Reclaiming Jihad

What comes to your mind when you think of jihad?

You would be forgiven if it didn’t have positive connotations. The media and public discourses around jihad are framed by acts of political violence and killing, such as September 11^th 2001.

The Muslim community have tried to correct such a gross misunderstanding of the word. They spoke of how jihad means struggle, a struggle for righteousness, justice and mercy. They spoke of how mindless killing could not be more divorced from the spiritual endeavour (both internal and external) that is indicated by the word jihad.

Jihad has so overwhelmingly been associated with violence and killing, that Muslims sometimes refer to it as the J-word, conscious that its very mention can cause concern.

But now it’s time to redefine jihad. To reclaim jihad.

When you think of the crowds in Tunisia, who changed global politics forever by ousting Ben Ali, think of jihad. When you think of the Egyptians, who through patience and adversity stood united and defiant in the face of a stubborn Pharaoh who fell like Ozymandias, think of jihad. And indeed, when you think of Libyans, who confront a dictator more than willing to kill his own people, think of jihad.

In fact, don’t just think of jihad. Think of the highest, most celebrated, most beloved, type of jihad. Think of the very pinnacle of the meaning of jihad.

This is not a matter of subjective opinion, but of theological truth.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

“The best jihad is to speak a word of truth in front of a tyrant ruler”

Every protestor took part in fulfilling this deeply profound prophetic teaching, and went to the very core of the meaning of jihad.

Every placard held in Freedom Square was ‘word of truth in front of a tyrant ruler’. Every blog written, every chant, even the moments of silence met the criteria.

Now, more than ever we should be reclaiming the beautiful word that is jihad.

NB: For those interested in the reference for the hadith, its quoted by several muhadith including Ibn Majjah on the authority of Abu Saeed, Ahmed and Ibn Majjah and Tabarani and Baihaqi on the authority of Abu Umamah and Ahmed and Nisa’i on the authority of Tariq Ibn Shihab.

Slacktivism, Armchairism and Apptivism

2011 has certainly started on a promising note.

Tunisia ousted Ben Ali, ending decades of tyranny and offering the fragile hope of a more free, open and successful society.

The past week has seen awesome scenes in Egypt. Pundits and commentators talked of a ‘clash of civilisations’ in Egypt at the end of December, predicting Christian and Muslim tensions. The fallacy of such notions was dismissed when, unpredicted by all self-professed experts, the country rose up against the tyrant Mubarak. The streets of Cairo fills up with protestors daily, Muslims and Christians side by side.

The world also saw duplicity with which US foreign policy operates; invading Iraq in 2003 in the name of ‘democracy’, while simultaneously providing "military aid to Egypt [that] totals over $1.3 billion annually". It is this Egyptian army that has racked up a death count of 300 innocent protestors, and currently stands between the Egyptian people and an ousted Mubarak.

But the topic of this blog is not to add to the rolling and constant commentary on the unpredicted and unpredictable events in Egypt or Tunisia or the rest of the Middle East.

Rather, it’s to express dismay at the rise of the slacktivist, also known as the armchair acitivist, also known as the apptivist. The idea is pretty simple – Egyptians risk life and limb to protest, the slacktivsit tweets, clicks, and blogs his or her protest (yes, I’m a tweeter, a clicker and of course, a blogger).

It’s not that the tweeting, clicking or blogging is the problem. The problem is when it ends there.

We may not be in Egypt, or Tunisia, or Yemen. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t work to do. We don’t live in a utopia (…yet). Whether you live in the UK, the US or the Russian Federation (most my readers come from those three countries apparently!), there is plenty to be doing.

Poverty, injustice, oppression aren't absent.

The actions of protestors in the Middle East and elsewhere should remind us our duty to our community, the place in which we live.

For the believer, the action of the protestors should remind us of God’s appointment of mankind as “vice-regents of God on earth”, and the weight of this responsibility.

In the meantime, I’ll be heeding the words of Suhaib Webb, and remember Egypt in my prayers.