Those who are opposed to justice...

Those who are opposed to justice, those who are opposed to peace, security and tranquility, those who are opposed to spiritual purity and transcendence of mankind – those people are standing against the call of the Holy Prophet (S). It was because of justice that Allah the Exalted made Jihad obligatory for Muslims. And Jihad is not limited to Islam: it exists in all divine religions.

Those who stand against the call of the Holy Prophet (S) are opposed to peace, tranquility and transcendence in society and they are opposed to the collective interests of human beings. This is the point that Islam targets. From the beginning of Be’that of the Holy Prophet (S), Islam targeted particular areas through the Quranic revelations. The first few Ayahs of Sura al-Alaq appear to have been revealed to the Holy Prophet (S) at the beginning of his Be’that.

The other Ayahs of this Sura were revealed later on, but they are related to Be’that of the Holy Prophet (S). In this Sura, Allah the Exalted says, “If he desist not, We would certainly smite his forehead, a lying, sinful forehead. Then let him summon his council. We too would summon the braves of the army.” [^3] Those who stood against the call to mercy, the call to tranquility and security, are threatened in the Sura which was revealed first.

Similarly, in the blessed Sura al-Muddaththir, which was also among the first Suras that were revealed to the Holy Prophet (S), emphasis is placed on the elements that run against the daily life of people. “Leave Me and him whom I created alone, and give him vast riches, and sons dwelling in his presence, and I adjusted affairs for him adjustably, and yet he desires that I should add more. By no means! Surely he offers opposition to Our communications.

I will make a distressing punishment overtake him.” [^4] It is pointed out in these Ayahs that there will be resistance against those who are opposed to the Holy Prophet (S), those who are opposed to the collective interests of human communities, those who are opposed to truth. Therefore, there is Jihad in Islam, but this Jihad is a battle against those who are opposed to peace in human life, those who are opposed to justice, and those who are opposed to salvation of human beings.