Model of Islamic spirituality

Imam Elsadi (April 12) gave a truly interesting interpretation of the concept of Jihad. The Imam makes some noteworthy statements which it is my intention to examine in order to balance out what some may, perhaps with reason, feel to be a rather skewered view of the matter.

In the first statement, the Imam tells us that Jihad refers to an internal struggle within the self. The incident he recounts from the life of the Prophet clearly implies that Jihad in not a military/aggressive concept. However, in the Holy Qu'ran one finds verses which clearly encourage overt war against non-believers.

According to the Holy Qu'ran, "Fighting is obligatory for you, much as you dislike it" (2:16). More significantly, Sura 4 contains a very clear call to arms couched in such language as to make it irresistible to true believers: "Whoever fights for the cause of Allah, be he slain or be he victorious, We shall richly reward him" (4:74), "The believers, who stay at home - apart from those that suffer a grave impediment - are not equal to those who fight for the cause of Allah with their fortunes and their persons. Allah has given those that fight with their fortunes and their persons a higher rank than those who stay at home. He has promised all a good reward; but far richer is the recompense of those who fight for him" (4:95).

So fundamental is fighting for faith in Allah that the Holy Qu'ran actually makes distinctions of merit between Muslims who engage in fighting the infidels and those who do not!

Whether these verses indicate a call to Jihad or to some other concept, it remains obvious and unarguable that the Holy Qu'ran, the sacred scripture of Islam, calls Muslims to fight infidels and promises them rich rewards for so doing.

The second statement the Imam makes is that Islam does not teach fighting against other religions. What, then, are we to make of the following verses from the Koran: "Fight against them until idolatry is no more and Allah's religion reigns supreme" (2:193) and "The true believers fight for the cause of Allah but the infidels fight for the devil. Fight then against the friends of the devil" (4:76)?

The third statement the Imam makes is that fanatic and extremist Muslims misinterpret the teaching of the Holy Qu'ran to justify and legalise wars against the followers of other religions. Islam, he says, should be judged by its own teachings. Indeed, the verses quoted above from the Holy Qu'ran show the extent to which violence against non-Muslims is sanctioned and rewarded by the holy scripture of Islam.

The problem lies in the definition of true Islam. What is true Islam? It is a fact that Islam has no central body in charge of dogmatic orthodoxy. Different traditions within Islam hold conflicting ideas on the authority allowed by their religious leaders.

As such, any Imam is free to come up with any reasonable interpretation of the Holy Qu'ran. Thus, the definition of true Islam varies from Imam to Imam, from tradition to tradition.

While Imam Elsadi's interpretation of Jihad is truly noble and spiritually enlightening, there are many other Imams who will disagree with him. In fact, it is likely that these Imams will charge that Imam Elsadi's interpretation is a contentious misinterpretation.

The fact that there are so many Muslims so actively engaged in terrorism and genocide indicates that many interpret the concept of Jihad in an aggressive/military fashion. How are we to know, conclusively and beyond all reasonable doubt which is the orthodox interpretation, the true Islam? Actions speak louder than scriptural exegesis and verbal hermeneutics.

Terrorism does make a distinction between Muslims and non-Muslims, or rather, between true Muslims and false Muslims. The Muslim world is in turmoil with Wahhabis, Druzes, Sunnis, Shias, Kharijites et al tearing at each other's throats.

The reason they are at loggerheads is because each accuses the others of being pseudo-Muslims. Hence the internecine violence the cause of which is the idea that true Muslims fight to conquer and subject pseudo- and non-Muslims.

That is why Iraqis are currently being murdered by terrorists because the latter view Iraqis participating in the newly democratic Iraq as false Muslims or apostates. As democracy, unlike Islam, depends on the separation of religion and state, it is a system of government which is offensive to Islam. Thus democratic Iraqis are false Muslims and are butchered as such. The attacks on voters and officials of the new Iraq show how much these terrorists hate democracy, whether in America or in Iraq.

Nonetheless, I am delighted with the Imam's interpretation. In Shakespeare's words, the Imam is truly "A Daniel come to judgement". By positing this benign interpretation of a hitherto controversial Islamic concept, he offers both Christians and Jews a model of Islamic spirituality they would do well to heed and adopt.

By appealing for cooperation in fighting extremism, hatred, racism and the ideologies and provocative propaganda which generate such evil values, the Imam has lit a beacon of hope for a peaceful and tolerant future free from religious strife and inter-cultural friction. I can do no less than to add my voice to that of the Imam. Thank you, Imam Elsadi. Let us hope that your wise words will find fertile ground and bear sweet fruit.