By Maulvi Yahya Nomani
(Translated from Urdu by Yoginder Sikand)
Today, some misguided people, misusing the Islamic doctrine of jihad, are seeking to wrongly justify their indiscriminate killing of civilians, Muslims as well as others. At the very outset I should state that such acts are wholly impermissible in Islam. While discussing the issue of jihad in the path of God, it is crucial to bear in mind that shedding blood is not an end in itself; nor is it the reason why jihad is a blessed act in God’s eyes.
The reason why jihad in God’s path is considered a meritorious act is that it is a means for the exaltation of the true faith. The mujhaid is beloved of God because of his willingness to sacrifice his own life and wealth in God’s path. Islam considers shedding blood a crime, but regards oppression and strife as greater crimes. A true jihad aims at ridding the world of oppression and strife.
It is because of this that the Islamic shariah stresses that in a state of war only combatants or those who have trained to become combatants or are otherwise somehow involved in the war can be attacked. No harm should befall any non-combatants, for that is not permissible in Islam.
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