Islam
Islam is one of the world’s largest religion and is practiced by millions of people of different nationalities and cultures. Islam is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion, which means that all Muslims believe that Allah is the only God. The word Islam means peace, which is achieved when a Muslim surrenders to the will of God.uslims believe that living by the words of Allah brings faith, virtue, goodness, compassion, honesty, patience, and responsibility.
The Quran is the sacred book of Islam, which is believed to contain the words of Allah. Muslims believe that Mohammed is the last Prophet of Allah, who conveyed the words of God to the people. All Prophets are believed to have existed, starting from Adam and Noah and including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus Christ. Mohammed’s teachings and life example are further documented in Sunnah and Hadith.
The world’s Muslims believe in and practice several fundamental acts of worship and faith, known as the Five Pillars of Islam. They include Shahada (The Declaration of Faith), Salah (Daily prayers), Zakat (Charity), Sawm (Fasting during Ramadan), and Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makkah). Salah is performed five times a day, whereas Hajj is performed at least once in a lifetime by every Muslim adult male capable of undertaking the journey and affording it. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk as a sign of piety and self-discipline.
Modern-day Muslims live in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, North America, and the rest of the world. The Abrahamic faith comprises people of different cultures, languages, and traditions, which are reflected in the variety of Islamic practices. Statistics state that more than 2 billion people practice Islam, making it one of the world’s largest religion. For the followers, Islam is a comprehensive way of life, which guides them concerning relationships with Allah and other people. Notably, the virtue and morals of Islam require faith, compassion, honesty, justice, and selflessness.
Core Beliefs: The Five Pillars of Islam
The basics of the Muslims religion are the Five Pillars that describe fundamental practices for Muslims:
- Shahada: The declaration that there is no god but Allah which means no other deity is allowed beside God.
- Salah: Daily prayers facing Mecca that are performed five times a day.
- Zakat: A charitable contribution based on one’s income and wealth.
- Sawm: Refraining from food and other things from dawn to sunset during holy month of Ramadan.
- Haj: A Pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca that is performed at least once by every able Muslim during his lifetime.
Sacred Text and Guidance
The Quran that is believed to be the exact word of God revealed to Prophet Muhammad who spread Islam around the world.
- The Hadith & Sunnah: The sayings and actions of the Prophet that are used for guidance and constitute the basis of Sharia (Islamic law).
What is Jihad?
Jihad is an Arabic word that translates as “striving” or “exerting oneself.” This word has been incorrectly and inadequately interpreted in the Western press and media as “holy war.” However, the concept of Jihad extends beyond the religious belief of Islam. It signifies the efforts of each Muslim to improve a particular condition, attitude, or situation according to God’s will. It can either be a personal or public struggle. There are two main categories of Jihad: the Inner Jihad and the Outer Jihad.
The Greater Jihad is also known as the Inner Jihad. As per the traditional teachings, this is a private struggle of a Muslim against his own flesh and self to satisfy God. Individuals engage in this type of Jihad through self-discipline and striving. Examples of how a Muslim can practice Inner Jihad are:
- Striving against anger and trying to be patient.
- Striving to pray in the morning and fasting during Ramadan.
- Striving against lying, selfishness, materialism, and greed.
The Lesser Jihad is also known as the Outer Jihad. It is a public struggle of Muslims against anti-Islamic forces. The concept of the Outer Jihad also includes the Jihad of the tongue and pen, which is striving against oppression, prejudice, ignorance, and injustice. In addition, the Jihad of the sword is a physical fight.
The Rules of Engagement state the rules governing combat in Islam. The rules apply mainly to the Jihad of the sword. Some of the regulations include:
- Fighting should be done in self-defence. The Quran does not permit Muslims to fight for territorial gains or expansion of Islam. The Qur'anic verse states that there is no compulsion in religion (2:256).
- Killing innocent people, civilians, children, women, monks, and animals is not allowed.
- Destroying trees and buildings is not permissible.
- The Quran encourages the Muslims to seek peace when the enemy seeks them (8:61).
Today, Jihad has been misinterpreted and misused by radical terrorist groups to advance their political and ideological agenda. These groups use the symbol of Jihad to promote violence in the name of Allah against governments and countries that do not support them. The concept of Jihad has been severely criticised in the modern era by local clerics such as Egypt’s Dar Al-Ifta. They argue that the interpretation of Jihad is an innovation meant to undermine Islam and its teachings.
Is Jihad Mean Terrorist or Criminal Activity or Anti-National Activity?
In the framework of theological, structural, and legal theories, true Jihad does not imply terrorism, criminal activity, or any other anti-national behaviour. Nevertheless, the concept has been distorted in modern society.
It is vital to distinguish between the initial doctrine and the further political and violently motivated usage of the word Jihad.
Theological Islam versus Terrorism and Crime
In terms of classical Islamic law (Sharia), both terrorism and crimes in general are categorised under one of the concepts – Hirabah (unlawful violence and banditry).
A comparison of the definitions reveals several essential differences that distinguish the two phenomena.
| Attribute | Jihad | Terrorism / Criminal Activity (No Link with Islam) |
|---|---|---|
| Authority | Can only be declared by a legitimate state ruler or government. | Undertaken by fringe, non-state actors or hidden networks. |
| Targets | Strictly limited to active combatants in self-defence. | Indiscriminately targets civilians, women, and children. |
| Target Infrastructure | Forbids destroying homes, Killing, burning crops, or harming animals. | Relies on destroying infrastructure, bombings, and economic sabotage. |
| Ultimate Objective | To restore peace, justice, and security to a community. | To spread fear, chaos, and execute political agendas. |
Is it an "Anti-National" Activity?
By definition, true Islamic jurisprudence views defensive military actions as a means to protect one's homeland, family, and country from external tyranny or aggression. Mainstream Islamic authorities note that legitimate defence aligns with modern constitutional rights to national sovereignty.
Acts that undermine a citizen's own country—such as treason, sabotage, or executing random violence against fellow citizens—fall under criminal subversion (Hirabah) rather than any sanctioned religious struggle.
Why the Confusion Exists: The Rise of "Jihadism"
The association of the term with terrorism is due to the appearance of transnational extremist groups (such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS).
- Ideological Hijacking: Such organisations use sacred terms to give themselves a divine flavour to carry out purely geopolitical, radical, and criminal activities.
- Academic Differentiation: To differentiate between the popular and correct faith and such terrorists, the experts appointed by the global Islamic security organisations (such as the Egyptian Dar Al-Ifta) specially use the term Jihadism or Jihadist terrorism.
Mainstream Islamic bodies, like the Egyptian Dar Al-Ifta, continuously declare that what these terrorists are doing is anathema to the true Jihad and Jihadist militants are violent criminals who commit global terrorist attacks.
Assessing the Claims Around Forced Conversions and Communal Tensions in Modern India
The current situation surrounding the Hindu-Muslim conflict in the political and social sphere in India is complicated and strained. There is no official stance, but there are various opinions expressed by different social and political groups.
As for your questions, they are, in fact, rather controversial topics, and here is the information I have collected:
Is there an organised Jihad to forcibly convert Hindus?
There is no official information about an organised campaign to forcibly convert Hindus from the Home Ministry. Right-wing Hindu groups promote the term “Love Jihad”, which implies that Muslim men try to lure Hindu girls into marriage with the intent to convert them to Islam.
There is no information confirming organised and systematic forced conversion schemes. However, several northern states have adopted anti-conversion laws determining conversion through deception, threat, or inducement as an offense.
There may also be isolated cases of abuse or fraud where the conversion of Hindus to Islam occurs. Still, they are not enough to determine the emergence of a widespread social threat in the relevant states.
Are Indians’ Hindus going to become a minority?
There is a concern that they will because of forced conversion and a higher birth rate among Muslims. However, this assumption has no basis in reality.
According to the data from the most recent census, Hindus comprise 79.8% of the population, while Muslims amount to 14.2%. Therefore, there is nothing to suggest that the two groups are approaching demographic equality.
The fertility rates among Hindus and Muslims are both decreasing due to rising levels of education and economic development. This trend is common to all religions in India, and the birth rates are projected to decline in all groups in the near future. Since the number of Hindus is many times higher than that of Muslims, the latter can hardly surpass the former in population size.
Is there any current friction between the two groups fueling the escalation of tensions?
There is tension both in society and in the political sphere because there are several strong arguments on both sides. Right-wing Hindus argue that Muslims seek to convert Hindus to Islam, threatening their cultural and social heritage. They believe that it is necessary to adopt laws banning forced conversion to protect women, who may fall victim to “forced propaganda”. Right-wing Muslims, as well as the opposition, argue that the “Jihad” myth is being created in order to stoke Hindu fears and suppress Indian Muslims’ rights to practice their religion openly. In addition, the friction between the two groups has also been artificially inflated by the anti-conversion laws.
Thus, there are no grounds to claim that Hindus in India are being systematically forced to convert to Islam. There are isolated incidents, which are being dealt with by local law enforcement. However, they are not enough to describe an organised campaign attempting to undermine the social fabric of the country.