1. discussed then as to how Muslims
should relate to a non-Muslim state that
explicitly allowed Islam to be practised ,
prached and propagated in its territory
. The situation now is different as a non-
Muslim state not only allows practising
it but also allows its subjects to accept
Islam and follow it.
In the changed modern world , the
author says, any proxy war and
communal conflict in the name of jihad
is simply not permissible . Muslim
citizens and residents of non-Muslim
states have new duties and
responsibilities . Jehad cannot be
declared against a non-Muslim
government that does not in any way
oppress Muslims, nor can such a
government be told either to accept
Islam or else hand over power to
Muslims.
Muslims today must adopt the path
of peacefully inviting others to the faith,
making them aware of all adequate
proofs (hujjat) of God . After this, they
should leave it to God to decide.
Nomani says, "My own limited
understanding leads me to believe that
this opinion is in closer accordance with
reason, the spirit of the shariah, and the
aims and wisdom of God’s revelation.
This position can be backed by Hadith
reports that insist on the need for
peaceful propagation of Islam before
fighting can at all be envisaged. And, it
must be remembered, today it is no
longer forbidden for Muslims to
communicate their faith to non-Muslim
rulers or non-Muslims in general."
One hopes Nomani's ideas are
spread around . Since time immemorial
political crooks the world over have
misused religion to advance their own
short-term, petty interests. Nomani's
will have those distorting the Quarnic
message of peace, brotherhood and
equality and resorting to terrorism in
the name of this great religion run away
for a cover.
January 2012 Power Politics 61
I
n fighting the war on jehadi terror,
few works can really compete with
the one under review. Translated
from Urdu into English by
Yoginder Sikand, the enterprise gives us
the best weapon--the power of moral
force--to fight the evil the entire
civilzed world is confronted with today
. Herein author Maulana Yahya Nomani
acquaints one with what the ideology of
Islam really is and deals with its
important components : the concept of
jihad; its various forms, armed and non-
violent ; the conditions for resorting to
them; the rules regarding treatment of
non-Muslim combatants and non-
combatants, including civilians during
the armed jihad; and Islamic teachings
on relations betweeen Muslims and
followers of other faiths .
He quotes the Quran as saying,
“Fight in the cause of Allah those who
fight you, but do not transgress limits;
for Allah loveth not transgressors.... ;
fight them not at the Sacred Mosque,
unless they (first) fight you there....Such
is the reward of those who suppress
faith. But if they cease, Allah is Oft-
forgiving, Most Merciful.” ( Quran 2 :
190-192 ). Explaining this powerful
quotation in the proper perspective,
Nomani addresses whatever popular
misconceptions exist today in regard to
this religion and firmly establishes that
the ideology of violence in its name as
articulated by various terrorist groups is
a crass misinterpretation of the related
scriptures.
Nomani also deals with the need for
a contextual revision of certain rules
contained in the medieval Muslim
jurisprudence ( fiqb). He says that the
scenario in the medieval times was
different . Those days all states were
identified with one or the other religion
. It was simply inconceivable that any
non-Muslim government would allow
Muslims to invite its subjects to God’s
path. As such it was never even
Exposing political crooks
Jagdish N Singh
Vitasta, New Delhi ,2011
Pp 166, Rs 395 .
The Truth About
Jihad
Maulana Yahya Nomani
English Translation
Yoginder Sikand
BOOK BAZAAR
In the changed
modern world , the
author says, any proxy
war and communal
conflict in the name of
jihad is simply not
permissible . Muslim
citizens and residents of
non-Muslim states have
new duties and
responsibilities .