If you have any specific project of this type...

If you have any specific project of this type, for which you want to use the Sahm-e-lmam (a.s.), you will have to write to Ayatullah al-'uzma al-Khoui (with full details) for his permission, it means you cannot give it to any one without the said permission. Q.56: PHILOSOPHY OF JIHAD You have counted jihad as a branch of religion. How can you justify war as a desirable thing? A.I am glad that you asked this question. Let us look at this matter in a dispassionate way.

Islam does not like to exterminate wrong-doers, it wants to remove the wrong. Evil deeds are like diseases. They need treatment and every doctor wants to cure the ailments with medicines as far as possible. But sometimes the ailment reaches a stage where no medicine can do any good; he feels that surgical operation is necessary if the life of the patient is to be saved. Then he decides, not happily but reluctantly, to ampute one or more limbs of the patient.

It may cause hardest pain for the time being; but it is not torture, it is mercy. Likewise, suppose that this humanity is a compact body; some of its parts become infected with spiritual disease and every medicine of sympathetic persuasion and rational pleading has failed.

And there is a danger that their infection is causing harm to, and inflicting hardships upon, other parts; and the spiritual doctor, I mean the Prophet or Imam who is guided by Allah,is confident that now the surgical operation is essential to save other parts of mankind from trouble. Then, and only then, he will order a Holy-War; and then also it will be limited to that part which is most necessary to remove.

But even if you feel that there is necessity of a surgical operation you will never entrust this most dangerous task to an unauthorized person. It will be a very foolish and irresponsible action. You can never be satisfied that the operation is essential unless a qualified doctor tells you so. Therefore, according to Shi'a-lthna'ashari law, a war cannot be started unless specifically authorized by the Prophet or Imam himself, and that also to the limits prescribed by that Representative of Allah.

After all, life is a creation of God and it should not be destroyed unless it has been authorized to do so by a Representative of God. Accordingly, the Holy-War is forbidden for the Shi'a Ithna-'asheris during the period when our Imam is hidden from us. The Prophet himself never started any war unless it was thrust upon him by the enemies.