Street Prophets

Ramadan Day 19: Verses from the Quran

by lauramp

Sun Oct 23, 2005 at 08:22:54 PM PDT

Each day during Ramadan, I am presenting a verse from the Quran with a few thoughts or comments. An introduction to this series is here. Inshallah (God willing), I hope that this may be of benefit to any who are interested in learning a bit more about Islam and Muslim belief.

Quran 25:52:

So do not obey the rejectors but strive against them a great jihad with it

(don't forget to follow this one over the jump)

Whoa! What does this verse mean? Not what you may be thinking!

The question is, what is "it" that Muslims are supposed to be making a great jihad with?

According to the traditional commentary, the authoritative understanding of this verse among the early generations of Muslims was that "it" is the Quran.

So Muslims are to make a great jihad with the Quran. Not with bombs or guns, but with the Quran.

How? By bringing its message. By being models of what it commands. By embodying it with our characters.

The word "jihad" literally means "struggle" or "striving". It appears twice in this verse.

The Arabic is:

Fa laa tuti al-kafirina wa jahidhum bi hi jihadan kabira

So do not obey the rejectors but strive against them (jahidhum) a great jihad with it

The Arabic word for war is harb and the word for fighting is qital. These are the two words used in the Quran to talk about war and fighting.

The word jihad is applied to it only in references such as "strive against them with your lives and your wealth". The Quran also refers to other forms of striving or struggle. In this particular verse, it is talking about striving with the Quran. This too is a form of jihad and it is the one that the Quran itself uses the adjective "great" in connection with.

Again, the "great jihad" with those who reject the truth is not fighting or killing, it is to bring and embody the message of the Quran.


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  • Much rides on the interpretation of the term jihad (0 / 0)

    The most attractive interpretation is that jihad refers mainly to the personal, spiritual struggle all serious believers must undertake.  While it pleases me to believe that's the term's main meaning, though, I have no sound basis for that belief.  This verse suggests that there is an evangelical component as well, though I like your explanation of that in terms of the believer's personal example and of the Quran itself.  But I would be grateful for any illumination on these points.

    by Liberal Protestant on Sun Oct 23, 2005 at 09:47:38 PM PDT

    • forms of jihad (struggle) (0 / 0)

      The word "jihad" is like the word "striving" or "struggle" in English. It can be applied to many kinds of struggles, from struggling with one's inner self to armed struggle. Literally, the Arabic word could be used where I used the English word "struggle".

      Certain forms of struggle (jihad) have been highlighted by the Islamic tradition and these are most commonly what is meant. Armed struggle is indeed one of them.

      However, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have said that this form of jihad was "the lesser jihad". He said that "the greater jihad" (i.e., the greater struggle) is to purify one's own soul.

      I highlighted this verse because it presents a third form of struggle that has been particularly emphasized. This is "jihad with the Quran", which as you noted is evangelical in that it involves bringing and embodying the message of the Quran.

      I wanted to highlight it because most people (including a number of Muslims, sadly) think that the "great jihad" against those who reject the truth is armed jihad. This is incorrect! The Quran very clearly says that the "great jihad" is to preach and practice the truth.

      I should also note that a "rejector" is not the same as a non-Muslim. Many people are non-Muslims but only a few people have knowingly and deliberately chosen to reject Islam. The "great jihad" here is directed at the rejectors, not at non-Muslims in general.

      What all of this means is that when there are people who are actively and deliberately rejecting Islam as a religion, then Muslims should convey the truth of the Quran to them. Not attack or kill them.

      There are very detailed rules in Islamic law about when armed struggle (what is commonly meant by "jihad") is authorized. These are very similar to the rules that Christians have developed in "just war theory".

      One of the later verses in this series will provide further information about this.

      Islam is a complex, inter-related whole and it would be distorting to take any part of it out of context with the rest.

      "Riches does not mean having a great amount of property, but riches is self-contentment." (Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)

      by lauramp on Sun Oct 23, 2005 at 11:12:07 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  • Your "jihad" (0 / 0)

    Thanks for striving to correct a great misunderstanding.

    "There ain't no sanity clause." Chico Marx http://wfmu.org/playlists/RX

    by Asbury Park on Sun Oct 23, 2005 at 09:50:03 PM PDT

    • more to come... (0 / 0)

      There's a lot more where this comes from. Over time, I hope to share as much of it as I can. I've addressed some of this in my response to Liberal Protestant above.

      I'd like to thank you personally for taking the time to comment on each of my Ramadan diaries. In some cases, you're the only one that has! I really appreciate it :)

      "Riches does not mean having a great amount of property, but riches is self-contentment." (Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)

      by lauramp on Sun Oct 23, 2005 at 11:14:34 PM PDT

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      • You welcome (0 / 0)

        I think a lot of people read these passages in a quietly meditative frame of mind, which is how you present them. They make me feel like I'm  out in an open place with a deep beautiful night sky above. Perhaps a crescent moon floating up there too. All the great prophets contemplated that sky.  

        "There ain't no sanity clause." Chico Marx http://wfmu.org/playlists/RX

        by Asbury Park on Mon Oct 24, 2005 at 12:20:18 AM PDT

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  • thank you (0 / 0)

    i think this is the perfect way to clear up misconceptions........one ayah/verse at a time.

    by ayah4913 on Mon Oct 24, 2005 at 08:42:53 AM PDT

  • lauramp (0 / 0)

    Have you considered putting together a dkosopedia entry on Ramadan with links to each of your posts? I know that all of us on SP have discussed doing a glossary or something like the dkosopedia, but I'd hate for this to get lost before that got set up.

    Help stop violence against Native American women!

    by Andy Ternay on Mon Oct 24, 2005 at 09:19:06 AM PDT

    • the right place for that? (0 / 0)

      Do you think this would be appropriate for the dkosopedia? I tend to think of Big Orange and its related parts like dkosopedia as being for politics and this doesn't really have anything to do with politics.

      I'm keeping a record of my diaries so that I can create a list of links, actually for one of my own blogs. So I'll still have the information later on.

      "Riches does not mean having a great amount of property, but riches is self-contentment." (Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)

      by lauramp on Mon Oct 24, 2005 at 12:37:30 PM PDT

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      • This may be (0 / 0)

        a question for Pastor Dan. He can always pass the question on to the big Kos if he does not want to make a decision.

        I'm glad you are preserving it but I would love every SP visitor to have access to your stuff.

        Help stop violence against Native American women!

        by Andy Ternay on Tue Oct 25, 2005 at 08:05:33 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

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