Fighting the good jihad

It is regrettable enough that the lofty idea of jihad is being reduced to the weapons-and-armor defense of the faith, with bloodshed all around. Even worse, some Muslims loosely use this battle cry to suit their own narrow needs and shallow causes and to justify destruction and hate when Islam has nothing to do with either.

Even the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra Jamalullail, the head of religion in this country, is dismayed. It was timely for the King to express concern over the extremist positions of those Muslims who not only distort the concept of jihad and martyrdom for their own ends, but perpetuate the prejudice that all Muslims are prone to violence.

There have been too many unhealthy developments of late pointing towards the sheer abuse of religion and a manipulative misrepresentation of Islam's clarion call in an attempt to give credence to unlawful activities. The emergence of religious militant groups propagating violence to achieve their objectives has become a threat to the nation's security.

Pas too is not innocent of this. Being a political party which uses the word Islam in its name, Pas appears to exploit situations -- both in the country and around the world -- to the hilt by, for example, fomenting a controversy over the Memali incident. Fifteen years on, they still adamantly describe that shootout between a fanatical cult and the police as jihad and Ibrahim Libya and his followers who died in the clash as martyrs. This is in clear violation of a National Fatwa Council decree that states otherwise. Ignoring a legitimate religious authority is a serious transgression in an Islamic society. But not so for Pas.

Moderate religious scholars have been extolling the softer side of jihad, which is defined as a personal "struggle" to live up to the ideals of Islam. It is this devout meaning of sacrifice and progress that will show the way to success and excellence for the ummah in every aspect of life in this world and the hereafter.

-- New Straits Times, Kuala Lumpur