جماعة أهل السنة للدعوة والجهاد)) Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad

WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF JIHAD ?

Jihad, in Arabic, means 'to strive for some objective'. Thus, the assumption that Jihad is about combat is incorrect. In fact, Jihad, in its technical meaning, has several branches, including the combative type. The other types are Jihad by persuasion. It should be noted that thirteen years of the Prophet's 23-year mission were devoted to evangelism. Combative Jihad, under Islamic law, means “the declaration of war against belligerent and aggressive non-Muslim powers or against fellow Muslim transgressors”. It is not a haphazard decision taken by anybody. The principles of Islamic jurisprudence state that the actions of the leader must be guided by the interests of the people and that the interests of the collective have, in some cases, precedence over the interests of the individual. A leader is used to refer to an Imam that is the leader of a defined Islamic state with all the apparatus of governance. By this we can see that the Boko Haram sect is not carrying out its Jihad on a right footing as it has no territorial control and lacks any form of governance.
In case the above condition of having a spiritual leader and a defined territory is established and combative Jihad is eminent, Islam has set very sound and pro active rules of engagement. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) commanded that the life of civilians, foliage, livestock, clergy and places of worship are to be protected. The same message was carried out by the Prophets successors. For example it is on record that Abubakar, the first spiritual leader of Islam after the demise of the holy Prophet once said to his army before departing for a battle as such:

“Stop, O people! That I may give you ten rules for your guidance in the battlefield.

Do not commit treachery or deviate from the straight path. You must not mutilate dead bodies. Do not kill a child, or a woman or an elderly man. Bring no harm to the trees nor burn them with fire especially those which are fruitful, do not slay any of the enemy's folk, except for food. You are likely to pass by people who have devoted their lives to monastic services, leave them alone”

Other rules include the dignity and sustenance of the prisoners of war should be guaranteed, treaties and pacts must be observed and freedom of religion is fundamental to Islamic principles therefore non Muslims cannot be forced to accept Islam. A careful look at the above rules will show that Boko Haram does not in any way abide to any of them and this makes them not to represent Islam in any way.

I call on all my Muslim brothers to stand up and say no to these people because they are doing grievous damage to our beloved religion and country . They are endangering our lives scarier and limiting our abilities in a country that needs us the most.

This definitely is a trying moment for the Nigerian state and we can confront these challenges it better if we draw inspiration from our diversity. This should be a time to stand together and fight this monster head on same way we did the fuel subsidy removal. Definitely, it is going to be difficult but the outcome means liberation from a set of people that are hell bent on destroying us

Sa'id bin Jubayr said, "He who allows himself to shed the blood of a person, is like he who allows shedding the blood of all people. He who forbids shedding the blood of one person, is like he who forbids shedding the blood of all people.'' In addition, Ibn Jurayj said that Al-A`raj said that Mujahid commented on the Ayah, (it would be as if he killed all mankind) "He who kills a believing soul intentionally, Allah makes the Fire of Hell his abode, He will become angry with him, and curse him, and has prepared a tremendous punishment for him, equal to if he had killed all people, his punishment will still be the same.'' Ibn Jurayj said that Mujahid said that the Ayah, (and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.) means, "He who does not kill anyone, then the lives of people are safe from him.''

The Qur'an says about the prohibition of murder:

وَلاَ تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُإِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

..Take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus does He command you, that ye may learn wisdom." (al-An'am 6:151)

and Allah says in the Qur'an:

وَلاَ تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُإِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ وَمَنْ قُتِلَ مَظْلُومًافَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا لِوَلِيِّهِ سُلْطَانًا فَلاَ يُسْرِفْ فِيالْقَتْلِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مَنصُورًا

Nor take life - which Allah has made sacred. And if anyone is slain wrongfully, We have given his heir authority (to demand Qisas or to forgive): but let him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking life; for he is helped (by the law)" (al-Isra' 17:33)


According to the Qur'an, killing any person without a just cause is as big a sin as killing the whole humanity and saving the life of one person is as good deed as saving the whole humanity. (See al-Ma'idah 5:32)

This is what you always read and which you don't even know the meaning (Al-Nisa' 4:89-91) that

وَدُّوالَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ كَمَا كَفَرُوا فَتَكُونُونَسَوَاءً فَلاَ تَتَّخِذُوا مِنْهُمْأَوْلِيَاءَ حَتَّى يُهَاجِرُوا فِيسَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْافَخُذُوهُمْ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ وَجَدْتُمُوهُمْ وَلاَتَتَّخِذُوا مِنْهُمْ وَلِيًّا وَلاَ نَصِيرًا إِلاَّالَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ إِلَى قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْوَبَيْنَهُمْ مِيثَاقٌ أَوْ جَاءُوكُمْ حَصِرَتْصُدُورُهُمْ أَنْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ أَوْيُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمَهُمْ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُلَسَلَّطَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلَقَاتَلُوكُمْ فَإِنْ اعْتَزَلُوكُمْ فَلَمْيُقَاتِلُوكُمْ وَأَلْقَوْا إِلَيْكُمْ السَّلَمَ فَمَا جَعَلَ اللَّهُلَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سَبِيلاً سَتَجِدُونَ آخَرِينَ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَأْمَنُوكُمْ وَيَأْمَنُواقَوْمَهُمْ كُلَّ مَا رُدُّواإِلَى الْفِتْنَةِ أُرْكِسُوا فِيهَا فَإِنْ لَمْيَعْتَزِلُوكُمْ وَيُلْقُوا إِلَيْكُمْ السَّلَمَ وَيَكُفُّوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ فَخُذُوهُمْ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ ح��يْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأُوْلَئِكُمْجَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَانًامُبِينًا

Now tell me honestly, do these verses give a free permission to kill any one any where for any reason ? These verses were revealed by Allah to Prophet Muhammad S.A.W at the time when Muslims were attacked by the non-Muslims of Makkah on a regular basis. They were frightening the Muslim community of Madinah. One may say using the contemporary jargon that there were constant terrorist attacks on Madinah and in this situation Muslims were given permission to fight back the "terrorist". These verses are not a permission for "terrorism" but they are a warning against the "terrorists." But even in these warnings you can see how much restraint and care is emphasized.