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Jihad: A Uniting Force
Christopher Schweitzer
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Christopher Schweitzer
Reacting to the Past
Dr. Driver and Prof. Reagin
27 March 2010
Jihad and the Crusades
Every great historical moment, leader and religion is focused around a
uniting influence. Saladin, a great Kurdish Muslim warrior during the time of the
Crusades, and the Muslim armies employed the lesser, or violent jihad to fortify
support and power in the Holy Lands. Throughout the eleventh and twelfth
centuries the term “jihad” was used in several different contexts with varying
meanings and intentions. Saladin used a favorable definition and interpretation of
Jihad in order to unite the Muslims and create a massive army to defend Islam from
the Christian Crusaders. In order to completely understand the word, its origins, and
its uses, the original passages from the Qur’an must be analyzed and interpreted.
Islam, as a faith, is supposed to be peaceful and preaches inner strength. Violence of
any kind is in direct contradiction to the teachings of Mohammad and the Islamic
faith. The only exception in using violence is in the case of a declared jihad, or holy
war for the protection of Islam. The reasons for this exception for violence and its
proper uses are controversial in that there is little reassurance that Allah would
support or deny support for a war. However it is clear that the meaning and use of
jihad was manipulated during the Crusades for the benefit of Islam, as it can be
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argued that Saladin fought not for Allah, but out of anger towards the Christians and
to protect and grow his own wealth and lands. In the present day the term jihad is
used more and more in the press however the meaning of the word has gained an
increasingly violent connotation over time. While jihad has been bastardized over
time it’s origins appear to be pure and devout to the Islamic faith.
The history and origins of jihad are found in the Qur’an and the teachings of
the Prophet Mohammad who died in 632 AD. Throughout the Qur’an there are
several references to jihad as a personal and inner struggle to become a better
person. The Islamic faith is based upon striving for a life that is worthy in God’s eyes.
A personal jihad is basically the struggle to avoid temptations and stay on the right
path to salvation and for God, which is what the prophet Mohammed preached
throughout his life. One scholar writes, “Muslims for centuries have engaged
themselves and the world in pursuit of inner jihad. This has been their way of
getting closer to their Creator, achieving inner peace and getting closer to God’s
creations. Unless we are at peace with ourselves, we can not have peace with the
Creator and vice versa.” (Muslim-Canada). Throughout life people are faced with
challenges and hardships that force them to question their faith in Allah and all
things good. Part of the struggle for inner jihad is remaining on the path set forth by
the Qur’an and the teachings of Muhammad despite these hardships. Perseverance
and devout faith is a crucial part of jihad and the Islamic religion.
Part of the inner struggle to remain holy is found in the pursuit to follow the
Five Pillars of Islam. These pillars, Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, Siyam, and Hajj represent
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the core values of the Islamic faith and a set of commandments that all Muslims
must follow. The first Pillar, Shahadah is a vow of monotheism and accepting
Mohammad as the prophet of Allah. Every Muslim must take the oath, “There is no
other God worthy of worship except Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger.” The
Salat is the responsibility imparted on all Muslims to pray a certain prayer under
certain circumstances. A Muslim must pray five times a day, facing the city of Mecca,
and while in a state of ritual purity. In order to achieve a state of ritual purity one
must embark on a personal and inner jihad. Zakat is a crucial aspect of Islam and
states that every Muslim must donate a portion of their income to the less fortunate.
The voluntary donation of money is part of the four practices of donation that
Muslims are required to follow in order to please Allah. Siyam is the ritual fasting
done during the month of Ramadan that is completed in order to increase the
closeness of each Muslim to Allah and remind them of the suffering and need that
others endure. These is yet another step on the journey of an inner jihad, one must
have the discipline, patience, and belief that Allah will nourish them during the fast.
The final official Pillar of Islam is the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. Each adult Muslim
is required to make the journey to the Holy City at least once during their lifetime if
they are financially able. The pilgrimage is done to express devotion to Allah,
although not all Muslims are able to take advantage of the journey. Muslims are
required by their faith to help those experiencing hardship. Jihad, as an inner
struggle, is the fight within oneself to strictly follow these pillars and stay true to
Allah and ones faith. It is listed, at times, as a sixth Pillar of Islam since it is a basic
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requirement of the Islamic faith and, just as the other Five Pillars do, focuses on
ones closeness to Allah and spiritual purity.
While the term “jihad” is not expressly used to mean physical violence
between men, the early instances of a jihad seem to be violent in nature. The first
jihad occurred during the story of Muhammad and a small group of followers who
relocated to Medina from Mecca to escape religious oppression. Facing persecution
from the Meccans, Muslims used violence against their oppressors employing the
justification that disbelievers wronged them and that they had a right to preserve
themselves and their faith. In Surah 22, verses 39-40, it is written, “To those against
whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they were wronged; and
verily, Allah is most powerful for their aid.” This is the first known instance in which
a jihad was called for with violent undertones.
Historically, jihad has been used and manipulated to encourage support for
wars and conquests. The threat of sin and eternal damnation can be a powerful
element of control in any religiously dedicated society. Around the year 1183
Saladin created his own interpretation of a Jihad and its implications in the Muslim
faith and began spreading his ideals to gain widespread support for his army. In
order to preserve Jerusalem and the Holy Lands of Islam, Saladin needed dedicated
soldiers to protect the territories and repel the Christian crusaders. Saladin stressed
that anyone who refused to take up a jihad against the crusaders would be
committing a horrible sin that would never be forgiven against Allah and would be
damned on the Day of Reckoning. In the Hadith, which is narrations of the life and
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sayings of the prophet Mohammad, it is written, “The gates of Paradise are under
the shadow of the swords.” (Hadith) which implies that a violent and outward jihad
is a main requirement for salvation. While the Muslim faith preaches peace and
respect, Saladin called for the creation of a great army to recapture the cities
overtaken by Christian crusaders. Saladin thought he was justified in his war
because he did not attack citizens or loot Jerusalem and desecrate the religious
buildings once the Muslim armies had captured the cities. Saladin used quotations
from the Qur’an such as, “Fight them so that God may punish them at your hands,
and put them to shame, and help you against them, and heal the wounds of the
hearts of believers.” (Sura 9:14). His jihad was entirely focused on repelling the
Christian armies and attempting to ensure that they would vacate Muslim territory.
Using the violent definition of jihad, Saladin’s war seems to be justified by the
writings and teachings of the Qur’an. Just as the original followers of Mohammad
fought against their oppressors in order to preserve themselves and the religion of
Islam, Saladin and his army fight oppression from the Christians who attack their
homeland.
The justification for the jihad of Saladin was very similar to the reasoning the
pope employed for justifying the crusades. Christians argued that they were simply
protecting their faith by recapturing holy cities and relics that were vital to their
souls as good Christians. The crusaders commonly used the phrase, “God wills it” to
implicated their religious purity. Both armies were motivated by the desire to please
their God and their religious leaders. Biblical quotes such as, “But as for these
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enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay
them before me.” (Luke 19: 27) and, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he
who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him.”
(John 3: 36). According to these quotes and the Christian ideals the crusades were
focused upon bringing the wrath of God against those infidels who deny Jesus as the
Son of God and defile the Christian churches and Holy Lands against the will of the
Pope. Just as the Muslims believe they are carrying out the will of Allah in destroying
the Christian forces the Christians believe they are pleasing their god by protecting
the one true religion and destroying all nonbelievers or reside on the Holy Lands.
In today’s society the term “jihad” is overused and manipulated by the media
to describe any Muslim who fights against America. Since the terrorist attacks of
9/11, the term Jihad has been used in newspapers and newscasts at an alarming
rate. Jihad seems to be redefined to mean any “offensive war to be waged by
Muslims against all non- Muslims to convert them to Islam on the pain of death.”
(Newsonterror). This meaning is contradictory to the teachings of peace and respect
found in the Five Pillars of Islam, the Hadiths attributed to Muhammad, and other
writings within the Qur’an. Jihad has not only been misconstrued by Western
society. Islamic extremists have expanded the definition of jihad to include war
against America. It is reasonable to assume that Mohammad in his writings in the
Hadith never intended for jihad to become a terrorist war against other societies in
an effort to convert or kill all non-Muslims. Radicals have embraced a new form of
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jihad that polarizes the word and takes away from its actual value and importance of
the inner struggle to follow the teachings of the Five Pillars of Islam.
In conclusion the definition and justification for Jihad has been manipulated
and altered throughout history for political, social, and financial gain. Saladin’s use
of a jihad against the crusaders worked perfectly. The Muslims were so afraid of
committing sin against Allah that they jumped at the opportunity to serve in
Saladin’s army against the Christians. While the definition of a violent and outward
jihad has changed its importance as an inner struggle to follow the teachings of
Islam remains a core value in Muslim faith. While Saladin’s interpretation of Jihad
changed the religion of Islam, it was not nearly as radical as the present day
alterations.
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Works Cited
Gabrieli, Francesco and E. J. Costello, trans. Arab Historians of the Crusades. London:
Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1969.
"History of Jihad." News on Terror. News on Terror, 04/15/2010. Web. 15 Apr 2010.
<http://www.newsonterror.com/quran.html>.
Ibn Al-Qalanisi. The Damascus Chronicle of the Crusades. Trans. H. A. R. Gibb. London:
University of London Historical Series V, 1932.
"Inner Jihad". The Canadian Society of Muslims. 3/29/10 <http://muslimcanada.org/jihadshahid.html>.
"Jihad: Holy Struggle or Holy War". CARM. 3/29/10
<http://www.carm.org/religious-movements/islam/jihad-holy-struggle-orholy-war>.
The Hoy Bible. Revised Standard Version. New York, NY: Meridian, 1962.
The Qur'an (Oxford World's Edition, revised 2008 paperback edition)
Usamah ibn Munqidh. An Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrior in the Period of the
Crusades. Trans. P. K. Hitti. New York: Columbia University Press, 1929.
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Appendix
The Great Saladin
Christians Submitting to the Will of Saladin
Quotes attributed to Saladin:
"The Franks have none of the better qualities of men, except courage"
"The King of Syria has fled, because he could not destroy the city as be had planned."
"Have no fear. It is not the custom of kings to kill kings."