WHAT IS JIHAD? UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS DOES ISLAM SANCTION THE USE OF VIOLENCE? WHAT WOULD YOU TELL SUICIDE BOMBERS WHO INVOKE ISLAM TO JUSTIFY THEIR ACTIONS?

Jihad, meaning struggle, is a term introduced by the Qur’an to describe the effort and responsibilities required for remaining steadfast in this world of trials as a religious person against all kinds of odds. It includes spiritual (Jihad bi’nafs) as well as physical struggle (qital). Qital (armed resistance and combat) is allowed only in defense, and only to the extant it is justified morally. Jihad does not mean war; the term for war is Harb, which is a pre-Islamic concept of a state of war. It is rarely used in the Qur’an. Peace (silm) is the natural state of affairs, and therefore, the Qur’an obliges Muslims to end fighting when the other party calls for peace in the middle of fighting, even as a tactics. In history, Muslims often did not fully abide by these teachings. Legal doctrines about Jihad generally evolved as the policies of a community in power. However, the jurists incessantly tried to stipulate conditions in order to limit the use of violence. Debates about just and unjust war continued among Muslim scholars. Illustrations of this debate are the resentment that some Muslim scholars expressed against the use of gunpowder in eighteenth century and against the use of nuclear weapons in the twentieth century. A number of Muslim scholars today are calling for rethinking of Jihad in the context of modern warfare, which is only destructive; it is no longer a means to settle disputes or impose peace, as the ancients used to believe.

Suicide bombing as a political act is a modern form of the ancient practice of using special dedicated troops who were ready to sacrifice their lives protecting their king. No justification for such troops is available in Islamic law books. The present practice is unjustified also because it is against the Islamic teachings about limited and just war; it allows extending war to innocent citizens and non-combatants. It is based on a concept of perpetual state of war. It justifies continuation of violence by the parties. It has not achieved the possible objectives for which the suicide bombers lay their lives; it has only aggravated the situation by creating an environment of fear and retaliation.

2. HOW DOES ISLAM DEFINE APOSTASY? IS IT PERMISSIBLE FOR A MUSLIM TO CONVERT TO ANOTHER FAITH? HOW CAN LAWS AGAINST APOSTASY AND BLASEPHEMY BE RECONCILED WITH THE KORANIC INJUNCTION OF "NO COMPULSION IN RELIGION"?

No response.

3. WHAT ARE THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN ISLAM? HOW DOES ISLAM'S VIEW OF MALE-FEMALE EQUALITY DIFFER FROM THE WESTERN VIEW?

No response.