Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
A Thesis
Presented
to the Faculty of
In Partial Fulfillment
Master of Arts
in
Humanities
by
Robert Reinebach
Spring 2013
UMI Number: 1523689
In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript
and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed,
a note will indicate the deletion.
Di!ss0?t&iori P iiblistMlg
UMI 1523689
Published by ProQuest LLC 2013. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author.
Microform Edition ProQuest LLC.
All rights reserved. This work is protected against
unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code.
ProQuest LLC
789 East Eisenhower Parkway
P.O. Box 1346
Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346
THESIS: INTERPRETING JIHAD: IMITATION OR INNOVATION
APPROVED:
PAGE
APPROVAL PAGE.................................................................................................................ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS.......................................................................................................iii
ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................... iv
CHAPTER
1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................... 1
3. JIHAD.................................................................................................................................12
4. JIHADISM......................................................................................................................... 20
5. IJTIHAD DEFINED..........................................................................................................28
6. IJTIHAD APPLIED...........................................................................................................36
7. A NEW IJTIHAD.............................................................................................................. 45
8. CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................. 52
WORKS CITED.................................................................................................................... 55
iii
ABSTRACT
jihadists interpret the term as global holy war, and some extremists encourage
traditional Sunni Islam has, for centuries, favored scriptural exegesis based on taqlid
judicial reasoning) to re-interpret the Quran based on their perception of the world today.
Ijtihad, however, appears to be re-emerging as a tool for moderate Muslims as well, who
argue for an interpretation of the Quran that endorses peaceful coexistence with non-
INTRODUCTION
There are undoubtedly conflicting opinions over the meaning o f the word jihad.
For example, Syed Mirza, in an article entitled An Exegesis on Jihad claims that For
1400 years, Muslims always understood the meaning of Jihad as Islamic Holy War or
fighting for the cause of religion. Every Islamic scholar, mullah, maulana or imam in the
world agreed with this meaning of Jihad (Shienbaum 77). On the other hand, Irfan
Omar, in an article entitled Keeping Sharia and Reclaiming Jihad states, Jihad,
contrary to popular belief, has never been translated by Muslims as holy war except of
course by the terrorists of our time. War in Islam was always regarded as a necessary
evil but never holy or sacred (709). The September 11 attacks and their aftermath
accelerated a debate in the West over the nature o f the religion of Islam and more
specifically the exact meaning of the term jihad. Recently this debate has only escalated,
probably reheated by the tenth anniversary o f the terrorist attacks and the recent death of
Osama bin-Laden. Scholars have written hundreds of academic books and journal
articles on the subject in the past decade and this paper includes some of the most recent
to help create a snapshot on the meaning o f jihad from both a traditional and
fundamentalist point of view. One recurring theme in the academic discussion o f jih a d is
century, has become a topic of particular interest in the past decade. Originally coined by
2
Protestant Christian groups in the United States in the early 1900s, the term was
attributed to factions from every major religion across the globe by the end of the century
enhanced by Martin Marty and Scott Applebees The Fundamentalism Project o f the
authored by experts in various fields of religious studies. These concepts have been
discussed and debated in hundreds o f books and journal articles in the years since
(Appleby 9).
those in the groups under examination and by a multitude o f academic scholars for a
variety of reasons, Marty and Appleby stress that the term fundamentalism is here to
stay and argue that groups labeled as such across the globe and across all the major
(Marty, Observed ix). The editors of The Fundamentalism Project believe that, despite
movements in each share certain key traits. One example o f a key shared trait is the
also favor dogmatic imitation of the ancient founders o f the faith over the acceptance o f
later religious traditions. The trait most applicable to this discussion is the fundamentalist
Comprehended 1).
perceived threats to their respective religion (2). These threats are typically
is the same across cultures and that Its ethos is one of minoritarian protest and outrage
increasingly secularized society. All fundamentalists share this worldview and ethos
(16).
scrutiny in the West. Malise Ruthven, for example, in his book Fundamentalism: The
Search fo r Meaning mentions, The most spectacular fundamentalist atrocity o f all was
the suicide hijacking of three [sic] airliners by Islamist militants belonging to the al-
Qaeda network led by the Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, on 11 September 2001 (1-
2). Ruthvens recent work, along with many others detailing this particular Muslim
fundamentalism can be identified by family resemblances and that one critical shared
trait is the militant struggle against real or perceived threats to a particular religion or
faith. It would be grossly inaccurate to compare all fundamentalist groups with al-Qaeda,
however. Fundamentalist militance does not connote violence in most cases. As
acts of terror, but even the most peaceful and law-abiding are perplexing, because they
seem so adamantly opposed to many of the most positive values of modem society (xi).
critical to this discussion, however. Likewise, the meaning o f the word jih a d lies at the
center o f the debate over whether or not Islam is a religion of peace, a discourse that has
been accelerated in the West since the terrorist attacks. Jihad, which can roughly be
translated a struggle, has recently come to mean holy war (Zaidi 21).
The topic and context o f this paper springs from the theoretical framework
phenomenon found in all the worlds major religions and that these movements share
certain family resemblances, one o f which is the tendency toward militant struggle o f the
and religious liberalism. This paper will specifically analyze and critique the debate over
the meaning of the word jih a d as holy war versus inner spiritual struggle. It will also
warfare may be utilized at will or should be reserved, in the case o f violence, for only
those defensive scenarios defined in the context o f Just War (Blankinship 416).
Prior to any in depth analysis of this dialogue, it is first necessary to identify the
various competing voices that speak for Islam which include several broad categories.
The non-fundamentalist voice includes traditional and liberal believers as well as secular
humanists and other non-Muslims. The fundamentalist voice includes both activists
committed to peaceful reform and those who endorse varying levels of violence (although
the focus of this paper is on the latter). The traditional definition o f jih ad will then be
presented and contrasted with the development o f jihadism which has emerged from the
fundamentalist ideology.
Qutbs Milestones and expanded to the extreme by the ideologue he influenced, al-
Qaedas Ayman al-Zawahiri, strays far from most traditional Muslim interpretations
(Cook 180-1). Furthermore, it appears that this separation by the fundamentalists from
the traditionally accepted interpretations of the scriptures requires the use o f ijtihad (the
verb form of jihad, connoting the use innovation, or independent reasoning to interpret
the Quran). Ijtihad was, until recently, widely considered no longer permissible by
Sunni Muslim scholars who endorsed the practice instead of taqlid (imitation, or
acceptance of the rulings o f early jurists). Other competing ideas regarding the meaning
o f jihad will also be discussed as applied by more moderate traditional scholars and
liberal believers. Because this paper addresses Islamic scriptures and analyzes the works
from the perspective of a non-Muslim in the context of comparative world religions and
that this work is primarily rooted in the secular disciplines o f philosophy, history and
religious literature.
6
CHAPTER 2
VOICES OF ISLAM
The term jihad has become associated with Islamic based terrorism in popular
Western thought in the aftermath of September 11 (Greaves 55). Prior to any in-depth
debate over the various interpretations of jihad, two important questions must be
addressed. First o f all, what is Islam? Secondly, who speaks for Islam? The second
question correctly implies that the Muslim world is not a homogenous group o f religious
adherents unified by a single voice, although there are theoretically several basic unifying
principles and practices shared by all Muslims. The voices that emerge can be roughly
Muslims) and finally the other (which broadly encompasses both the secular and
religious non-Muslim voice for sake o f this study). For the sake of clarity and simplicity
the paper will furthermore refer to these voices as traditional, fundamentalist, liberal and
secular.
What then, is Islam? Historically Islam begins with Muhammad around 610 AD
in present day Saudi Arabia, making it the youngest of the major world religions. It was
spread after Muhammads death primarily through the introduction to Arab tribes from
conquered lands. Muslim believers, however, view Islam as the oldest and only true
religion. Beginning with its inception, Islam has required renewal due to human
corruption or lack of understanding by various prophets throughout history until its final
revelation to Muhammad in the Quran (Greaves 2). John Esposito, a leading Western
Islam today is the dominant symbolic and ideological force in the Muslim
billion adherents, is the leading religion in over 57 different countries, there are bound to
historically have been most notable between the belief and practices o f Sunni and Shi a
Muslims, the former, which this discussion is primarily limited to, claims approximately
eighty-five percent of Muslim adherents (Esposito 1). Despite the diversity, however,
there are several key characteristics that are definitive to Islam. To summarize, all
Muslims believe in five core principles and must strive to adhere to five core practices or
the pillars of Islam. The principles all Muslims believe in include the Oneness o f
God, the prophets (Muhammad being the last and greatest), the Quran, angels, and the
Day of Judgment. The pillars that all Muslims must strive to practice include the
declaration of faith, prayer five times a day, alms-giving, fasting during the month o f
Despite these unifying traits, there are certainly differences o f opinion and
practice as highlighted in this debate concerning the definition and role of jih ad in the
8
Muslim community. Who, then, are the various competing voices o f Islam? In 2006 a
panel of experts led by Mustafa Tlili collaborated to answer this question as part o f The
Center fo r Dialogues conference at New York University. Leaders from the conference
posted an article entitled Who Speaks for Islam. This essay categorizes the voices of
Islam as: the Ulama, Multiple Sovereignties and Nation-States, Self-Proclaimed Islamic
States, The Islamists, Transnational Islamist Networks, and finally the Voices o f a New
Ijtihad. To simplify the above categories, each fits into either the traditional,
The traditional voice of Islam includes the ulama (the recognized group o f
scholars, jurists and religious leaders) along with state or political actors. The essay
the Islamic faith and the leading authorities in religious matters. . . but even in the
classical age, there was no single source of religious authority for the entire Muslim
world (Tlili 2). During the classical period, Shari a law was developed by these
scholars and jurists based first and foremost on the Sunna, which includes the guidance
either directly from the Quran or secondarily from the hadith (the collected stories o f the
life and teachings of the Prophet recorded and passed along by early followers). This
group of scholars and jurists from the various judicial schools are still traditionally
considered the leading voice for the community o f believers of Islam today. Examples of
the present day ulama would include scholars, jurists and religious leaders with degrees
or qualifications from the leading Muslim institutions o f higher learning such as Al-
9
Azhar, Sunni Islams most esteemed institution o f theological learning. . . the worlds
Along with the ulama, the political leadership o f Muslim countries plays a role in
the traditional concept of authority in Islam, although this can be problematic in the
current fragmented state o f global affairs. Concerning Muslim state leaders, historically
The Muslim world had fragmented into several autonomous polities in the very first
preferring that the community of believers choose its own leader after his death (Tlili 5).
This immediately proved problematic in the Islamic world and the role o f the caliphate
primarily Muslim countries, such as Turkey, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Libya currently fill
such a gap, although the stability and future of many of these examples remains uncertain
in light of the Arab Spring. Countries such as Saudi Arabia (Sunni) and more recently
Iran (Shi a), on the other hand, have developed Islamic states which are, in theory,
At best, the role of Islam in the current political structure of the Muslim world is
confusing or disjointed, and more and more westerners, influenced by . . . the media,
have come to believe that it is the most extremist among the Islamists who represent and
speak for, Islam . . . many Westerners confuse the terms Islamist and fundamentalist with
the term ulama (1). These fundamentalists, also known as revivalists . . . reformists . . .
10
jihadists, Islamists and Islamic militants also strive for recognition as the authoritative
incapable of providing a political vision for the future. The ulama seemed
Examples of individuals and groups who stepped in to fill the gap include ideologues
from various levels of scholarship - most of whom would not meet the traditional
wahabbism and jihadism, and have led various fundamentalist groups such as the Muslim
Brotherhood, Jamaa a-Islami, al-Jihad, and most notoriously, al-Qaeda. One key
characteristic of these fundamentalist ideologues is that they typically stray from many
Muslim traditions. They champion the use of independent reason to re-interpret the
Quran in light of a perceived crisis. Their ultimate goal is to usher in social and political
Alongside the traditional and fundamentalist voices speaking for Islam is the
liberal voice. The Who Speaks for Islam article notes, In contrast to the Islamists, a
new group of Muslim thinkers, which has emerged during the past several decades, seeks
to apply contemporary intellectual methods to the task o f reforming Islam (12). These
11
thinkers, belong to a reformist tradition stretching back to the mid-19th century . . . who,
reconcile Islamic turath (tradition) with the challenges o f modernity (12). The
resurgence of independent reason in Islam, then, may provide more than just a call to
arms to restore an ancient way o f life as the fundamentalists advocate. This may, instead,
provide a path for Islam to reconcile its religion with enlightenment values and put the
Muslim world on what the West would consider a more conciliatory path with the rest of
the world.
12
CHAPTER 3
JIHAD
moral struggle within ones own self. It thus carries the hermeneutical
waged on behalf o f Islam as a religious duty and then as a personal struggle in devotion
to Islam especially involving spiritual discipline. Finally, the dictionary classifies jih a d
as a crusade for a principle or belief. Although the above definitions include only
slightly dissimilar concepts, the overarching definition of jihad according to the English
dictionary seems to emphasize jih ad as warfare; this is not, however, where most Muslim
book entitled Islamic Reform and Conservatism, part of the Library o f Modern Religion
series published in 2009. She mentions that interpretation on any matter always began
with the Quran. Verses with obvious meanings were binding; while verses that appear
ambiguous were to be interpreted through three additional methods. First of all, scholars
used the hadith, or the traditions of the life and teachings of the Prophet that were
collected and validated during the first few centuries of Islam and categorized by varying
Finally the use of analogy (qiyas) was permitted. Ijtihad, innovation or independent
reason, was required for early rulings that had no direct answer but still had to be
validated by consensus or analogy or both. Once a ruling had been made on an issue,
scholars typically favored the principle o f taqlid, or imitation of earlier rulings based on
With this in mind, the place to begin in determining the proper definition o f jihad
is to review the traditional scholarly Muslim interpretation from the Quran on the topic.
For Muslims, the Quran is the direct word of God, revealed exclusively with Gods
authorship and human penmanship. Therefore, the Quran is the main knowledge source
for all aspects of life (Amjad-Ali 240). In a recent Journal on Qur anic Studies article,
Muhammad Abdel Haleem laments that the word jih a d . . . has become, to some extent,
divorced from its significance as a Quranic term. He stresses, then, his aim to deal
with the subject. . . [solely] on the basis of the linguistic analysis o f the text o f the
Quran itself (147). In a separate work he published in 2010 entitled Understanding the
Qur an: Themes and Styles, Haleem discusses several critical, traditionally-accepted
hinges on these principles. This includes the context of the situation that revolves
around knowing the requirements o f the situation during the discourse from the point of
view of the discourse itself, the discursant, the discursee or all of them together (163).
parts of the Quran are complementary and that the best way to discern the meaning o f an
. is now established beyond a doubt. The style of the Quran being self-
take priority over any other approach to understanding and explaining the
Quran. (165)
In his detailed study, then, Haleem analyzes the occurrences of the root j h d (to strive)
alongside the root q 11 (to kill) where applicable and arrives at a contextually based
Haleem stresses several key points that are echoed by other scholars. First o f all,
jihad in relation to violence or warfare occurs less often than jihad in relation to other
non-violent activities. Charles Amjad-Ali in another article notes that of the thirty-five
occurrences of the word jihad in the Quran only four clearly indicate war while eleven
are clearly pacific. The other twenty can be interpreted either way (246). The term is
15
often times used in the context of ''jihad of the heart or o f 1jihad o f the tongue which
implies the importance of jihad as either a spiritual struggle or a struggle through debate,
Secondly, in the case o f military jihad, or jihad of the sword, specific guidelines
are implied. Haleem discusses a statement from the Quran (22:39) in which the Prophet
relays, Those who are attacked are permitted to take up arms because they have been
wronged. . . (qtd. in Quranic Jihad: 150) and demonstrates that this passage signifies
permission for war in self-defense. He then notes that Quran 2:191 includes the
controversial phrase kill them wherever you find them (151). Haleem argues that in
the context of the rest of the passage, this statement comes along with many restrictions
and indicates that the Muslims should not initiate fighting or fight non-combatants, be
disproportionate in their response, or continue to fight when the enemy has stopped
(152).
Haleem also addresses the passage that has been used to support violent jihadist
ideology more than any other. He discusses the infamous sword verse that states . . .
slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and
prepare for them each ambush {The Meaning o f the Glorious Qur an 9:5). Jihadists
point out that this passage contains the final revelation on warfare in the Quran if looked
guidance from this verse overrules all earlier restrictions on warfare. Haleem concedes,
were rescinded in later revelations (152). He argues, however, that even with the
16
principle of abrogation in mind these conclusions are inaccurate and misleading if one
looks at the Quran as a whole (154). Amjad-Ali echoes this sentiment, concluding that
these problematic verses must be read in context and stresses that every verse in the
Quran must be read and interpreted against the background of the Quran as a whole . . .
The Quran nowhere demands that the Muslims should remain permanently at war with
and defense of the oppressed . . . The Quran sets very stringent conditions
Haleems findings, though not in and of themselves authoritative, basically echo the
seldom authorizes violence but is primarily embedded in the context of self-defense and
Using the aforementioned Quranic principles, the early ulama developed a basic
system of Just War. Many books and articles have been written on comparative Just
War theory. For example, James Turner Johnson in his book Ethics and the Use o f
Force: Just War in Historical Perspective, dedicates an entire chapter to Just War and
Jihad. Johnson stresses jihad as the obligation to a spiritual struggle versus actual
warfare in the Quran and states, the origins of a systematic normative conception o f
jihad of the sword as an element of Islamic law come . . . with the rise o f formal Islamic
17
jurisprudence (fiqh) early in the Abbasid period (54). The development o f the concept
of warfare within the community of these early jurists, he notes, sprang from a more
underlying necessity to define the nature of the relationship o f the community of Islam
In doing this they took the idea of jihad, striving or effort in the path o f
God, building on the essentially moral conception o f the Quran itself, and
extended it to refer to the use of armed force for the twin, but linked,
A critical aspect of this conception was the development of the view that the world was
divided into two realms, the Abode of Islam (dar al-Islam) and the Abode of War (dar
al-harb). Jihad as war, under the Abode o f Islam, fell under the authority of a
legitimate ruler, the caliph, and it was the collective duty o f Muslims to support this
effort whether the requirement was for a tactically offensive war against a general threat
or a collective defensive effort against an attacker. Johnson notes, There are striking
Although the Just War concept in Islam and the West are not identical, Khalid
Blankinship in a 2011 essay for The Muslim World journal mentions that both traditions
set criteria to initiate war which include just cause, right intention, legitimate authority,
proportionality, probability of success, and last resort (414-6). Muslim tradition, like
the main criterion distinguishing combatants from non-combatants is that the latter do not
fight and do not contribute to the war effort (416). Finally, he notes that the end of
warfare, or the principles governing how best to bring about peace at the conclusion of
Ron Greaves in his 2010 book Islam Today likewise asserts that Muslims can
legitimately prosecute both a defensive and even in some cases offensive war (against a
perceived threat), but that the war must be fought under several conditions according to
the Shari a (Islamic Law). These conditions include that the war must not be prosecuted
for material gain, that non-combatants must be protected, that crops must not be
destroyed, that the elderly, women, children and invalids must not be harmed, that places
of worship and the clergy must be respected, that prisoners o f war must not be tortured
and finally that the war must be only fought in defense o f the faith (56).
the Abode of Islam. In the notional Abode of War Muslims had an individual duty
to protect the community. Johnson notes, This is the jihad o f emergency defense. . . in
the time o f dire emergency caused by overt aggression and in this context the same rules
that governed the collective duty o f jihad in the abode of Islam did not apply (57).
Jihadists interpret history and the state o f the contemporary world to fit the
emergency scenario introduced above. This traditional concept gives credibility to their
call for unrestricted warfare. Such arguments are found in the jihadist literature o f groups
such as al-Qaeda and other less extreme fundamentalists. Johnson, however, rebuts this
interpretation when he insists, This representation of jihad makes several critical
theory (59). He asserts that, the idea of the jihad of individual duty is a harsh one, one
that implicitly rejects the majority of the actual history of Muslim societies and o f
Muslim faith . . . It also leaves no room for difference of interpretation as to what Islam
requires (59-60). In response to the claims of the legitimacy of total and indiscriminate
warfare advocated by some jihadists, John Kelsay in a 2010 article entitled Just War,
Jihad, and the Study of Comparative Ethics also weighs in stating no one writing in the
jihad tradition thinks that indiscriminate or total war can be justified. Thus [the jihadists]
To recap, the traditional understanding of jihad includes several key factors. First
o f all, most scholars agree that the use o f the word jih a d in the Quran has over many
centuries primarily signified a moral or spiritual struggle and secondarily indicated the
permission for violence. Quranic guidance on jih a d as warfare, however, when taken in
context, allowed fighting primarily for defensive purposes and included multiple
developed a theoretical and practical concept of jih a d o f the sword with many
similarities to the Western concept of Just War. However, using the exegetical
principle of abrogation and the traditional concept of the Abode o f War, some
JIHADISM
The West was reawakened to the concept o f jihad as Muslim holy war shortly
after the events of September 11, 2001, when the attacks were assessed to be part o f a
jihad effort made by several radical Islamic groups led by al-Qaeda. Investigators
decree issued by a recognized authority and derived from Islams roots o f jurisprudence)
from an article in an Arabic newspaper entitled, The World Islamic Fronts Declaration
to wage Jihad Against the Jews and Crusaders issued by Osama bin-Laden and Ayman
The ruling to kill the Americans and their alliescivilians and military
and in any countrythis until the Aqsa Mosque (Jerusalem) and the Holy
Mosque (Mecca) are liberated from their grip, and until their armies
withdraw from all the lands of Islam, defeated, shattered, and unable to
threaten any Muslim. This is in accordance with the Word of the Most
The above quote was embedded amidst multiple references from the Quran reminding
Muslims of their individual duty to answer the call ofjihad. Although many critics
from the West originally saw this call to jih a d from bin-Laden and al-Zawahiri as
philosophical and even theological root to this message that has foundations deep in the
history of Islam (Habeck 4-5). Although the theological and scriptural interpretations of
the meaning of jihad found in al-Qaedas logic conflict with those of traditional Islam (as
foundations of these groups back to the Quran, the hadith and to the early history o f
Islam, will be analyzed. The purpose o f this exercise is not to rebut the jihadists
ideology, but to set the stage for analysis of the relationship of ijtihad (independent
reasoning) and taqlid (acceptance from prior jurists) used by these jihadist ideologues in
scholarly circles, as part of a radical faction of the multifaceted Islamist belief system.
This faction. . . has very specific views about how to revive Islam, how to
return Muslims to a political power, and what needs to be done about its
enemies . . . The main difference between jihadis and other Islamists is the
alone. (4-5)
22
Jihadist ideology typically involves an alternate version of history and conflicting
interpretation of the state of the modem Muslim world from that of most traditional and
secular scholars of Islam. Jihadists are classified by most scholars into a group o f Islamic
fundamentalists labeled Salafis. David Johnston in a recent post Whence the Salafis?
mentions, The Arabic adjective Salafi comes from the plural noun salaf, that is,
ancestor [or]. . . companions o f the Prophet. . . the salaf are the first leaders o f early
Muhammads words and deeds after his death (1). Salafis view the first few centuries
o f Islam as a sort of golden period in which the traditions o f the Prophet were upheld and
passed down, but they are quick to point out that corruption began early on. During the
classical period of Islam under the Abbasids, Johnston mentions, a class o f Muslim
intellectuals appeared with a thirst for learning. . . which gave birth to the explosion of
science and philosophy. . . and the rise of the main schools o f Islamic law (2). This turn
scholars, and the seed of modem day Islamic fundamentalism was bom as
philosophy . . . Just stick to the texts was their motto, starting with the
Sunna. (2)
One of the earliest Muslim theologians from this more fundamentalist lineage was Ibn
Hanbal who lived during the first half o f the ninth century and who was later honored as
the founder of the Hanbali school of law, the strictest and most literal of the four main
Sunni law schools (2). Hanbals school of law gave birth to the ideology of the scholar
Ibn Taymiyyah, who became known as a prominent figure in the thirteenth century when
he incited rebellion against the Mongol government during that period through a series of
fatwas. Although the Mongol leadership had converted to Islam, the Muslim community
generally saw the Mongol version and practice o f Islam as being corrupt. Yahya Michot
notes,
It was Ibn Taymiyyah o f Harran, a scholar from the strict Hanbali school.
and argued it was a religious obligation for real Muslims to wage jihad
Although both Hanbal and Taymiyyah were seen as rebels in the eyes o f their
contemporary governments (and each spent time in prison), both were and still are
considered respected scholars and members of the ulama of traditional Islam. Michots
article points out the misinterpretation and misuse of Taymiyyahs fatw as by the modem
day jihadists, but the fact remains that his rebellion against the Mongols and his
interpretation of the legitimacy o f the use o f jihad against foreign governments and false
Muslim regimes has served as a rallying cry and provides ideological legitimization for
jihadists today.
24
After Taymiyyah, Muhammad Ibn-Abd-al-Wahhab stands in line as a widely
Arabia, was heavily influenced by Taymiyyah and was highly instrumental in the
development of Salaffism (his specific brand, Wahhabism, is still practiced in modem day
Saudi Arabia). Wahhabs followers see themselves as purists who only honor the
original revealed sources. Devin Springer notes, In his teachings . . . Wahhab rejected
all Islamic practices after the third century of the Muslim Era (approximately 950 C.E.)
... as . . . heretical innovations . . . [and] called for a literal interpretation o f the Quran
free of analogies and metaphors (30). Wahhab also reintroduced the concept o f takfir,
the process o f declaring another Muslim to be an apostate and in turn, saying that their
Egyptians Rashid Rida and Muslim Brotherhood founder Hassan al-Banna, along
with Pakistani Abu-al-ATa Mawdudi, are also widely recognized in the development of
present day jihadism during the early twentieth century, adding to the basic principles
passed down from Hanbal, Taymiyyah and Wahhab. Rida made a significant ideological
step employing the Quranic term jahiliyya to characterize Muslim lands o f his own
time (Springer 31). He thus classified most of the Muslim world as godless, barbaric or
Muslim lands (31). Hassan al-Bana took the next step after his contemporary Rida and
argued that violent jihad was necessary, making it an obligation o f all Muslims to repel
the invaders and reject governments that were not Islamic (31). Mawdudi, then, saw
Western influence as corrupt and argued against the secularization o f Muslim society.
25
These concepts were each foundational to the overall development o f the ideology o f bin-
Laden and al-Zawahiri, but no scholar has arguably had more influence than Sayyid
Qutb.
Qutb was bom in 1906 and was executed by the Egyptian government in 1966
During his life Qutb transitioned from a college educated literary critic with secular
leanings to a devout Islamic fundamentalist author and activist. The transformation was
apparently due to his brief stay in the United States during which he became disenchanted
with the West because of the rampant sexual promiscuity, drunken behavior and
capitalism he observed during his time at the University o f Northern Colorado in the late
1940s (Springer 34). Qutb, upon his return to Egypt, became active in the Muslim
Brotherhood and was imprisoned in the 1950s after he was implicated in an earlier
influential works including Milestones. In this volumes fourth chapter entitled Jihad in
the Cause of Allah, Qutb states the primary treatise for basic jihadist ideology. Qutbs
theory stresses jihad as permissibly offensive, militant and global. He asserts that
Muslims must use jihad to free the entire world from any system that would pose an
obstacle to any individuals freedom to choose Islam. This includes the use o f force (if
required) to overthrow any non-Islamic government. Although Qutb was not a faqih
(doctor of Islamic law), virtually every jihadist group in the last forty years has used his
philosophyor at least parts of itto propagate and protect Islam by violent means
(Springer 33).
26
Another Egyptian, Mohammad Faraj (who was a disciple of Qutbs), wrote Jihad
the Absent Obligation which has also proved influential to many jihadists and advocated
jihad as a pillar of Islam to be regarded as equal, if not greater, than its other pillars.
Faraj, also hung by the Egyptian government for his involvement in an assassination plot,
was greatly influential to our final ideologue, namely Ayman al-Zawahiri (Bergesen 5-6).
A key disciple of Qutb and Faraj, al-Zawahiri was a leading ideologue and
strategist to the late Osama bin-Laden. He took Qutbs already radical interpretation o f
jihad to the absolute extreme as evidenced in both the fatw a declaring war on the United
States (see earlier reference in this paper) and even more so in his essay, Jihad,
translated writings and speeches attributed to al-Qaeda. This essay argues for what most
Muslims, even those of the radical Salaji-Jihad tradition, never advocated until
recentlythe authorization and call for suicide bombings and indiscriminate targeting of
non-combatants to include women, children, the elderly, and even professing Muslims.
centers on several key tenants. First of all, that the final and abrogating guidance from
the Quran directs Muslims to take up their individual duty and engage in militant and
violent jih a d in a state of emergency so as to ensure the survival and spread o f Islam.
Secondly, that the modem day world is, in fact, in this state o f emergency due to a variety
o f factors including widespread ignorance (jahiliyya) throughout Islam arid the nearly
principles stray from the accepted traditional Muslim view o f jihad accumulated over
centuries of scholarship based on taqlid, jihadists use ijtihad, or the idea o f independent
reason, to interpret the Quran based on the present situation, while at the same time
professing strict and direct adherence to the teachings o f the Prophet and his earliest
companions.
28
CHAPTER 5
HTIHAD DEFINED
certain harsh tactics. However, jihadist ideologues argue for a different interpretation.
Beginning with a specific methodology of exegesis, Sayyid Qutb, for example, argues
that final guidance revealed to the Prophet abrogates all other Quranic instruction
eliminate all obstacles that hinder worldwide acceptance of Islam. Following in this
tradition, al-Zawahiri takes an even more extreme step by arguing that any type o f
warfare is justified in order to achieve this end, including suicide bombing and
traditional Islamic scholars. The final chapters o f this thesis will explore this concept o f
independent reasoning in Islam and then demonstrate the way in which Qutb and al-
Zawahiri apply it. This will then lead to observations on how moderate groups in Islam
reason with Islamic fundamentalism. Salafis, for example, carefully resort to a strict
literalist interpretation of the scriptures and the traditions of the pious ancestors and, upon
first glance, taqlid would seem to be a more appropriate methodology. The use o f ijtihad,
Fundamentalism Project article on the Sunni Arab World (that predated the 9/11 terrorist
attacks by ten years) John Voll mentions, Islamic fundamentalists have . . . advocated
ijtihad, the use of informed independent judgment in interpreting and applying the basic
sources of Islam, rather than simply adhering to the inherited interpretations of the great
The insistence by scholars that Muslim fundamentalists use (or misuse) the
principle of ijtihad over taqlid has continued into the most current debate. Lawrence
Pintak, in a 2010 book (partially quoting Bruce Lawrence) notes, Where ijtihad was
once the purview of ulama. . . migrant engineer theologians changed all that by
groups, and democracy-hungry political movements across the Muslim world can all be
What exactly, then, is the nature of this ijtihad, and what are its implications?
opinion regarding a religious ruling such that the one (putting forth the
few centuries of Islam in her book. She begins by highlighting several widely accepted
hadith in which the Prophet clearly indicates endorsement o f the use o f independent
reason in the absence of clear authority from the Quran. She then demonstrates the
specific historical examples in which this guidance was used by the Prophets early
companions after his death. She mentions that the tradition continued amongst the early
Muslim community which performed ijtihad for the first few centuries but notes that
unregulated ijtihad eventually presented problems for the scholars and leadership of
are used to articulate the applicable truths of the Quran that are relevant at
any given time and place. This fundamental concept is subject to multiple
allowed. (89)
According to Gesink, this debate began even before the formation o f the Sunni
legal schools (madhhabs). She says, ijtihad was an inherently subjective process . . .
there was no way to ensure that the rulings of individual jurists agreed in any meaningful
w a y . . . Thus some early jurists were understandably eager to limit ijtihads use (63).
Limitations on the use of ijtihad became formalized with rise of the madhhabs. Al-
Shafii, founder of one of these four schools of jurisprudence in the ninth century,
a very specific method of interpretation in which case the individual was instructed to
look to the sunna, or the normative principles drawn from the hadith, sayings o f the
Prophet and the members of his early community (64). Some of these hadith appeared
more authentic and thus were seen as more reliable and authoritative. The third principle
after the Quran and hadith had been considered was the consensus (imja) of the jurists
for, According to a hadith, Muhammad once said that his community could not agree on
something in error. Thus if the community could come to consensus on the validity o f a
ruling, it must truly be valid (64). Therefore, consensus could essentially validate
independent reasoning provided it did not contradict the scriptures. Fourth and finally,
analogy (qiyas) was permitted, but it was the least authoritative way to come to a ruling
on a matter since it relied most heavily on human reasoning. Since this process still
allowed for human reasoning and therefore human error, al-Shafii suggested that only
scholars be permitted to perform ijtihad, and as the schools o f Islamic jurisprudence took
shape, more and more restrictions developed on who was qualified to use ijtihad. Gesink
mentions,
By the 1300s, some jurists had begun to argue that only the most
ulama even claimed that the gate o f ijtihad was closed; that independent
base their judgments upon the accepted rulings of their madhahib (legal
school). (65)
Pintak also summarizes this theory; he states that around the fourteenth century,
the leading scholars of Islam effectively saw to it that the gates o f ijtih a d were closed
out of fear that accessibility to the written word by the general public would lead to
dilution of the religion. He notes that Islamic scholars were concerned that the spread o f
the written word was opening the way to misinterpretation and distortion . . . [so] the
ulama effectively . . . set in place stringent criteria for who could transmit such
knowledge. This is one o f several moments in history at which the gates o f ijtihad . . .
scholars have debated this theoretical closing o f the gates o f ijtihad in greater detail.
Wael Hallaq, for example, argues strongly against the notion that the gates of ijtihad were
ever actually closed in a much cited 1984 article. He asserts that although the practice o f
ijtihad appears to have waned from the middle ages until its apparent resurgence in the
modem era, it can be clearly observed in the Sunni Muslim tradition during the entirety o f
this supposed absence and that there is no Quranic or traditional authority to insist that it
was closed or was meant to have been closed. Hallaq further states, The continuity o f
ijtihad throughout Islamic history suggests that developments in positive law, legal
details of the closing and reopening of the gates o f ijtihad. She begins by tracing the
heart of the matter to a specific period at Egypts Al-Azhar University in the late 1800s.
While Gesink acknowledges Hallaqs argument, stating that research in the last decade
has demonstrated that no consensus ever existed on the closure of the gate o f ijtihad,
she documents that by the late 1800s strong influential claims had been made to the
contrary. Not only does Gesink address the closure debate but more specifically she
and taqlid in the modem era advocating that the resurgence of independent reason was
the four madhhabs, who held that since long [ago] nobody was qualified
anymore to interpret the sources on his own, and that all Moslems were
madhhabs. (131)
reformers who hoped to further Enlightenment values in Islam and not to the
fundamentalists, at least not initially. She sets the stage in late nineteenth century Egypt
effort against the conservatives in the hope of reconciling Enlightenment values with
Islam and in their effort redefined the concepts of ijtihad and taqlid. Gesink states that in
this debate, Taqlid was recast as a cause of social stagnation and ijtihad as a mechanism
of social growth . . . Furthermore, reformers taught that the meaning o f the Quran was
inherently present in the text, so ijtihad was something any educated Muslim could do.
Although the resurgence o f ijtihad may yet serve its purpose in bringing Islam
into synchronization with the West, another significant application o f the practice has
criminal law but with obvious applications for jih a d theory as well, Ilias Bantekas notes,
Quran and the Prophet. Fatwas and rulings are issued without coherency
. . . from all comers o f the Islamic world . . . derived from informal actors
ijtihad. (659)
jihadism, Ibn Taymiyyah used ijtihad in his fatw a against the Mongols when most
scholars already favored taqlid. Wahhab used it in establishing his brand o f Salaffism as
he re-interpreted the Quran by reverting to an earlier taqlid (Meijer 42-3). Rida, al-
Bana and the other ideologues previously mentioned in their path toward jihadism were
also said to have used ijtihad, which necessitates a more comprehensive discussion o f
IJTIHAD APPLIED
Sayyid Qutbs application of ijtihad includes two parts, the first being his
approach to the Islamic scriptures and the second, his approach to history. Concerning
Qutbs approach to Islamic scriptures, Albert Bergesen notes, Clearly Qutb fits this
pattern of independent judgment. His interpretation of the Quran is not based upon
previous interpretations o f medieval jurists, imams, or clerics, but o f his own independent
opinion (9). For example, Qutb, in his treatise on jihad in Milestones, starts with a very
specific interpretation of the Prophets revealed guidance on warfare from the Quran and
hadith.
In Qutbs narrative, the Prophet was first instructed to recite the revelation in his
own heart and later to preach the message o f Islam to others. Qutb further states that
Muhammad was then .. .commanded to migrate, and later permission was given to fight.
Then he was commanded to fight those who fought him, and to restrain himself from
those who did not make war with him. Later he was commanded to fight the polytheists
until Gods religion was fully established (31). Qutb adds that this command
ultimately included war against the Christians and Jews (or People o f the Book), until
application of the principle of abrogation, Qutb then concludes that all true Muslims are
called to fight through offensive and violent means (if necessary) in order to destroy all
37
types of government and man-made institutions that detract from the message o f Islam.
Qutbs theory stresses jihad as permissibly offensive, militant and global. He asserts that
Muslims must use jihad to free the entire world from any system that would pose an
obstacle to any individuals freedom to choose Islam. This includes the use o f force (if
belief, so that it is enough merely to preach it. Islam, which is a way o f life, takes
practical steps to organize a movement for freeing man . . . it is the duty o f Islam to
annihilate all such systems, as they are obstacles in the way of universal freedom (85).
that fighting is required until all non-Islamic governments are overthrown so that each
individual will be free to voluntarily chose Islam. He mentions definitively that, The
Jihad of Islam is to secure complete freedom for every man throughout the world by
releasing him from servitude to other human beings so that he may serve his God, Who Is
One and Who has no associates [sic]. This is in itself a sufficient reason for Jihad (44).
Qutbs call to global jihad as warfare goes against many of the collected
principles laid down in the Quran as interpreted over the centuries by the traditional
schools of Shari a (Islamic Law). For example, in his historical account entitled Arguing
the Just War in Islam, Kelsay discusses noted Islamic scholar Muhammad al-Shaybanis
formative writings during the time of the founding o f the Islamic schools of
jurisprudence. According to Kelsay, in the eighth and ninth centuries these schools
helped in the establishment of jihad as Just War in traditional Islam and established
when other means have failed . . . Thus the tradition o f Sharia reasoning
authority, just cause, righteous intention, and (at least) timely reso rt. . .
(1103)
In contrast, Qutbs global call for offensive militant jihad does not match these
destroyed to pave the way for individual freedom for all people to choose Islam is not
evidenced in this Muslim tradition, and it is very questionable if this goal would meet any
endorsing the principle o f last resort. Whether or not Qutbs extreme call to jih a d meets
the criteria of just cause and righteous intention are debatable, but he most certainly lacks
any legitimate or traditionally prescribed authority behind his message and certainly does
not have the consensus o f Muslim scholarship to endorse his interpretations. Although
Qutb argues that the principles of abrogation validate his views on jihad, none o f the
schools of Islamic jurisprudence ever disregarded all of the Prophets prohibitions on war
and violence as liberally as Qutb does based on this principle. The fact of the matter is
that, through the selective use of traditionally accepted methods of Quranic exegesis and
of history and the current global climate, his interpretation o f Quranic jih a d is, in fact,
both accurate and in accordance with traditional Islamic doctrine. Qutb subscribes to a
grand narrative that does not seem to correspond to the teachings o f the traditional
schools of Islam. Bergesen reminds his readers that, Qutb theorizes an organic
connection between religion and politics based upon his understanding o f the early days
o f the Prophet. . . He argues that the manner in which religion and politics were
connected in the first generation of Muslims constitutes a viable model for today (14).
bases this on the grand narrative that the present world is in a state o f ignorance and that
few true Muslims currently exist, similar to the earliest days of Islam.
governmental systems that keep individuals enslaved in ignorance and block them from
the opportunity to choose to accept the true message o f Islam. In this emergency state in
which the entire world is found to be in the Abode of War, the traditions of Just War
and its resulting restrictions on unlimited jih a d do not apply. In this context, all o f his
jurisprudence. If one accepts Qutbs version of world history and the present state o f
40
Islam, it is theoretically possible to accept his interpretation of jihad. One must ask,
Allahs religion is not a maze . . . If there is a clear text available from the
Quran (or from the traditions of the Prophet) . . . there will be no room for
the time comes for Ijtihad - and that according to well-defined principles
them. (96)
Qutb seems to imply here that his interpretations are clearly in line with both the
scriptures and the traditions of Islamic jurisprudence, and if ijtihad is required in his own
mentioned, however, Qutbs philosophy on jih ad differs in several key areas from the
traditional view of jihad as Just War widely accepted by most Muslim scholars.
To recap, ijtihad is to only be used in the case that the Quran does not clearly address an
issue. In this case ijtihad is only to be accomplished by highly qualified members o f the
ulama who have methodically given adequate consideration to the Sunna, scholarly
consensus, legal precedence and to the narrowly defined rules of abrogation and analogy.
for scholars with a certain level distinction. Hallaq summarizes the medieval scholar
41
Mohammad al-Ghazaiis authoritative criteria for one to reach the rank o f mujtahid and
be allowed to practice ijtihad. This included knowledge of the following: the 500 verses
o f the Quran required for the practice o f law, the relevant hadith literature and the
accepted methods of evaluation, the established precedents set in Islamic law to avoid
deviation, the methods o f legal derivation, the Arabic language, and the basic rules o f
abrogation (6).
At first glance, Qutb meets much of the criteria above. Qutb had memorized the
entire Quran by the age o f ten and, despite his lack of credentials as part of the
scriptural exegesis entitled In the Shade o f the Qur an demonstrating that he obviously
had a good grasp of the Quran and the Arabic language. In fact, this commentary
continues to be extremely popular in not only the Arab world but also has been translated
into many languages, including, very recently, English (Bergesen 3-4). When it comes to
his qualifications to practice ijtihad, however, Qutb falls short in two significant areas.
First of all, he was not formally trained in Muslim law (he held a degree in literature
instead of law or theology), and secondly, he disregards the principle o f consensus and
prescribed principles in the use o f ijtihad, he himself does not meet traditional
requirements to practice ijtihad and the ijtihad he practices does not meet the traditionally
prescribed criteria he endorses. It is safe to argue that Qutbs work demonstrates the use
nowhere near advocating the extreme form of jih ad that al-Zawahiri endorses. Ayman al-
Zawahiri, in an article entitled Jihad, Martyrdom, and the Killing of Innocents, expands
Qutbs concept of the permissibility of global offensive jih a d to a form o fjihad in which
the suicide bombing and targeting of non-combatants are both permissible and
that the above document (clearly either written or authorized directly by al-Zawahiri) is
fashioned in the form of a fatwa. Ibrahim states, Zawahiri uses the fatwa form to remind
the Muslim ulama of their obligations . . . [and since] the questions o f martyrdom and the
killing of innocents. . . are not universally agreed on in Islam . . . [this document] can be
considered a fatwa (3). Even though Zawahiri, like Qutb, does not carry the traditional
credentials of a member o f the ulama (he was a medical doctor), he argues in the form of
a fatw a that suicide bombers are actually martyrs, the greatest of the holy warriors
children and Muslims, in jihad raids or attacks such as 9/11, two contestable and far
Despite the injunction from the Quran (4:29) Do not destroy yourselves (qtd.
Ibrahim notes, . . . there are countless hadiths demonstrating the legitimacy of fighting to
certain death and mentions that Zawahiri uses several of the most relevant to strike a
chord with Muslims and build a logical and emotionally compelling analogy (139).
43
Although Zawahiri pulls from legitimate traditions in forming his arguments, Ibrahim
concludes that Zawahiri is somewhat stretching in his quest to find theological backing
for suicide bombings (138 -9). Even more so, he is undoubtedly stretching the limits of
his qualifications to use ijtihad and speak for the Muslim community.
Zawahiri stresses an authentic hadith from Bukhari that contradicts the ban on
bombarding infidels if they have women and children among them and that was carried
out at the hands of the Muslim Prophet himself (139). Zawahiri argues,
But the biographers relay (in a hadith) that the Prophet besieged the
inhabitants of Tai f . . . and fired at them with catapults, despite his ban on
killing women and children. He did so knowing full well that women and
them. This demonstrates that if Muslims are intermingled with the people
Zawahiri argues warding off an invader from (our) sanctities and religion . . . is a
unanimously accepted duty. After belief, there is no greater duty than to repulse the
invading enemy who corrupts faith and the world. There are no rules or conditions for
In the tradition of Qutb, Zawahiri clearly uses ijtihad to justify his message with
total disregard for consensus or legal precedent despite his lack of credentials. Thus the
opening of the gates of ijtihad has, in this case, allowed for several radical and
44
destructive interpretations of jihad. While Pintak points out that Ijtihad was once the
Muslims as something anyone with a good understanding o f Arabic and a copy o f the
Quran can do . . . That has led to a proliferation o f interpretations . . . To use the most
Gesink further asserts that despite the fact that neither bin-Laden nor al-Zawahiri
met any of the qualifications that were once so specifically regulated by scholars and
jurists, those of the Muslim public who approved or applauded their actions (and those of
the other jihadists) have endorsed the acceptance o f this concept of lay ijtihad (233). This
resurgence of unregulated ijtihad, then, is not merely the responsibility o f those who
advocate for non-traditional Quranic interpretations but also for those who accept their
Thus it appears that the Muslim community may hold real power today when it
comes to legitimizing the practice o f ijtihad. This seems to have proven dangerous in the
case of jihadism. On the other hand, if ideologues such as Qutb and Zawahiri can gain
support from some in the Muslim community by using ijtihad in such an unrestricted
manner to reinterpret the Quran in light of the current state o f the world, might not
traditional and liberal Muslim scholars also be able to use ijtihad as a tool to combat this
A NEW IJTIHAD
Jihadist ideology has been seductive to many Muslims, especially the young and
poorly educated. Unfortunately the entire world has been exposed to a loud and ugly,
albeit minority, Islamic voice and many in the West have accepted it as the true
representation of Islam (Qadri 3,134). It is true that Zawahiris extremist position has
been renounced by most of the scholarly Muslim world. Qutb, on the other hand,
remains a respected and influential voice to many Muslims. This is likely because he did
not approach the absolute extremism that Zawahiri endorsed when he advocated
In fact, not all scholars agree that Qutb was even literally advocating a specific
violent jihad. Springer notes, He died before being able to clarify his concept of
worldwide Jahiliyah and its various implications. Because he never declared if his
pronouncement was to be taken literally or allegorically, the concept has often been taken
in the most literal form by todays jihadists (37). Surprisingly enough, several recent
Muslims and the non-Muslim world due to his emphasis on the Quranic principle that
As a liberal Muslim I see themes in the works of Qutb which are not too
far from those that adorn enlightenment thinking. . . [he]. . . could be read
militancy, and for some he is the key intellectual of Islamic reform and
revival. (7)
Regardless of the true aim of Qutbs jihadist treatise from Milestones (whether literal or
allegorical), neither his nor Zawahiris interpretation of jih a d represents the entire
Muslim world or even the majority of the fundamentalist Muslim groups. The jihadists
reason. Even though ijtihadhas been demonstrated to be the tool used by fundamentalist
jihadists to justify their non-traditional and even extreme interpretations o f the Muslim
scriptures, moderate and liberal scholars also have ijtihad at their disposal today.
Bantekas mentions,
From the point of view o f a Western academic, like myself, the intentional
Europes Dark Ages in which no new knowledge was accepted. This was
conclusions on the topic o f jihad are Said Nursi, an influential Muslim cleric from
Law. In a recent article, Zeki Saritoprak, contrasts the exegesis of Qutb and Nursi. He
ideologues. A segment o f the verse states . . . Whoso judgeth not by that which Allah
hath revealed: such are disbelievers. (The Meaning o f the Glorious Qur an 5:44). This
passage has been used by some to broadly label infidels. Saritoprak contrasts the
commentaries. He first notes that Qutb proclaims, The issue here is the issue o f belief. .
. and ignorance . . . There is no middle way between these issues, no truce, no peace . . .
Non-believers are the tyrants, the licentious ones, those who do not judge in accordance
with what God has revealed. . . they are infidels (121). Saritoprak then references
Nursis commentary which states, Some o f the ulama exaggerated in their interpretation
of this verse . . . and attacked the people o f jurisprudence by accusing them o f infidelity.
political tool. . . Because o f his understanding of spiritual jihad, he suggested that the
physical sword should be sheathed. For nearly a century, no evidence has emerged that
Nursi or his students ever supported violence as a legitimate means for social change
Nursi chooses a reading o f that favors peaceful coexistence while Qutb argues that there
can be no peace until the entire world is free of any hindrances to global acceptance o f
Islam. In Nursis understanding, there is no place for violence in the name of Islam on
any level, apart from defense against foreign attacks. He said, The duty o f a Muslim is
merely to convey the message of Islam and not to compel people towards Islam. The
. . . when the Prophet sent his Companions for war, he ordered them to
avoid burning their enemies. But in the wake of the recent bomb blasts
and suicide attacks that bum the harmless people and tear them to pieces,
the so-called Muslim terrorist groups . . . convey to the world that the
however, is true and Islam has nothing to do with any o f this. (134)
Qadri also argues, The perpetrators o f these crimes justify their actions in the name o f
jihad, and thus they distort, twist and confuse the sacred Islamic concept o f jihad (3),
and that .. .whatever false implications and foul justifications these rebels, criminals and
bmtes may put forth to prove their atrocities as acts of jihad, they have nothing to do with
Since issuing a fatw a arguably necessitates at least some use o f ijtihad, Qadri
exemplifies its use to condemn the jihadists position and instead interprets the Quran as
promoting peace. Both Qadri and Nursi are examples o f qualified members of the ulama
who use ijtihad to refute jihadism. In fact, Qadri (who unlike Zawahiri meets all o f al-
49
Ghazis criteria to practice ijtihad) has had his fatw a endorsed by Egypts Al-Ahzar
can reach today. Nursi as well was widely accepted as a leading scholar by many
Muslims, yet he arguably came to different conclusions than that o f even traditional
While Nursi and Qadri do not speak for the entire Muslim world, they do
represent a moderate voice from the ulama of Islam. It may be, however, that the re
opening of the gates of ijtihad will allow for the use o f ijtihad by all Muslims, even those
who do not meet the criteria of a scholar or mujtahid. (This is, indeed, somewhat parallel
to the Protestant Reformation of Christianitys middle ages.) In the above case, Qutb and
Zawahiri may hold a valid claim to their use of ijtihad. Peters mentions, The most
radical fundamentalists claim [was], therefore, that through assiduous study any Moslem
can obtain the rank of mudjtahid (133). However, if this radical claim is accepted as
valid, there are certainly more moderate conclusions the average Muslim lay-person
might chose to settle on. Concerning the use of this type o f ijtihad, Khan states, Today,
liberal and progressive Muslims argue that ijtihad should be employed as a rethinking
tool to bridge the gap between Islamic texts and our contemporary context (8).
They do, however, maintain that Muslims can and must struggle for
50
justice and freedom while strictly obeying Islamic and international norms
Jihad is not the only topic liberal Muslims are addressing through the lens o f the
New Ijtihad. Several recent articles have argued that the liberal use o f ijtihad will
facilitate better criminal and womens rights in the Muslim world. Concerning criminal
issues in Islamic criminal law are evidently based on prejudice and culture
Fauzia Ahmed in an article from late in 2011 argues for several models o f ijtihad
that will promote better human rights in the Muslim world. One model, according to
worth through ijtihad, allowing women to seek self-definition through their own
interpretation of the Quran and the other model, creates solidarity between and among
its following of practicing and non-practicing Muslims and non-Muslim men and women
. . . Ijtihad . . . creates equality and respect, the basis of sustainable alliances (494).
Khan argues that Qutb serves just as strongly as an example for less violent reformers.
He argues that, As a liberal Muslim seeking reform, the quality that most appeals to me
is . . . Qutbs use of Ijtihad. Ijtihad is an Islamic juristic tool that is employed to
articulate Islamic legal positions on a specific issue using independent reasoning when
traditional Islamic sources are silent on it (8). Khan concludes this argument stating,
For me, Ijtihad is a philosophy of renewal that allows me to drink from the
reservoir of Islamic wisdom in guiding my life in the here and the now. If
Islam must take its rightful place in the world today, then Muslims will
CONCLUSION
In the context of a theoretical framework, the jihadist movement falls under the
resemblances are observed across the major world religions. Fundamentalist groups
typically exhibit traits of militant struggle against modernism, secularism and liberalism,
violence.
The concept of jihad in Islam has multiple levels of meaning including anything
from an individuals spiritual struggle to an all-out holy war. The traditional view o f
Muslim scholars is that jihad should be interpreted as a spiritual struggle first and as
context of a well-defined system of Just War. Through the lens o f radical Islamic
fundamentalism, however, jihadist groups have argued that true Muslims are called to
engage in an offensive violent struggle against all enemies until the world is free o f any
Milestones. In extreme cases, jihadists like Ayman al-Zawahiri have rationalized that this
interpretation of jihad permits the use o f traditionally unsanctioned tactics such as suicide
and thus requires the use o f ijtihad (innovation, or independent reasoning). Traditional
53
scholars have considered the gates of ijtihad either closed or reserved for only the most
stringently qualified jurists in Sunni Islam. These scholars have instead endorsed the
practice of taqlid or the imitation of the rulings o f early jurists, at least until recently.
Even though independent reasoning has served as the source o f legitimization for
discussions. In stark contrast to the jihadists, these liberal ideologues are arguing for
better human rights. They are also advocating an interpretation, or in some cases
reinterpretation, of the Quran that emphasizes peaceful coexistence and cooperation with
non-Muslims.
This paper by no means is able to address all the implications surrounding the
clash of civilizations theory and the concept of the new crusades are both topics that
warrant projects of their own in this context. An entire paper could also be written
contrasting Christianitys Reformation with the current state of reform in Islam as the two
movements share so many similarities. For example, in both cases these periods of
reform occur approximately fourteen centuries after the religions birth, both seem to
center on the emergence of new technology that makes the scriptures more accessible to
the lay person (e.g. the printing press and the internet respectively) and each involves the
argument over whether or not the individual adherent should approach the scriptures from
Christian fundamentalist movement (from which the term fundamentalist was coined) o f
the early twentieth century with that of recent Islamic Salaffism would provide enough
Finally, a most definitive conclusion regarding the meaning o f the word jih a d is
difficult to determine even after synthesizing many scholarly sources. Farish Noor in a
2011 essay entitled Ten Years after 9/11: Controversy over the Meaning of Jihad
Remains, As It Always Will, points out that the meanings of words are never privately
determined; rather, they are determined in a public context, for language is a rule
governed exercise. He continues stressing that, The word jihad when used by Sufi
mystics refers to the great internal battle against the ego . . . In the hands o f political
Islamists, on the other hand, the same signifier may refer to a political struggle to win
control of the state apparatus. In the hands o f others, it may refer to holy war. With this
in mind it is tempting to enter the debate and argue over what jihad should mean versus
Since 9/11, a debate over the meaning of the word jihad has ensued, and
this debate will probably continue in the years and decades to come.
Scholars who seek precise and final meanings for terms may be frustrated
by this, but it is not necessarily a bad thing. For what it shows is that
Muslim discourse and debate are ongoing, alive, and dynamic as Muslim
being done on Islam and Muslims, and the world understands by now that
4
Muslim society is not as simple and monolithic as some make it out to be.
Abdelkader, Deina. "Coercion, Peace and the Issue of Jihad." Digest o f Middle East
Ahmed, Fauzia Erfan. Empire, Subaltemity, and Ijihad: Two Muslim Womens
Leadership Models in the Post-9/11 US. The Muslim World 101.3 (2011): 494-
Amjad-Ali, Charles W., "Jihad and Just War Theory: Dissonance and Truth." Dialog: A
Almond, Gabriel A., R. Scott Appleby, and Emmanuel Sivan. Strong Religion. Chicago:
Armstrong, Karen. Battle fo r God. New York: Ballantine Publishing Group, 2000. Print.
Bantekas, Ilias. "The Disunity o f Islamic Criminal Law and the Modem Role of Ijtihad."
Bergesen, Albert J., ed. The Sayyid Qutb Reader. New York: Routledge, 2008. Print.
<http://interculture.fsu.edu>.
Blankinship, Khalid, Yahya. "Parity o f Muslim and Western Concepts of Just War." The
Esposito, John. Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam. Oxford Islamic Studies Online. Web.
2012. <http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com>.
Faraj, Mugammad Abdus Salam. The Absent Obligation: And expel the Jews and
Pdf file.
Gesink, Indira Falk. Library o f Modern Religion: Islamic Reform and Conservatism: Al-
Azhar and the Evolution o f Modern Sunni Islam. London: I.B. Tauris, 2009. Print.
Greaves, Ron. Islam Today. London: Continuum International Publishing, 2010. Print.
Habeck, Mary. Knowing the Enemy. New Haven: Yale UP, 2006. Print.
. Understanding the Qur'an: Themes and Styles. London: I.B. Tauris, 2010. Print.
Hallaq, Wael, B. "Was the Gate of Ijtihad Closed?" International Journal o f Middle East
Ibrahim, Raymond, ed. and trans. The A l Qaeda Reader. New York: Broadway Books,
2007. Print.
Johnson, James Turner. Ethics and the Use o f Force: Just War in Historical Perspective
Kahn, Muqtedar. Liberal Islam and American Foreign Policy. Current History 102:668
Kelsay, John. Arguing the Just War in Islam. Cambridge: Harvard University Press,
. "Just War, Jihad and the Study of Comparative Ethics." Ethics & International Affairs
Marty, Martin E., and R. Scott Appleby, ed. Fundamentalisms Comprehended. Vol. 5.
Fundamentalism Project.
The Meaning o f the Glorious Qur 'an. Trans. Pickthall, Mohammed Marmaduke.
Meijer, Roel. Global Salafism: Islam's New Religious Movement. New York: Columbia
Michot, Yahya. "Ibn Taymiyya's *New Mardin Fatwa'. Is Genetically Modified Islam
(GMI) Carcinogenic?" The Muslim World 101.2 (2011): 130-81. Pdf file.
Noor, Farish. Ten Years after 9/11: Controversy over the Meaning o f Jihad Remains, As
Peters, Rudolph. "Idjtihad and Taqlld in 18th and 19th Century Islam." Die Welt des
Pintak, Lawrence. Library o f Modern Middle East Studies .New Arab Journalist: Mission
Ruthven, Malise. Fundamentalism: The Search fo r Meaning. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2005.
Print.
Saritoprak, Zeki. Islam and Politics in the Light o f Said Nursis Writings. Islam and
Shienbaum, Kim, and Jamal Hasan, ed. Beyond Jihad: Critical Voices from Inside Islam.
Springer, Devin R., James L. Regens, and David N. Edger. Islamical Radicalism and
Tlili, Mustapha. Mustapha. "Who Speaks for Islam?" Dialogues: Islamic World-U.S.-The
Zaidi. Manzar. "A Taxonomv of Jihad." Arab Studies Ouarterlv 31.3 (2009): 21 -34. Pdf
' * Aw' W N /