Jihad, A Cultural, Ideological Issue in Framework of Islamic Lifestyle
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Abstract :
The issue of Jihad, given its sensitivity and its extensive effects on the political, social, and cultural developments in Muslim societies, has been the subject of many analyses which have produced many different views. Some have considered Jihad as a military measure and likened it to Qital (fighting). Others, taking a minimal approach, have only taken into account the defensive aspects of Jihad. This is while a look into the verses of the Holy Quran and a study of the typology of different kinds of Jihad in Isla, shows that the concept has always been mentioned as a general, absolute and soft strategy aiming to establish, secure and maintain the Islamic style of life, and that the concept has found various manifestations in line with this goal. Looking at different types of Jihad the pertaining strategies mentioned in the Quran indicates that God’s purpose of clarifying this concept is bringing change in man’s nature and, as a result, changing his worldview and ideology in order to secure the presence of Muslim individuals and societies on the path of guidance and Tawhid (monotheism) and, ultimately, to draw up the monotheistic style of life based on the principle of Jihad. In this paper, the conceptual foundations of the research have been defined and after identifying different types of Jihad in the Quran and clarifying the strategy of each of them, a pattern has been presented for achieving the Islamic style of life.
