Of Jihad and Jihadi Outfits

It’s quite easy and simple to speak about Jihad and Jihadi outfits. Everyone interprets this complex phenomenon according to their own mindset; however, writing and analyzing the concept of Jihad is as complex as the today’s world is in itself and one must be very careful while writing or analyzing this phenomenon.

The word Jihad means “struggle or endeavour”. However, the notion of Jihad has been misunderstood and misconceived specifically after the 9/11. Since then this word has lost its true meanings and the basic purpose, which is formulated and designed according to the jurisprudence of Sharia and the law.

The true spirit of Jihad encompasses elimination of all evils or a way of purgation of the society, whereas it has nothing to do with terrorism or militancy. It is clear that Islam emphasis the sanctity of life and protection of human beings. On a number of occasions, Prophet (PBUH) categorically prohibited the killing of innocent people.

Jihad is one of the most important elements of Islam and even some sects take it as the sixth pillar of Islam; therefore, it has its own significance since the advent of Islam. The existence of Jihad can be traced back to the period of Prophet (PBUH). History reveals that during the time of Caliphate system the state was responsible to wage or declare jihad against the enemy. At that time, there was no concept of private jihadi organizations. Private Jihadi organizations emerged in the form of small groups when the institutions of Caliphate ceased to exist due to the invasion of foreign forces on the Muslim lands.

Resultantly, the oppressed and suppressed people started forming groups to retaliate and against the invaders. The objective of the exploited people was to get freedom from the imperialist powers. The emergence of Jihadi organizations across the world, particularly in Pakistan, can be traced back to the occupation of the land of Palestine by Israel and invasion on Afghanistan first by the USSR in 1979 and then by the USA after 9/11.

Similarly, in some parts of the world people have been struggling for the right of their self-determination, for instance the Kashmir struggle. The rise of Jihadi mindset can be understood as an outcome of the historic Muslim persecution at the hands of the dominant West on various counts and the failure of the Western dominated international organizations to deliver a fair deal to Muslims. Kashmir, Palestine and Cyprus are some examples in this regard. Muslims also feel that when non-Muslims are the likely beneficiaries of a settlement, the international community and Western counties spring into action for quick settlement for example peaceful settlement of East Timor and Sudan.

In order to understand this complex phenomenon, Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) organized an International Seminar on “Future of Jihadi Organizations” on 24 May 2012.

The future of jihadi organizations was closely related to the removal of causes for which the aggrieved people were taking up arms and resorting to violent means to achieve their ends. This was the consensus opinion at the international seminar.

Lt. Gen (retd) Hamid Gul, who was one of the speakers, mentioned Kashmir as the source of jihadist militancy in this part of the world, which would continue to fuel violence until India accepted the demands of self-determination of the people of Kashmir. Gul said a historic event had taken place two days ago at Chicago where NATO and the United States had conceded their defeat at the hands of Afghan people who were fighting against their country’s occupation. He said the world had undergone a great change as in the unequal war between the downtrodden people and the mightiest imperial power the weaker side was winning because its cause was just. In this connection he lamented that at a historic time like that India had chosen to toe the American line and place itself on the wrong side of history.

Prominent Indian journalist Ajit Sahi of ‘Tahelka’ fame agreed with the general and said that Pakistan’s example was before everybody, which had gained nothing after over half a century of toeing the American line. Speaking on “Equivalence of Jihadi organizations in non-Muslim societies” he said he had found that most cases of terrorism against Muslims in his country were fabricated. He said that states and their institutions needed villains to keep people’s attention diverted from the real issues. He said the real issues of the people of the subcontinent were poverty and its attendant manifestations. He made a strong plea for people to people contacts and opening of borders to promote a climate of friendship in the subcontinent so that the political issues could be solved in a conducive atmosphere without the misunderstandings that state agencies create to keep people divided.

Seven papers/ presentations were made at the seminar. In his paper on the concept of Jihad Professor Mushtaq Ahmad of International Islamic University quoted from the Holy Quran and other Islamic literature to prove that only the state could wage jihad and no private individual/organization could take on that sacred responsibility. He said Islam forbade the killing of innocent people and there could be no justification for indulging in violence in the name of Jihad. He said only the ruler could declare war against an enemy even if he was a sinful man. He said it was the government’s duty to eliminate non-state actors engaged in violent activities. He said jihad was not a perpetual war against non-believers. There had to be a cause to wage jihad.

Dr Manzar Zaidi, director NCTA, Islamabad dwelt on the causes, which lead people to joining militant groups. He said it was wrong to assume that a militant was abnormal in some way. The horrible fact was that the militant was not only normal, but also had a rationale for his actions.

Dr Rashid Ahmad of Peshawar University speaking on the motivations of jihadi organizations said that ‘qital’ or war under the concept of jihad had to have a ‘necessity’ like defence or eradication of persecution or punishment for treachery or against oppression. He also highlighted the true motivations of Jihadi Organizations that includes:

Defending the faith,

Defending and safeguarding the Muslim territory,

Eradication of persecution,

Eradication of internal enemies,

Safeguarding peace,

Punishment of treachery and fraud,

Retaliation against oppression and atrocities,

Establishment of just society peaceful means,

Elimination of oppression, etc.

Speaking on myths and realities of jihadi organizations, Mr Abdullah Khan, a journalist, mostly dwelt on the welfare work of Jamatud Dawa and said that the Lashkar had no world mission since its activities were focused on Kashmir.

Dr S. M. Zaman, former chairman Islamic Ideology Council, while concluding the first session said that the term Jihad was misunderstood and misinterpreted by the West. He was of the view that Jihad was a sacred duty of Islam. S M Zaman maintained that “we should stop oppression and aggression wherever it is in the world, as preventing repression is the essence of Jihad. Besides one should be very careful while using the word Jihad, he emphasized. He Quoted the Holy Prophet as saying that the greater Jihad was to make ourselves better human beings. The Prophet (PBUH) said this while returning to Madina from a battle.

In his paper on modern warfare and jihadi struggle, Air Commodore (retd) Khalid Iqbal explained the evolution of warfare from third to fourth and fifth generation of warfare in which the distinction of who was fighting whom and victory and defeat had been diluted. It was a perpetual war and the state had scant means for a definite closure. Moreover, the Air Commodore highlighted some representative non-Muslim cousins of Jihadi Organizations as the following:

LTTE, IRA, Shiva Sena, Naxalites, Vietcong, Khmer Rouge, Babbar Khalsa and Red Indian etc.

Winding up the seminar Mr. Khalid Rahman, Director General IPS, said that if terrorism was a global problem it was the responsibility of the United Nations to deal with it. He said the UN’s approach was conceptually weak, as it could not define exactly what constituted terrorism.

Earlier opening the seminar Khwaja Khalid Farooq, Chairman National Counter Terrorism Authority (NCTA), said it was important to understand what true jihad meant and then deal with the problem that had emerged in the shape of jihadi organizations. He said NCTA was grappling with the problem by adopting a holistic approach.

All the scholars agreed that only state can wage Jihad.

http://www.weeklypulse.org/details.aspx?contentID=2426&storylist=2

Media: The Moulder of Public Opinion

Today, in the age of globalization, media is considered as the most powerful organ and influential institution in the world as well as in Pakistan. After 9/11 mayhem and during the regime of former dictator General Pervez Musharraf, the media received an unprecedented freedom in Pakistan. Since then, Media has become so powerful that it can direct the minds and thoughts of the masses according to its own way at any issue. In the recent years, media played a significant and effective role to bring landmark changes in the society. It projects the issues in such a manner to influence the general public for instance the role of media in reinstatement of judiciary and made it successful by supporting and actively participating in the movement of lawyers and civil society. Today, it is the media, that mould the opinion of the people and has become a training institute. It is also being used for both purposes good and bad under the cradle of propaganda. As I mentioned that media is playing and effective and pivotal role by imparting far-reaching impact on the country. Sometimes it is being used in the hands of such elements to fulfill their own selfish desires; in this connection the most recently, in a private TV channel program, an anchor tried to project Arsalan Iftikhar case (the case between Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry’s son Arsalan Iftikhar versus country’s real estate tycoon Chief Executive Bahria Town Malik Riaz) in such a manner to bring the only one-side of the picture. The media persons must keep in mind the ethics and responsibility of the press, it should avoid to project one-sided picture of a certain issue. Being a good and responsible informer it should provide balanced and an unbiased standpoint on any issue by keeping in view the integrity and national interest of the country. So, media being a powerful organ in the present age of advanced communication and globalization, it must mould the public opinion but in a positive and constructive manner to bring progressive changes in the society for the well-being of the people. Therefore¸ it is core responsibility of the media, specifically the electronic media to constructive role in the best interest of the country. Media icons should not be part of any activity to malign any individual or to create confrontation among state institutions. “There is no match of freedom either at any level, but when it crosses its boundary and limits, then creates a situation of chaos and anarchy in the society.” http://www.weeklypulse.org/details.aspx?contentID=2514&storylist=2