Yusuf Speaks Out: FOR JIHAD!

About Struggle?
About Fighting?
About Terrorism?
About Combat?

ISLAM NEWSROOM DATELINE: JIHAD IN MUSLIMS

"Jihad is about STRUGGLE! And about COMBAT! And it's ABOUT TIME! Time to tell the truth about the REAL JIHAD . ." - Yusuf Estes

Bismillah Rahman Raheem - Salam alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatahu:

I apologize to all of our readers, to my fellow Muslims, to my family and most of all - I apologize to Allah - for taking so long to speak up, speak out and use this little voice Allah has given us - to tell the real story, publicly and openly - ABOUT JIHAD

All too long I have avoided opening up this topic and talk about it to our many readers. Most of you are Muslims, true. But did you know, about 22% of our readers are not Muslims? Or at least not yet.

The subject is "ABOUT JIHAD".

Most people know "JIHAD" for Muslims to be something about war, bombs, terror, killings, kidnappings, hijackings, pirates and worse...

Worse - because they associate all this with Islam and real Muslims. What do I mean, "Real Muslims?"

Just this: No one could be a real Muslim - If they are doing any of those things I just mentioned.

First of all, let's take a look at the word "Islam"

(a noun; from 'aslama' (Arabic verb), implies: surrender; submit; obey; sincere; peace ~ a state of servitude to Almighty God) source: www.IslamTomorrow.com/word

Next, let's find out who is a real "Muslim"
(Mu-slim; from 'aslama' (Arabic verb); one who does the actions associated with 'aslama'; (i.e.; surrenders in submission to the Will of God, obeys sincerely in peace with God)

What does it take to be a true "Muslim"? Look for yourself:
Definitions: "Shahadah" - to bear witness in open testimony there is only one God and He alone do you give all your service and devotion to and after God, to accept Muhammad, peace be upon him, as a role model and then be a loyal servant to all mankind. "Salat" - to hold regular devotional communication with God, Creator of the Heavens and earth - 5 times every day. "Fasting" - no food or drink in the daytime for 30 days per year. "Charity" - to give two and half percent of total wealth every year to the poor and needy. "Pilgrimmage" - visit the house of God, built by Abraham, peace be upon him, once in the lifetime.

My question is: "How could anyone know the meaning of these two words - and then claim to be associated with either of them - while go out and commiting every form of chaos and mayhem we see on the 6 o'clock news?"
PLEASE - I'm serious here.

There is no way, in my mind, that anyone could confuse these two very opposite meanings!

If some people claim to be "peace makers" while making up wars and causing chaos - does that mean "peace makers" are also "terrorists"?

NO! Of course not!

It just means they are LYING! LIARS! NOT SAYING THE TRUTH.

Simple as that...

We need the Arabic dictionary definition of "Jihad" for a more in depth understanding of a very important word for all of us.

But before we learn the Arabic definition for "Jihad", let me ask you something:

"If a priest tells you to obey God's Laws. To lead a god-fearing life and to honor your parents, care for the orphans and feed the poor and to be a trustworthy neighor - and above all - Not to take the law into your own hands. Rather instead, to turn the other cheek and not seek revenge" -
What do you get out of that?

"If a Rabbi for the Jewish faith tells one of his fellow Jews to follow the TEN COMMANDMENTS [quote from Bible, Deuteronomy 5:16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.17 Thou shalt not kill.18 Neither shalt thou commit adultery.19 Neither shalt thou steal.20 Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.]
What does this signify to you?

OK. Now let's see what the word "Jihad" means:

Ji'had; an Arabic word coming from the root; "ja" "ha" "da" - means literally to "strive; struggle, persevere or to engage with great effort to achieve a goal. Muslims are required to engage themselves in a daily "striving to do God's Will" (al-jihad fee seebee lillah), refers to any act of striving, struggling or great effort to serve Almighty God on earth.

Jihad is often translated as "Holy War" - However, Islamic theological tradition does not have the concept of "Holy war" (in Arabic al-harb al-muqaddasa), this is not an expression found in Quranic text. In Islamic theology, war is never holy; it is either something eminent and imposing on the population for survival or not.

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JIHAD IN THE BIBLE

Let us see what the Bible has to say about Jihad in the meaning of war and violence. The following verses are from the Bible, New International Version (NIV), 1984

"Do not allow a sorceress to live. Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal must be put to death. Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the LORD must be destroyed." [Exodus 22:18-20]

"This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.' The Levites did as Moses commanded and that day about three thousand of the people died." [Exodus 32:27-28]

"The LORD said to Moses, 'Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. The Israelites captured the Midianite women and children and took all the Midianite herds, flocks and goods as plunder. They burned all the towns where the Midianites had settled, as well as all their camps. (Moses ordered) "Now kill all the boys. And kill every women who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man." [Numbers 31:1-18]

(Jesus said) "But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them - bring them here and kill them in front of me." [Luke 19:27]

"He (Jesus) said to them, 'But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one." [Luke 22:36]

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Incidentally, remember my questions to you about the priest and the rabbi and what they were teaching and calling to?
The priest was calling his people to follow the way of Jesus, peace be upon him, to "Love God with all your heart, mind and strength and a Commandment like it to LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF" and that is called the Great Commandment.
The Rabbi was calling his people to follow the Law of Moses, the Ten Commandments and Torah.
In other words, they are both saying: "Don't follow your desires, follow God's Law"

Well get out your Arabic dictionary (I know, you don't have one) no problem - The word for "God's Law" in Arabic is - SHAR'IAH.

WOW! - That calls for another detailed article - But not today, OK?