Contemporary fundamentalist usage Jihad

the fulani jihad states of west africa, c. 1830

with islamic revival, new fundamentalist movement arose, different interpretations of islam, placed increased emphasis on jihad. wahhabi movement spread across arabian peninsula starting in 18th century, emphasized jihad armed struggle. wars against western colonial forces declared jihad: senussi religious order declared jihad against italian rule of libya in 1912, , mahdi in sudan declared jihad against both british , egyptians in 1881.

other anti-colonial conflicts involving jihad include:

padri war (1821–1838)
java war (1825–1830)
barelvi mujahidin war (1826–1831)
caucasus war (1828–1859)
algerian resistance movement (1832–1847)
somali dervishes (1896–1920)
moro rebellion (1899–1913)
aceh war (1873–1913)
basmachi movement (1916–1934)

the so-called fulbe jihad states , few other jihad states in west africa established series of offensive wars in 19th century. none of these jihad movements victorious. powerful, sokoto caliphate, lasted century until british defeated in 1903.

early islamism

in twentieth century, many islamist groups appeared, being influenced social frustrations following economic crises of 1970s , 1980s. 1 of first islamist groups, muslim brotherhood emphasized physical struggle , martyrdom in credo: god our objective; quran our constitution; prophet our leader; struggle (jihad) our way; , death sake of god highest of our aspirations. in tract on jihad , founder hasan al-banna warned readers against widespread belief among many muslims struggles of heart more demanding struggles sword, , called on egyptians prepare jihad against british, (making him first influential scholar since 1857 india uprising call jihad of sword). group called jihad against new jewish state of israel in 1940s, , palestinian branch, hamas, called jihad against israel when first intifada started. in 2012, general guide (leader) in egypt, mohammed badie declared jihad save jerusalem usurpers , [liberate] palestine claws of occupation ... personal duty muslims. muslims must participate in jihad [donating] money or [sacrificing] life ... many other figures prominent in global jihad started in muslim brotherhood—abdullah azzam, bin-laden s mentor, started in muslim brotherhood of jordan; ayman al-zawahiri, bin-laden s deputy, joined egyptian muslim brotherhood @ age of 14; , khalid sheikh mohammed, planned 9/11 attack, claims have joined kuwaiti muslim brotherhood @ age 16.

according rudolph peters , natana j. delong-bas, new fundamentalist movement brought reinterpretation of islam , own writings on jihad. these writings tended less interested , involved legal arguments, different of schools of islamic law had say, or in solutions potential situations. emphasize more moral justifications , underlying ethical values of rules, detailed elaboration of rules. tended ignore distinction between greater , lesser jihad because distracted muslims development of combative spirit believe required rid islamic world of western influences .

contemporary fundamentalists influenced jurist ibn taymiyya s, , journalist sayyid qutb s, ideas on jihad. ibn taymiyya hallmark themes included

the permissibility of overthrowing ruler classified unbeliever due failure adhere islamic law,
the absolute division of world dar al-kufr , dar al-islam,
the labeling of not adhering 1 s particular interpretation of islam unbeliever, and
the call blanket warfare against non-muslims, particularly jews , christians.

ibn taymiyya recognized possibility of jihad against `heretical` , `deviant` muslims within dar al-islam. identified heretical , deviant muslims propagated innovations (bida ) contrary quran , sunna ... legitimated jihad against refused abide islamic law or revolted against true muslim authorities. used broad definition of constituted aggression or rebellion against muslims, make jihad not permissible necessary. ibn taymiyya paid careful , lengthy attention questions of martyrdom , benefits of jihad: in jihad 1 can live , die in ultimate happiness, both in world , in hereafter. abandoning means losing entirely or partially both kinds of happiness.`

sayyid qutb, islamist author

the highly influential muslim brotherhood leader, sayyid qutb, preached in book milestones jihad, `is not temporary phase permanent war ... jihad freedom cannot cease until satanic forces put end , religion purified god in toto.` ibn taymiyya, qutb focused on martyrdom , jihad, added theme of treachery , enmity towards islam of christians , jews. if non-muslims waging war against islam , jihad against them not offensive defensive. insisted christians , jews mushrikeen (not monotheists) because (he alleged) gave priests or rabbis authority make laws, obeying laws made them [and] not permitted god , obedience laws , judgments sort of worship .

also influential egyptian muhammad abd-al-salam faraj, wrote pamphlet al-farida al-gha iba (jihad, neglected duty). while qutb felt jihad proclamation of liberation humanity , farag stressed jihad enable muslims rule world , reestablish caliphate. emphasized importance of fighting near enemy —muslim rulers believed apostates, such president of egypt, anwar sadat, whom group assassinated—rather traditional enemy, israel. faraj believed if muslims followed duty , waged jihad, supernatural divine intervention provide victory:

this means muslim has first of duty execute command fight own hands. [once has done so] god intervene [and change] laws of nature. in way victory achieved through hands of believers means of god s [intervention].

faraj included deceiving enemy, lying him, attacking night (even if leads accidentally killing innocents), , felling , burning trees of infidel, islamically legitimate methods of fighting. although faraj executed in 1982 part in assassination of egyptian president anwar sadat, pamphlet , ideas highly influential, @ least among egyptian islamist extremist groups. (in 1993, example, 1106 persons killed or wounded in terror attacks in egypt. more police (120) terrorists (111) killed year , several senior police officials , bodyguards shot dead in daylight ambushes. ) ayman al-zawahiri, later #2 person in al-qaeda, faraj s friend , followed strategy of targeting near enemy many years.

abdullah azzam

in 1980s muslim brotherhood cleric abdullah azzam, called father of modern global jihad , opened possibility of waging jihad against unbelievers in here , now. azzam issued fatwa calling jihad against soviet occupation of afghanistan, declaring individual obligation able bodied muslims because defensive jihad repel invaders. fatwa endorsed number of clerics including leading saudi clerics such sheikh abd al-aziz ibn baz.

azzam claimed looks state of muslims today find great misfortune abandonment of jihad , , warned without jihad, shirk (joining partners allah) spread , become dominant . jihad important repel unbelievers important obligation after iman [faith] .

azzam argued broader interpretation of permissible kill in jihad, interpretation think may have influenced of students, including osama bin laden.

many muslims know hadith in prophet ordered companions not kill women or children, etc., few know there exceptions case ... in summary, muslims not have stop attack on mushrikeen, if non-fighting women , children present.

a charismatic speaker, azzam traveled dozens of cities in europe , north american encourage support jihad in afghanistan. inspired young muslims stories of miraculous deeds during jihad—mujahideen defeated vast columns of soviet troops virtually single-handed, had been run on tanks survived, shot unscathed bullets. angels witnessed riding battle on horseback, , falling bombs intercepted birds, raced ahead of jets form protective canopy on warriors. in afghanistan set services office foreign fighters , support former student osama bin laden , saudi charities, foreign mujahideed or would-be mujahideen provided for. between 1982 , 1992 estimated 35,000 individual muslim volunteers went afghanistan fight soviets , afghan regime. thousands more attended frontier schools teeming former , future fighters. saudi arabia , other conservative gulf monarchies provided considerable financial support jihad—$600 million year 1982. cia funded azzam s maktab al-khidamat , others via operation cyclone.

azzam saw afghanistan beginning of jihad repel unbelievers many countries—the southern soviet republics of central asia, bosnia, philippines, kashmir, somalia, eritrea, spain, , home country of palestine. defeat of soviets in afghanistan said have amplified jihadist tendency fringe phenomenon major force in muslim world.

having tasted victory in afghanistan, many of thousands of fighters returned home country such egypt, algeria, kashmir or places bosnia continue jihad. not former fighters agreed azzam s chioice of targets (azzam assassinated in november 1989) former afghan fighters led or participated in serious insurgencies in egypt, algeria, kashmir, somalia in 1990s , later creating transnational jihadist stream.

in february 1998, osama bin laden put declaration of world islamic front jihad against jews , crusaders in al-quds al-arabi newspaper. on 11 september 2001, 4 passenger planes hijacked in united states , crashed, destroying world trade center , damaging pentagon.