Parallel from India
Reader comment on item: Jihad: The Fight Over Meaning

Submitted by Bhuvan Chaturvedi (India), Jun 12, 2002 at 02:58

In India, another country afflicted with militant Islam, not only students, but also learned Islamic scholars, notably Maulana Wahiuddin Khan, have often defined Jihad in a spiritual context. I think that in these matters it is important to judge whether the definition is given with an intent of negationism or the intent is to temper a self righteous and aggressive ideology. Without a doubt, all through the ages jihad has always meant a religious war against kafirs. I think Dr.Hathout gives himself away when he concedes that jihad is also "against those who fight against us to push us away from our religion or kick us out of our homeland". I would request the learned doctor not to turn things on their head. It is Islam that has always forcibly converted pagans and snatched away their property and lives.

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