jihad (against the nafs) and the lesser jihad (military jihad) are important aspects of jihad as a whole but, as I tried to point out, most of us Muslims won't be participating in military campaigns at any time in our lives, insha'allah.
What I am trying to say is that perhaps we need to think of jihad as having three categories, the existing two, greater and lesser, and a third category, intermediate, which focuses upon Muslim contributions toward society in a decidedly non-violent fashion. As you pointed out, Aaminah, you too believe, as I do, that these contributions are compulsory upon Muslims. As khulafah (viceregents) upon this earth, I completely agree that we have the obligation to address the problems facing society and the planet. Got a cause to work on? It most likely fits this category: social justice, the environment, poverty, you name it. In that regard, I'm not creating anything new. This is all very traditional, orthodox thinking. What I am suggesting is that this obligation be given a name and a renewed emphasis in its importance in the lives of Muslims, by placing it under the category of jihad, because it can be considered as part of both jihad by the tongue and jihad by the hand. The terminology may be "new," but I'm not suggesting anything that hasn't been done by Muslims for the last 1400 years. (And even with respect to the terminology, the concept of jihad has been sliced up in ways other than just the "greater" and "lesser" categories, as I brought up above.) I don't think I've created any bida.
@ Naeem: "What I'm calling for (and I think you may be in agreement)..." Yes, everything you wrote after that, we are in complete agreement.
BismillahirRahmanirRahim
"@Yursil, appreciate the references, but surely you can't be presenting an argument based on exceptional cases, right?"
Sure I am, I think that is exactly what I am doing.
Why is it not expected that the people performing this holistic effort would be 'exceptional' in an age of (foretold and increasing) fitnah and decadence?
I already expect the good to exist as pockets of righteousness, when I'm surrounded in a world of evil and confusion.
And the Holy Prophet (AS) has been related as answering the question:
"Will there be any evil after that good?"
And our Beloved Nabi (AS) replied, "Yes, there will be some people calling at the gates of the Fire, and whoever will respond to their call, will be thrown by them into the Fire."
And Hudhayfa bin AlYaman said, "O Allah s Apostle! Will you describe them to us?" He said, "They will be from our own people and will speak our language." I said, "What do you order me to do if such a state should take place in my life?" He said, "Stick to the group of Muslims and their Imam."
I said, "If there is neither a group of Muslims nor an Imam?"
He said, "Then turn away from all those sects even if you were to bite (eat) the roots of a tree till death overtakes you while you are in that state."
So our alternatives are to either stick to a group which does implement goodness, or, if you believe there exists none at all, then leave them all and die alone. That is *your* choice, the last state (in my opinion), has not arrived yet.
And it hasn't arrived thanks to those who, while calling to zikr, have called the Azan in its pure Arabic when government tortured them for it to be in a different tongue.. Thanks to those who led a righteous fight until it turned sour in Chechenistan.. In Bosnia.. In so many places, there are so many lessons to learn. Thanks to those who have suffered imprisonment, banished from their countries, for simply speaking the truth. MashAllah to them, without them where would we be? Yes, they are exceptional people. If we are looking for a warrior, bard, mystic, saint, realist, politician, general, peacemaker, lover and fighter in one package, wouldn't that be an exceptional person in today's age?
Do we really think we can do any jihad without such a leader? Inner, outer, intermediate or whatever slice we like? Certainly, the one that transformed Arabia and subsequently the world, had a leader.
Let us be real.. We live in an age where 'Muslims' are at each others throats, or in courts, or at gunpoint, over administering Masjids in some of the most posh areas of the world. With wealth or health or in the lands most without it, Muslims are destroying themselves. This is because everyone is leading their own 'intermediate' jihad. Get a little power in their hands, and half of them turn into sell outs in the first place. Ask anyone working within 'the system'.
With all this in mind, it seems to be a very slippery slope in today's age to think that one is required to change the general direction of the world, much less independently through private efforts, or that one has been given the authority to participate or even lead in that. Some things need to be guided by holy inspiration, in intimate connection with our Lord.
So maybe when people have such ambitions without such a connection, learning to keep to themselves is the best thing to do.
"You must admit that the vast majority of 'traditional' ulema nowadays have betrayed the spirit of true Jihad (that balance I wrote about)."
I don't think they are perfect, but I don't care really. It's not my place to waste time criticizing rather than offering the alternative. What accomplishes something is to do something.
Or if we're really fortunate enough, we may be able with a few words to enlighten someone.. Writing like this is really rare for me in these days, but then, most of it is not from me (luckily).
I say luckily, since when I meet someone who thinks their own opinions are enlightenment, with a chip on their shoulder and an urgent desire to denounce everyone who doesnt share it, then I'm pretty sure I know its poison. I pray not to be like them.
The best ones I've met live a life of quiet confidence, inspired not from within but from their connection to others. I pray to be like them.
When we rely on those better than us, we're better off.
A read through Sahih Bukhari's chapter on the afflictions towards the end of days is relevant.
There was a time when the Prophet (S) predicted it would be better to sit than stand, standing would be better than walking, walking better than running...
A time was predicted when the best thing a man could do would be to escape with his faith into the places of rainfall.
When do we know to apply the above? And when will we study which category we fall into here?
http://bit.ly/92w7jU
Long post, but its better to recognize it as really just rote repetition from others better than me.. a reminder to myself.. most of us will ignore it, inshaAllah I won't.
assalam alaykum
I totally understand and agree with what you are saying Br Naeem, but I don't think the problem is with sufism or any other ism within Islam the problem really is with Muslims who are happy being just followers and being peaceful Muslims. A State run media machinery, education system and might I add propoganda has left Muslims in the defensive corner where they natually feel weak. Such weakness is then interpreted as inner weakness and until they do not overcome this inner weakness they will never overcome the any other type of weakness.
There may be Muslims who glorify Jihad and make it their sole concentration point as oppose to those who do same with tasawuff. But how do we know all that talk is not just mere lip service or an ideology they subscribe to unlike the early generation of Muslims who didn't just endlessly talk in a debating fashion about Tasawuff or Jihad, they showed it by thier own example and they did it with the utmost balance.
AA- Yursil,
"Why is it not expected that the people performing this holistic effort would be 'exceptional' in an age of (foretold and increasing) fitnah and decadence?"
I believe we are talking past each other. Of course those who are carrying out such great acts of sacrifice are the exception. However, you are proving a point that I never denied.
Whereas you are making a case for the special individuals who have found that balance, I am stating amazement and confusion at the lack of the vast majority who not only haven't actualized this balance, but aren't even calling for it.
Forget carrying out this struggle. I'm just looking for them to start preaching it.
Why does even that not exist in this day and age? Is that so difficult?
I'm not asking for something so strange and exceptional, am I? I'm simply asking for those who are so keen on purifying their inner selves to place equal/some importance on purifying their outer surroundings, by working for a life in accordance with Shariah.
Yet so many of our scholars are content with giving to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Doesn't that strike you as odd and unfortunate?
As for the rest of your reply, I agree with your sentiments. Indeed it is frustrating in this day and age, Akhir-az-Zaman as you've mentioned previously, to find those special beacons of light that pierce the darkness surrounding us.
I so wish to find one and latch on to it for dear life.
BismillahirRahmanirRahim
Salamu'alaykum,
We may be talking past each other, but maybe not.
Whereas you are making a case for the special individuals who have found that balance, I am stating amazement and confusion at the lack of the vast majority who not only haven't actualized this balance, but aren't even calling for it.
Forget carrying out this struggle. I'm just looking for them to start preaching it.
My case is not just for individuals, its for leaders and groups of people doing what you are asking for. If you are drawing a distinction between practicing vs preaching, I think the two go hand in hand.
Only the insincere would preach things and not have a single sign (scar or trophy, metaphorical or physical) in their lives, that they also tried to make it a reality from their own actions.
So, my first point is I don't believe the majority in this world are going to preach Islam holistically, making Islam as a complete spiritual and physical lifestyle, like I said.. I believe pockets of people calling to righteousness exist in this evil world.. but they are pockets. Sane pockets in an insane world, have become known as the insane themselves.
Those people are few and far between and the general direction is it will get fewer and fewer until certain events occur.
Isn't it said that knowledge is to be taken away from this earth?
If you agree such leaders are exceptional, then the groups around them are few and far between.
>Why does even that not exist in
>this day and age? Is that so
>difficult?
I hear the yearning in your words, and from that I can see a picture of what you are after... I thought the same way...
>I'm not asking for something so
>strange and exceptional, am I?
>I'm simply asking for those who
>are so keen on purifying their
>inner selves to place equal/some
>importance on purifying their
>outer surroundings, by working
>for a life in accordance with
>Shariah.
You are asking for something in the world to be right, even if its just 'good preaching', but not only that you are asking for it to be more widespread.
So, of course you are asking for something strange and exceptional!
I think the fact of the matter is, it is possible to live a life in accordance with Shariat, for a large part of our lives, if we choose to. Villages all over follow the Shariah. Live simply and its still quite possible to accomplish this lifestyle. But people don't want that, they want the mall around the corner AND Shariat.
This is modernities delusion and infection on Muslims who want to do right.
And if we are calling for real Islam to be imposed on others, made a matter of national or global law, then this goes back to my points:
1) The state of the world is such that the majority don't want it. Most have not lived under Shariah, and those that want it know it only as a communists know their manifestos. Theoretical, impractical, personal gospels.
2) We have proven we cannot manage to keep Islam within the majority of our families, much less change cities or nations.
3) All real change is impossible without a leader. The majority of Muslims are against accepting a leader.
>Yet so many of our scholars are
>content with giving to Caesar
>what belongs to Caesar. Doesn't
>that strike you as odd and
>unfortunate?
There are a hadith about scholars in the end of times. It's not good news for them.
So based on those, actually, I actually feel prescience in action... rather than being taken totally and truly by surprise. Although, yes, my heart aches as I come to terms with Allah's Will.
Bismillah
Asalaamu alaikum Naeem. You say:
"Indeed it is frustrating in this day and age, Akhir-az-Zaman as you've mentioned previously, to find those special beacons of light that pierce the darkness surrounding us.
I so wish to find one and latch on to it for dear life."
But the fact is, you have found one or more of these beacons, shaykhs who do exactly what you think shaykhs and scholars are not doing. And rather than submitting to the reality that it is special and simply "latching on", you keep demanding that there should be more scholars/shaykhs to choose from! This is amazing to me, and i don't mean any disrespect to you. The truly "useless" discussion is for us to command upon shaykhs and scholars that they aren't doing this... nothing we say is going to (or should) make more shaykhs do what we think they ought to do. However, when you know full well which shaykhs are already doing it, why do you insist on not following them and continuing to demand someone else do it? Indeed, these are the last days. There will be no utopia, knowledge and wisdom are scarce and getting scarcer. We are weak because we refuse to follow the great leaders that stand right before us, we always look over their shoulder for someone else or wish to see masses so that we will feel secure in the decision. It is so much easier for us to speak philosophically on our blogs about the balance and perfection we are looking for, to complain about its non-existence or rarity, and to use that to remain inactive ourselves. It takes a lot more to "shut up and put up", as they say - to actually follow the leader who is what we are looking for. So much easier to talk the talk than to walk the walk.
"I so wish to find one and latch on to it for dear life."
You have already found one. Why are you not latched on, dear brother, but still searching?
Bismillah
Asalaamu alaikum JD.
Yes, sorry i got a little mixed up in commenting to you. i really shouldn't try to comment when i am in a rush to get to work, LOL. Also, i have had so many (you wouldn't believe) convos with Muslims who claim that i have it all backwards and that the "greater jihad" is the physical, so it no longer surprises me if someone says that.
In any case, i still maintain that balance cannot mean chucking out one version of jihad, nor deciding that something else is jihad so that we can feel we are being balanced. What you call to is incumbent, but not jihad. Frankly, it's just the most basic of good character to look after the physical needs of those around us. But the Qur'an and RasulAllah salalahi alahi wa salaam have defined for us what is jihad and we can't just say "well, i can't do that so i'm gonna call this thing i can do jihad". But semantics aside, i just don't think we can say "i'm doing x, so i don't have to do y". "Y", i.e. physical jihad, is still required of us if and when it comes to pass that we have a leader who is able to command us to it. i guess i see it more like the Hajj - it's required of me, so i make intention to do it. In reality, i can't imagine how it is ever going to be possible for me to do it. But i still make intention that i will do it and leave it up to Allah to provide me the means with which to make it a reality. If those means never come, then i am rewarded for my intention, inshaAllah.
AA- Yursil,
I love you brother.
AA- Aaminah,
"It is so much easier for us to speak philosophically on our blogs about the balance and perfection we are looking for, to complain about its non-existence or rarity, and to use that to remain inactive ourselves. It takes a lot more to "shut up and put up", as they say - to actually follow the leader who is what we are looking for. So much easier to talk the talk than to walk the walk."
Thank you sis. I really needed that.
However, I am not sure what you are referring to when you state that I've already found my beacon of light. In truth, I haven't. I've been exposed to sincere men of Allah, who have taken me by the hand and have pushed me onto the path towards my Creator.
But I still find them lacking in their approach to a holistic Jihad.
I'm a bit confused. Did I ever claim anything otherwise?
Asalamualaikum,
Naeem, interesting post.
I must say, brother Yursil, you have made some great points, mA. Especially about the importance of acknowledging that we are nearing the end and in line with this our Messenger(SAW) warned us that there will be mass evil in the world and holding on to our Iman will be like holding on to hot coal. So of course, people calling to 'holistic' Islam or the 'true spirit of Jihad', as Naeem mentioned, will be rare exceptions.
Intermediate jihad
Bro JDsg, what you refer to as the 'Intermediate Jihad' if I have understood you correctly seems to already have a name in Islam. 'Commanding the good and forbidding the evil', something obligated upon us everyday.
"The way I see it, there is a major effort to cram the Shariah into the personal sphere. And anyone who wishes otherwise is a radical extremist. We need to resist this trend. Our Jihad must be for a holistic realization of the Shariah."
Naeem, after reading your post and comments, it seems in short that you want scholars and muslims to follow and call to ALL of Islam, as you feel they are focussing on the personal aspects of the 'religion', but are neglecting the 'complete way of life' part where Islam is established in AND out of the house on all levels, as it should be.
I think it's less about the concept of Jihad and deep down about calling to making Islam a reference point in all aspects of life. The concept sounds great, but ultimately when there is no State in the world that uses Islam as it's reference point, then it becomes difficult "to bring back the Shariah into our lives (economically, politically, and socially)" as that requires an Islamic governement/Caliphate. Even Jihad to protect societies and remove oppression cannot truly take place without a State and Caliph, and THIS is exaclty why the "powers of the world" today seek to brand anybody that calls to Islam being implemented on a societal/governmental level, dare i say it, an EXTREMIST/RADICAL. It's something they fear and they use the media and other avenues to make sure that people associate an Islamic state/Caliphate with the below:
"They demand the elimination of Israel; the withdrawal of all Westerners from Muslim countries, irrespective of the wishes of people and government; the establishment of effectively Taleban states and Sharia law in the Arab world en route to one caliphate of all Muslim nations. We don’t have to wonder what type of country those states would be. Afghanistan was such a state. Girls put out of school. Women denied even rudimentary rights. People living in abject poverty and oppression. All of it justified by reference to religious faith."[Tony Bliar]
Now we all know what 99.9% of muslims beleive to be a Caliphate is not the above, infact history has shown it is the exact opposite. So there's two negative forces, our own scholars neglecting to educate muslims on an important part of Islam and also mass media brainwashing to give Islam an image which is far from beautiful. But in the end bro, i think we have to accept that what we see is prophecies in front of our very eyes, and people neglecting this Jihad that you speak of is part of that.
We've already been told what is going to happen in this world, we can't stop it, all we can do is try to be a positive character in the story that is inevitably going to play out.
"What I'm calling for (and I think you may be in agreement) is a campaign to bring back the Shariah into our lives (economically, politically, and socially). This requires the purification of our inner selves in conjunction with the purification of our societies and because the latter cannot take place by force, I am leaning towards your Intermediate Jihad."
'Intermediate Jihad'? Maybe, but whatever you want to label it, it's the commanding of Good and the forbidding of Evil, i.e. calling the world back to Islam on both personal and societal levels. What you're calling for is a good thing and seems to be part of the reason why the Muslims are in the state they are today:
The Prophet (SAW) said "Command the right and forbid the wrong, or Allah will put the worst of you in charge of the best of you, and the best will supplicate Allah and be left unanswered."
What you say about Jihad, links in quite well with the above and our current situation, don't you think?
ISLAMASAURUS
Bismillah
Asalaamu alaikum Naeem,
"However, I am not sure what you are referring to when you state that I've already found my beacon of light. In truth, I haven't. I've been exposed to sincere men of Allah, who have taken me by the hand and have pushed me onto the path towards my Creator.
But I still find them lacking in their approach to a holistic Jihad.
I'm a bit confused. Did I ever claim anything otherwise?"
May i be so bold as to suggest that you are conveniently confused? No, you keep claiming you haven't found that beacon, but you are very obviously lying to yourself because you aren't ready to subsume your own ego to that beacon of light. Yursil has just pointed out two shaykhs from one path who are exactly what you claim to be looking for. i suspect that there are others besides our own, and if you say you have been taken by the hand and pushed onto the path, then you should give due respect to the shaykhs who have done so for you. The whole issue i actually have with this post, and it is further exemplified by your words right now, is that you are demanding that shaykhs conform to you and the implication is that you have some knowledge they lack. This is what is holding you back. Not that there is no shaykh with a holistic approach to jihad and shariah and balance between inner and outer Islam. But that you seem to think you know something that no other shaykh knows. You don't. i don't. None of us do. You need to accept the teachers that Allah puts in front of you, accept that they teach you at the level you are ready to learn, and what you need to learn. Looking for a holistic approach to jihad is just a distraction. i'm not saying you must accept my shaykh as your teacher, but i am saying that you need to stop looking at all the "faults" and failings you think you see in the shaykhs and admit that any of them know and understand more and deeper than you and i do. The beacon of light is right in front of you, and you are arguing against it and being stubborn. It is not our place to demand anything of shaykhs. Allah places before us who we need, and they address our needs. We would like to focus on something, anything, different than what the shaykhs tell us we really need, because it is hard to do the real work. But your choice, the choice we all must make, is are we going to accept the humbling of ourselves and take what is offered, or are we going to keep demanding something different just so we can stay inactive by saying we haven't found what we are looking for yet?
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