JIHAD IS NOT "HOLY WAR" NOR IS IT A "PILLAR OF ISLAM" --------------------------- JIHAD: (Striving) Although it is not a pillar of Islam but is a duty in one form or another. The most common media misconception is of calling Jihad a 'Holy War.' The general meaning of the term is "striving for moral and religious perfection." The broader meaning of this term encompasses one's life and community. The constant struggle of striving to remain on the path of Islam by observing the above five pillars of Islam (Witness, Prayer, Alms, Fasting, and Pilgrimage) is Jihad. One who Strives is Mujahid. Being a Mujahid, a striver for moral and religious perfection, involves numerous forms of public and private devotion that charaterizes the 'practice' of islam. This includes respecting the dietry laws against eating pork and drinking alcohol, respecting parents and elders, helping to provide for close relatives and kin, giving to the poor and disadvantaged. On the other side, theft, murder, fornication, adultery, lying, cheating, wrongly accusing or testifying are strictly forbidden by Shari'a (Islamic Law). http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~calmsa/intro.html ------------------------- It is of the utmost importance at this time of justice-seeking and finger-pointing that non-Muslims learn something about the religion of Islam before buying into and passing on dangerous misinformation about Islamic beliefs.(e.g. that jihad is a religious mandate to holy war). Sources of clear information abound on the web, including the FAQ at alt.religion.islam or http://www.faqs.org/faqs/islam-faq/alt-newsgroup/, and the fine longer article "The Spiritual Significance of Jihad" at http://www.al-islam.org/al-serat/jihad-nasr.htm But there are even better sources of information about the Muslim religion: your local Islamic community centers and the Islamic members of your local community. Many American Muslims are currently in deep fear of the reactions of their fellow non-Muslim countrymen; help ease their fears -- and yours. Show them that America is ready to learn about their beliefs and practices from the keepers of those beliefs and not through media-driven misconceptions. Would you expect any less from others if your your own religious tradition were being questioned? America shows her best side when she shows her wisdom as well as her compassion. Let us not add Muslims to the long list of religious and ethnic groups who have suffered due to the ignorance of others or the heinous acts of the few. May the golden lamp of knowledge draw us all together and light our way in the dark days to come. "Without knowledge there is no wisdom" (Sirach 3:25)
- This shows just how evil terrorist fundamentalists are: they perverted the usage of a word signifying peace in their own faith, and convinced people of a lie that it actually represents violence.
