The Concept of Jihad
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The concept of the jihad is often misunderstood in the West, and the image of the holy war is probably the most common one held by the West with reference to Islam. The advent of Islamic fundamentalism and extremism against the West in recent years has only increased our tendency to identify Islam with the jihad or holy war. The concept of the jihad is actually more complex than this, though it has become a tool in international politics as well as a philosophical and religious concept. The concept of jihad was first given by Muhammad, along with the other important concepts, or the pillars of Islam. In Islam, Muhammad stands as the example of perfection to which the faithful are to aspire. Those who achieve near perfection are highly revered as saints or holy men. The living holy men are accorded great respect: Their blessing and touch has almost magical power. They are appealed to in time of war as arbitrators. They are akin to the members of religious orders which have convents here teaching is given and hospitality is available (Parrinder, 1957, 18-19). The primary tenets of Islam are found in the pillars of faith, upheld by conforming to the laws of God as explained in the Quran. Prayer is an essential duty and has a specific method, time, and place. Almsgiving is a duty of all Muslims and is seen as a mark of piety. Fasting is enjoined as well at different times of the year. Pilgrimage to Mecca is a duty that must be carried out at lea
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plices. The Brotherhood's military units attracted a large number of recruits. In spite of phenomenal growth in size, the Islamic organizations maintained extreme secrecy about their membership and structure even as their leaders remained shadowy figures.
In the second phase of the jihad the Brotherhood's military units attacked police stations, Baath Party offices, army units, and government buildings with large-scale demonstrations and strikes. The attack on the Aleppo Artillery School created a climate of crisis and fear in the country. Moreover, it led to a sweep in which some 300 Brotherhood activists were arrested and an anti-Brotherhood campaign was mounted. After several more efforts on both sides, Assad took an iron hand and dispatched troops to Aleppo to cordon off the city. Thousands were arrested, and hundreds were executed. The government went all out to smash the Brotherhood. In time, the Islamic rebellion collapsed:
In short, in the early stages Islamic resistance grew where government repression produced martyrs, and the cycle of opposition's terrorism and the regime's violence escalated. But when the state pressed into action the full armory of its awesome coercive machine--causing popular disarray,
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Approximate Word count = 2726
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page)
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