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Exposing the role that Islamic jihad theology and ideology play in the modern global conflicts

Is the “Greater jihad” really spiritual struggle?

Feb 11, 2005 8:36 am By Robert Spencer

In Onward Muslim Soldiers I detail how prominent jihadist theorists such as Hassan Al-Banna (founder of the Muslim Brotherhood) and Abdullah Azzam (founder of Al-Qaeda) argue that the idea that the “greater jihad” is a spiritual struggle is based on a weak hadith, a false tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, and that jihad is legitimately and primarily only warfare against unbelievers.

The implications of this, of course, are enormous. In the first place, it shows — as I have argued ever since the beginning of my public work in this field, in my books and at this site many times — that the jihad terrorists of today have not hijacked a peaceful religion, as the State Department and media would have us believe, but are operating within the Islamic mainstream. Those seeking to create a basis upon which Muslims can live in peace with non-Muslims must find some way to refute arguments like this one: a Muslim case against the spiritual jihad (thanks to Faith Freedom).

The problem is that as long as Mr. Bush and Ms. Rice and the rest continue to pretend that these arguments do not exist, or are not widely believed in the Islamic world, they are whistling in the dark. As long as they continue to behave as if terrorists have hijacked Islam, they will not be addressing the real source of the problem we face, and will continue to leave America open to being blindsided by attacks from sources we assumed were benign.

Here is part of the Muslim argument against jihad as spiritual struggle:

And even more doubtful than that, there is within the Sanad of this Hadith a narrator by the name of Yahya bin Al Ula Al Bajili who according to Imam Ahmad is a known Kadhdhaab -liar-, and forger of Hadith. Also, Amru bin Ali, An Nasai and Daruqutni state: “His Hadith are renounced.” Ibnu Adi states: “His Hadith are false.” [Refer: Tahdhibut Tahdhib 11/261-262]

Ibnu Taimiyyah states: “There is a Hadith related by a group of people which states that the Prophet (s.a.w) said after the battle of Tabuk: ‘We have returned from Jihad Asghar [lesser] to Jihad Akbar’ [greater]. This hadith has no source, nobody whomsoever in the field of Islamic Knowledge has narrated it. Jihad against the disbelievers is the most noble of actions, and moreover it is the most important action for the sake of mankind.” [Refer: Al Furqan baina Auliyair Rahman wa Auliyaisy Shaitaan, matter 44-45].

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