Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Al Jihad Fil Islam (The Concept of Jihad in Islam): English Translation

In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful

As has happened many times in its history, the Muslim Ummah (nation) is once again going through a very important and testing period. Based entirely on the historical evidence, it can be said with confidence that it will come out of this situation intact and back on track. This phenomenal aspect of the Muslim Ummah to rejuvenate after each testing period is due to the two main sources of guidance available to Muslims, the teachings of the Holy Quran and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), that have remained uncorrupted throughout its history. These two sources have continued to guide the Ummah out of difficult situations at various times in its History. However, it is also true, that in such difficult times there have been attempts to redefine the Islamic teachings in order to find compromised ways out of such desperate situations.

The Islamic system of life does have the built-in flexibility and adaptability to adjust itself according to circumstances. However, in times of degeneration there have been and are tendencies even within Muslim scholarship, to cross the limits of allowable flexibility and tamper with the fundamental teachings of Islam. At one such juncture in history, during the British Rule in the Subcontinent, there was severe criticism by non-Muslims of the fundamental teachings of Islam, particularly on the subject of Jihad. This was the time following the murder of a Hindu leader of the Shudhi Movement (a movement with the mission to reconvert those to Hinduism who chose to convert to another religion), reportedly by a Muslim. A measured and balanced response to that criticism of Islamic teachings came from Syed Abul Aala Maududi through his book Al Jihad Fil Islam.

A similar campaign, however one that is more intense, widespread, and well organized, exists today with respect to the criticism of Islamic teachings, that they are supposedly responsible for radicalizing the Muslims. This is in response to some acts of violence against civilians, committed by or attributed to Muslims. The Muslim response to this negative propaganda against Islam ranges from denial of the original concept of Jihad as if it was not part of Islamic teachings, to aggressive responses legitimizing such actions under the pretext of Jihad that are not permitted in the Islamic teachings. There is a need today to revisit the balanced approach presented by Syed Maududi. We are presenting to our readers the English translation of the marvelous research work Al Jihad Fil Islam by Syed Maududi, explaining the original concept of Jihad in Islam.

For the sake of keeping the originality of the work, it was decided to present just the translation without any addition, omission, detailed explanations, or synthesis of this research work. Therefore, the reader will find references up to World War I, after which the original book was written, and not from a later, more recent period of history; at some places where these older references are given in the text, we have inserted highlighted comments as reminder flags for the reader. These reminders are intended to invite the reader for a simple intellectual exercise, to find striking similarities in the contemporary history, and to notice how history is repeating itself. For the ease of identification, a bold italic font has been chosen for such notes. At some places, the writer Syed Maududi has himself added some thought provoking comments in the later edition of the book to invite the reader to think of what was written years ago, have manifested itself again in the events that occurred around the world in later years.

The haziness created due to the dust generated by the so-called war on terror was settling down and the vision was becoming clearer 14 years after 9/11, when the incident of Paris killings happened and we are back to square one, a similar situation has again been created where truth has become hard to perceive. Until very recently, the United Nations, the highest international body, is debating over the issue of defining terrorism. On the other hand, thanks to the media portrayal of Islam in the recent years, Islam is taken by many today as synonymous with terrorism. The events of the current times, ranging from the murder of a Dutch filmmaker to the Palestinian struggle for freedom, are all being branded as Islamic terrorism. Terms like jihadist are introduced and ill informed, uncareful and those with ulterior motives against Islam use them as if they are synonyms to terrorists, to unintentionally or intentionally malign Islam and its esteemed doctrine of Jihad. This book will provide an opportunity for the readers to analyze what qualifies within the Islamic concept of Jihad, and will provide an opportunity to see the comparative teachings of other major religions of the world and the modern Western thoughts in relation to wars and conflicts.