Issue Overview: Jihad

TOP: Members of the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad display weapons while praying before walking through the streets

in a march with supporters on August 12, 2005, in Gaza City, Gaza Strip. Photo by Spencer Platt. BOTTOM: Graph by

Rand Corp.

Islamic extremist groups such as al-Qaeda and Islamic State call their violent campaigns

jihad — a holy war waged on behalf of Islam. Mainstream Muslims argue that jihad is

mostly a spiritual experience involving internal struggle. In this view, violent jihad is allowed

only in extreme cases, and it must be approved by legitimate authorities. Nevertheless, the

militant jihadis are winning recruits.

The Situation

The number of groups engaged in violent jihad grew from three in 1988 to 49 in 2013,

according to a study by Rand Corporation, a global policy nonprofit organization. The goal

of these violent jihadi groups is to create their idea of purified Islamic societies. They say

they want to practice Islam as Prophet Muhammad’s early followers did. These early

followers are known as the Salaf. Like all Islamists, jihadis support rule by sharia, the rules

and laws laid out mainly in the Quran and in the record of the prophet’s life. But unlike

some fundamentalist groups, jihadis embrace violence. In Arab countries, scholars and

religious officials who are closely connected to the government have condemned jihadis.

By Bloomberg, adapted by Newsela staff on 10.05.16

Word Count 645

But the association of these officials with the government has led many citizens to ignore

their views. Some scholars argue that jihadis are on sound theological footing, but many

Muslims dismiss these theories.

The Background

Jihad literally means “to make an effort.” It can include spiritual, verbal, scholarly or military

attempts to serve God. The concept of the just war — a war that is deemed morally

justifiable — is explored throughout Islamic texts. It appears first in the Quran when God

permitted Muhammad and his early followers to fight their persecutors in seventh-century

Arabia.

In recent years, resistance, liberation and terrorist leaders have taken up the idea of

military jihad. In the late 1980s, jihadis pushed Soviet forces from Afghanistan. Non-Afghan

Muslims who had fought with them returned to their home countries to continue holy war.

Among them was Osama bin Laden from Saudi Arabia. His group, al-Qaeda, complained

of U.S. aggression in the Middle East. It declared war on the U.S. and its allies in 1998,

and killed almost 3,000 people in attacks on the U.S. on September 11, 2001.

The Argument

Some jihadis say that Muslims should fight until all non-Muslims convert or submit to

Islamic rule. Others frame their military campaigns as defensive, aimed at purifying Muslim

lands of non-Muslim aspects or reclaiming territory once under Muslim rule. Both positions

contradict the view of mainstream scholars that jihad is justified only to defend Muslim-

ruled territory from attack or protect persecuted Muslims. Jihadis have taken it upon

themselves to declare war, even though it’s a well-established view among scholars that

only genuine political leaders have this power. Critics also denounce jihadis for killing

civilians, a practice forbidden in Islamic texts. Defenders of jihadis have responded by

saying that these citizens were collateral damage, accidentally killed while going after the

real enemy.

Rand estimated that the number of jihadi fighters climbed to as many as 105,000 in 2013,

from 1,900 in 1988. Studies of captured and former jihadis show that they have a variety of

motivations. They may want to achieve recognition, belong to a group, experience

adventure or vent frustration — whether over a personal, political or economic grievance.

Many jihadi recruits found the idea of martyrdom particularly appealing. One study

concluded that volunteers generally don’t come from strong religious backgrounds.

According to one theory, many are attracted by a new doctrine holding that the Muslim

nation faces a fundamental threat and Islamic law requires every able Muslim man to

defend it.

The Internet has given contemporary militant groups a way to reach more potential

supporters than ever. The biggest jump in recruitment started in 2010, about the same time

as the Arab uprisings, which weakened government control in parts of North Africa and the

Mideast. That gave jihadi groups opportunities to expand.

Quiz

1 One central idea of the article is that there is conflict among Muslims about whether the violent

jihad of extremist groups is based in religious law.

Which of the following selections BEST supports the main idea above?

(A) Like all Islamists, jihadis support rule by sharia, the rules and laws laid out

mainly in the Quran and in the record of the prophet’s life.

(B) It appears first in the Quran when God permitted Muhammad and his early

followers to fight their persecutors in seventh-century Arabia.

(C) Jihadis have taken it upon themselves to declare war, even though it’s a well-

established view among scholars that only genuine political leaders have

this power.

(D) Studies of captured and former jihadis show that they have a variety of

motivations.

2 Read the following sentence from the section "The Argument."

The biggest jump in recruitment started in 2010, about the same time

as the Arab uprisings, which weakened government control in parts of

North Africa and the Mideast.

Does this sentence support a central idea of the article? Why or why not?

(A) Yes; it explains one cause of the increase in jihadi fighters.

(B) Yes; it illustrates one perspective of violent jihad.

(C) No; it does not relate to the political reasons for jihad.

(D) No; it does not illustrate the desire of jihadis to be martyred.

3 Which statement BEST reflects one of the author's beliefs?

(A) Military jihad is morally justified by the passages of the Quran that allow

Muslims to fight their persecutors.

(B) Jihadis have manipulated the teachings of the Quran to suit their personal

desire for martyrdom.

(C) Social media and Internet access have played a critical role in increasing

the number of jihadi supporters.

(D) The practice of violent jihad is acceptable when Muslims seek to defend

their territory or protect other Muslims.

4 Complete the sentence. The author of the article is MOST concerned with:

(A) accurately detailing Islamic religious law

(B) asserting that jihadis have a sound theological argument

(C) presenting a balanced account of differing perspectives about jihad

(D) understanding why more people are choosing to follow jihad

Answer Key

1 One central idea of the article is that there is conflict among Muslims about whether the violent

jihad of extremist groups is based in religious law.

Which of the following selections BEST supports the main idea above?

(A) Like all Islamists, jihadis support rule by sharia, the rules and laws laid out

mainly in the Quran and in the record of the prophet’s life.

(B) It appears first in the Quran when God permitted Muhammad and his early

followers to fight their persecutors in seventh-century Arabia.

(C) Jihadis have taken it upon themselves to declare war, even though it’s a

well-established view among scholars that only genuine political

leaders have this power.

(D) Studies of captured and former jihadis show that they have a variety of

motivations.

2 Read the following sentence from the section "The Argument."

The biggest jump in recruitment started in 2010, about the same time

as the Arab uprisings, which weakened government control in parts of

North Africa and the Mideast.

Does this sentence support a central idea of the article? Why or why not?

(A) Yes; it explains one cause of the increase in jihadi fighters.

(B) Yes; it illustrates one perspective of violent jihad.

(C) No; it does not relate to the political reasons for jihad.

(D) No; it does not illustrate the desire of jihadis to be martyred.

3 Which statement BEST reflects one of the author's beliefs?

(A) Military jihad is morally justified by the passages of the Quran that allow

Muslims to fight their persecutors.

(B) Jihadis have manipulated the teachings of the Quran to suit their personal

desire for martyrdom.

(C) Social media and Internet access have played a critical role in

increasing the number of jihadi supporters.

(D) The practice of violent jihad is acceptable when Muslims seek to defend

their territory or protect other Muslims.

4 Complete the sentence. The author of the article is MOST concerned with:

(A) accurately detailing Islamic religious law

(B) asserting that jihadis have a sound theological argument

(C) presenting a balanced account of differing perspectives about jihad

(D) understanding why more people are choosing to follow jihad