From : The Holy Quran
Translation: A.Yusuf Ali
Publisher: Islamic Propagation centre international
Jihad
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ii
Verse 190 : Fight in the cause of God
Those who fight you, *(204)
But do not transgress limits
For God loveth not transgressors.
*(204) War is only permissible in self-defence, and under well defined limits. When undertaken, it must be pushed with vigour, but not relentlessly, but only to restore peace and freedom for the worship of God. In any case strict limits must not be transgressed: woman, children, old and infirm men should not be molested, nor trees and crops cut down, nor peace withheld when the enemy comes to terms.
ix
Verse 20: Those who believe, and suffer
Exile and strive with might
And main, in God's cause, *(1270)
With their goods and persons,
Have the highest rank
In the sight of God:
They are the people
Who will achieve (salvation)
*(1270) Here is a good description of Jihad. It may require fighting
in God's cause, as a form of self-sacrifice. But its essence consists in (1) a true and sincere Faith, which so fixes its gaze on God. That all selfish or worldly motives seem paltry and fade away, and (2) an earnest and ceaseless activity, involving the sacrifice (if needed be) of life, person, or property, in the service of God. Mere brutal fighting is opposed to the whole spirit of Jihad, while the sincere scholar's pen or a preacher’s voice or wealthy man's contributions may be the most valuable forms of Jihad.
There are more descriptions in the Holy Quran about Jihad but these are the most clear ones, I found.
Book: Principles of Islam
Writer: Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Publisher: Good Word Books India
Jihad
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Jihad means struggle. Any sincere effort for the cause of religion will be called Jihad. Man's self leads him to evil. So waging war with the self is Jihad. Sometimes friends or acquaintances pressurize you into engaging in activities which are not right from the moral standpoint. At that time, refusing to yield such pressure and sticking firmly to an upright attitude are forms of Jihad.
Exhorting people to goodness and making them refrain from indecency are tasks entailing a great struggle. Continuing the dawah campaign whilst bearing all hardship is also Jihad.If having been treated with bitterness by neighbours or acquaintances, or after suffering and other kind of provocation, one refrains from reaction and retaliation and maintains pleasant relations unilaterally, this will also be a form of Jihad.
There is another kind of Jihad which is called "qital' that is, engaging in war at God's behest at the time of purely in self-defence in order to counter aggression on the part of the enemies. This Jihad is purely in self-defence in order to counter aggression. The literal meaning of Jihad is not war. But to fight in self-defence in accordance with God's commandments also involves a struggle; that is why it is also called Jihad.
Jihad meaning war, is however a temporary and circumstantial matter. If in the real sense any need for defence arises only then will armed Jihad be launched. If no such severe urgency arises, no armed Jihad will take place.
Just calling an action 'Jihad" will not morally validate it. The only true Jihad is that which is carried out in accordance with Islam. Islamic Jihad is, in actual fact, another name for peaceful struggle. This peaceful struggle is sometimes an inward-looking thing, like waging Jihad with the self when it takes place at the level of feeling; sometimes it is desired externally, and manifests itself at the physical level though gestures (like kneeling, prostrating oneself before God).
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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.}
(Holy Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."
[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
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