Life is all about struggle. Almighty Allah, the Creator of life states explicitly: “Verily, We have created man into (a life of) pain, toil and trial” (al-Balad 4).

This truth is understandable because this earthly life is a test full of trials, the results of which will be seen and enjoyed on the Day of Judgment. This world, therefore, is a prelude to and groundwork for the Hereafter.

The trials must be endured and challenges faced, with whatever fleeting joy and pleasure one can find along the way. Jannah (Paradise) is the abode of peace and happiness. In this world, joy is merely a byproduct.

Inner struggles and external conflicts as a way of life

Only fools are on the lookout for ultimate and everlasting bliss and pleasure in this world. Neither utopia, nor asceticism, nor fatalism is an Islamic way. The Islamic way is to understand the world and life as they are, but exclusively in light of the revealed guidance of the Creator of both man and life, and to face them fearlessly without adding to or subtracting anything from the given worldview.

The ongoing existential struggles can manifest both internally and externally. The experiences of Prophet Adam with Satan and his own self in Jannah, along with the incident where one of Adam's sons killed the other out of jealousy, vanity and falsehood, clearly illustrate the complex nature of these struggles.

It must always be stressed that terrestrial life is a setting for all protagonists: both good and bad, followers of truth and falsehood, and God's servants as well as His renegades. Naturally, then, life is an endless succession of interactions between opposing forces, which translate into interactions between opposing ideas, beliefs, values, systems and behavioral patterns.

These, in turn, morph into either peaceful associations, characterized by understanding, rapport, tolerance and cooperation, or incompatible relations, marked by misunderstandings, bigotry, unacceptance and outright conflicts.

Given the inherent nature of people and the depth of their differences, together with their personal and national interests, it is often conflicting relationships that dominate human affairs. One only needs to look at the history of human society and its civilizational trajectory.

In doing so, it becomes apparent that wars and conflicts, often on unimaginable scales, served as standard grounds and laboratories for shaping human destiny and directing the course of civilization.

That being so, the contents of history books are filled with battles, conquests and subjugations, and the greatest heroes of humanity are warriors, conquerors and wartime leaders. Moreover, significant portions of nations’ wealth and resources, encompassing both material goods and intellectual property, are invested in military capabilities, while ongoing conflicts have continually acted as a stimulus for technological and scientific breakthroughs.

Put differently, misunderstandings, tensions and conflicts are the rule; their antitheses are the exception. As long as uncertainties, anxieties and hostilities dominate our reality, the ideals of lasting peace and prosperity will remain a distant dream and unfulfilled ambition.

Various reasons for conflicts

But what is interesting to know is that the reasons for all the downs and lows of the human historical path – which unfortunately outweigh the ups and highs – are generally so shameful that they sometimes border on the ridiculous.

Normally, people are willing and ready to cause mischief on earth and destroy the well-being, hopes and prospects of others simply to satisfy their personal selfish or national greedy interests. They steal other countries’ resources and enslave their populations, construct dominions and fabricate narratives while trampling on the lives of the innocent and defenseless.

They demonstrate their assumed racial, ideological, cultural and technological superiority, justify their unwillingness to coexist, and refuse to share the blessings of life, independence and freedom with others, simply to show that they can do whatever they want.

In the context of her dealings with Prophet Sulayman, the Queen of Sheba effectively summarized these intentions with her eloquent expression: “Surely the kings, when they enter (conquer) a country, ruin it and make the noblest of its people to be low, and thus they (always) do” (al-Naml 34).

That is why today, man and his so-called civilization have emerged as a killing machine, and much of the planet has become killing fields. So much so that many of us are slowly becoming immune to the horrific news of genocides, mass killings, ethnic cleansing and systematic enslavement, as well as oppression, whether direct and obvious or indirect and subtle.

Consequently, the 20 th and early 21 st centuries, often celebrated as the peak of Western-led civilization with misleading phrases like 'the end of history', 'the end of evolution' and 'the last man', were actually the most violent, bloody and destructive periods for both people and the natural environment.

This brought the entire world, along with the planet itself, to the brink of extinction, likely to be preceded by events of apocalyptic proportions.

Some may argue that such a thing, though utterly bad, is surprising and unforeseen. However, considering who man is as a species and what he is ready to do when divorced from the influence of transcendent faith, integrity and virtue, this should not be viewed as a surprise.

What is going on is simply the quintessence of man being put on display, resulting from man's total rejection of divine authority and the spiritual and moral facets of life, including his own self. This freakish quintessence has consumed the entire being of man, and it is only through this lens that he can perceive things, gain experiences and make judgments. This is certainly a new normal.

To have such confused, ignorant, egotistical and greedy humanity, whose main purpose is pleasure-seeking and triumphing in misunderstandings and conflicts, with the most sophisticated and destructive means at its disposal, expecting different outcomes would be strange. It would be inhuman.

Islam as a pragmatic and human wellbeing-centric religion

Islam as the revelation from the Creator and Sustainer of the world views life in its truest colors. Its pragmatic approach prepares Muslims to cultivate a suitable worldview and develop the resources needed to withstand potential challenges.

One of the mechanisms for doing so is the concept of jihad. Derived from the Arabic words “jahada” and “juhd,” which mean “to strive, to persevere, to overcome by persistence” and “striving, effort, exertion and diligence” respectively, jihad can be defined as both an individual and collective struggle to make every aspect of life conform to the Will of Allah, while promoting what is right and preventing what is wrong.

In other words, jihad means striving to live life as it should be lived, by making the most of life's advantages and blessings and by being ready to face and overcome its many challenges.

Nothing should stand in the way of a Muslim fulfilling his honorable purpose in life. A Muslim is to strive by all legitimate means at all times and under all circumstances to achieve spiritual and moral excellence, removing any obstacles that may hinder this pursuit.

Those obstacles can come from oneself, Satan, hypocrites and nonbelievers. Accordingly, jihad can be spiritual and physical, individual and collective, and obligatory and recommended, depending on the overall conditions and what may be at stake.

Jihad ranges from self-reproach, giving advice, debates, education and spiritual reform to military engagements. None of these should be seen as ends in themselves, though. Rather, they are noble means intended to lead to equally noble ends that benefit all parties involved. Jihad prepares Muslims for all eventualities, enabling them to address all sides of Allah’s creations.

If approached peacefully and constructively, Muslims have a duty to respond in kind, and even more. However, when faced with the ugly and destructive sides of humanity, where their biological, religious and civilizational rights are threatened, it is natural for Muslims to react, but only to the extent necessary to defend against these dangers and in the most humane and ethical ways.

Warfare is the last and least desirable option. However, when it becomes unavoidable, it can also be a praiseworthy and rewarding endeavor. Like any other worthy activity, it must be taken seriously and executed with maximum dedication and courage. Such warfare stands on par with other religious tenets, as the well-being of people and the natural world depends on it. The rewards for it are enormous, in line with the benefits it provides.

For that reason, it is rightly said that Muslims are called to fight only defensive wars, to protect their lives, lands, properties, honor, sovereignty, freedom and religion. Intrinsically, Islam does not view anyone as evil and deserving of conflict. In Islam, evil consists only of injustice, oppression, depravity and falsehood, regardless of where they occur, whether in Muslim or non-Muslim milieus, and by whom, whether Muslims or non-Muslims.

Muslims as neither conquerors nor empire-builders

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was instructed to convey the Islamic message revealed to him to the world, not to conquer and convert it, nor to create worldly kingdoms. Enlightening minds and purifying hearts was the Prophet’s primary focus from the first day and remained so down the line.

The historical and practical truth is that Muslim's main objective was never to conquer others and build empires as a result. There were, of course, many unfortunate episodes in the long and colorful history of Islamic civilization, often led by unqualified individuals, but these were exceptions that cannot invalidate the long-standing rule. The civilizational contributions of Muslims were so rich and diverse that those exceptions pale in comparison to the legacies created by the Muslim mainstream.

Prophet Muhammad was allowed to fight his oppressive enemies only after thirteen years of patient suffering in Makkah and after the migration to Madinah, when his enemies refused to let him and the first Muslims live in peace. Enough was enough. No matter how generous, even patience, restraint and tolerance have their limits. One cannot allow aggressors and bullies to have their way forever. As the proverb goes, you can do whatever you want, but you will not do it as long as you want.

Before the Madinah phase, the Prophet was encouraged to engage in other forms of jihad, such as combating inner negativities, building personalities, developing character and participating in dialogues and debates using the miraculous Qur’an. Allah says: “So do not obey the disbelievers, and strive against them with the Qur'an a great striving” (al-Furqan 52).

Standing up to oppression and injustice rooted in sheer evil is a duty. One owes it to himself, his honorable life purpose and his Creator. What people have always needed are free environments where the truth can be conveyed openly and where individuals can choose to accept or reject it. This implies they can take responsibility for their thoughts, actions and their consequences, and be in control of their own destinies.

It was essential for people to be liberated from various forms of falsehood, with polytheism being just one example. This liberation would set them on the path to self-affirmation and self-fulfillment. They also needed the resulting freedom as a lifestyle, allowing them to make their choices freely and to live and die honorably by them. Finally, people were in need of a new sense of direction towards serving the Creator alone, instead of serving the idols of the mind, animalism and matter.

Jihad as the protector of dignity, self-esteem and liberty

That is what jihad, in all its dimensions, guarantees. People are assured dignity, self-esteem and liberty: physical, intellectual and spiritual. Jihad confronts and suppresses the degenerate aspects of humanity, while recognizing and elevating its heavenly qualities.

Jihad is synonymous with a dynamically righteous and holistically beneficial standard of living where nothing is overlooked. In a way, it can be said that jihad is life, and life, in turn, is jihad. Jihad entails a continuous commitment to making sacrifices in pursuit of truth.

We are reminded that jihad ought to be performed with our wealth and lives, that is, with everything we possess, according to the requirements and the type of jihad. If whatever we have is given to us by Allah, the Creator and Master, to whom everything in the heavens and on the earth belongs, then, whenever needed, those possessions are to be sacrificed for Him and His divine causes.

Our lives and properties are the best representations of who we are, and jihad is the potential with which we demonstrate who we want to be and what we want to achieve. Exclusively ours is free will, which should not be enslaved by the constraints of life and matter. Rather, it must rise above them and connect with higher levels of meaning, order and experience, where only the authorization of jihad is acknowledged.

That the Qur’an, while dwelling on the theme of jihad, always places wealth before lives indicates the progressive nature and different types, as well as degrees, of jihad. In any case, the scope of jihad is wide and its hierarchy complex, allowing room for everyone to participate and prove themselves. Not being part of the vastness of the jihad universe is truly a serious spiritual failing.

It is against this background that it is often said that Islam is the religion of peace, meaning the protection of genuine and constructive peace where it already exists, and the effort to establish and strengthen peace where it does not.

That Islam is the religion of peace denotes affirmative action, responsibility and valor, instead of pessimism, defeatism and acquiescence, allowing imperialist predators to operate without restraint, exploiting Muslims and their counties as they see fit. Certainly, the best description of Islam is that it is the religion of peace, freedom and justice, which must be seen rather than just preached.

Why is jihad controversial?

The undeniable fact today is that jihad is a controversial subject. Few people truly dare to talk or write about it objectively, treating it as a fundamental Islamic principle and a key aspect of Islamic scholarship. To make matters worse, there is an abundance of misinformation and misunderstandings surrounding the topic. Both Muslims and non-Muslims, especially Westerners, are largely to blame.

From the moment the West perceived Islam and Islamdom as the main enemy and greatest threat to its homogenous ambitions, jihad, as a key principle of Islam and both a concept and a tangible reality, was targeted the most. The reason was simple: jihad signified the essence of Islamic civilization and the strength of the Muslim material and immaterial being.

It was the most potent asset and formidable weapon Muslims had in their arsenal. Those who ever wanted to do injustice and inflict harm on Muslims knew that firsthand, including the political entities and societies that later came to be known as the West.

It was not long before the jihad institution became a target from all sides under the umbrella of attacks against Islam and Muslims. Almost any malicious attempt against Muslims eventually related to jihad. Soon, these attacks began to form the core of the growing Islamophobia as an idea, trend and set of policies.

The goal was clear-cut: to incapacitate, weaken and confuse Muslims by replacing jihad with a range of dysfunctional alternatives, making it easier to colonize, exploit and control them.

One needs not go further than the writings and statements of the fathers of Islamophobia, such as John of Damascus (d. 749), Pope Urban II (d. 1099), Robert of Ketton (d. 1157), Thomas Aquinas (d. 1274), Riccoldo da Monte di Croce (d. 1320) and Martin Luther (d.1546).

Their works are filled with baseless accusations rooted in bigotry and ignorance, claiming that Islam is a religion of violence spread by the sword. They portray Muslims as barbaric hordes that spread from the Arabian Peninsula to conquer and plunder the world.

They suggest that Muslims are aggressively subduing and killing non-Muslims, lured by promises of free and endless pleasures in both worlds. They also assert that Prophet Muhammad was sent with the sword as the instrument of faith, demanding death for those who refuse to accept or obey his laws.

All this was framed and presented to the masses within the outline of the jihad precept. Jihad, it follows, was portrayed as an embodiment of all prejudice, hatred and misconceptions in connection with Islam and Muslims. Jihad likewise became synonymous with the inappropriate actions some nominal Muslims tended to take in the name of Islam, which might have affected some non-Muslims as well.

Ultimately, jihad emerged as the root of all phobias. People became paranoid about it to the point that, under the impact of unbridled Islamophobia, its misuse became fashionable among almost everyone and in every context, all trying to jump on the bandwagon. In many parts of the West, constantly assailing the concept of jihad has become a symbol of self-fulfillment and a representation of assurances of public safety and national security.

Targeting jihad was part of anti-Islam and anti-Muslim campaigns

Hence, once Muslims—partly due to the dynamics of the relentless rise and fall of civilizations and partly because of their abandonment of Islam, which led to the adoption of foreign life paradigms—became weak and vulnerable, they became targets for Western vultures.

They were colonized, divided and plotted against from both inside and outside, ensuring that their religious and socio-political influence would never return to the global platform. Their laws, political structures, educational systems, religious and social institutions, cultural norms and military prowess were all subjected to scrutiny as a result.

Needless to say, since jihad embodies the essence of everything Islamic and is also the greatest source of Muslim strength and energy, it was the primary focus of attention. It was removed from the educational curricula, from the minbars, from media, from Muslim mainstream culture and generally from the Muslim consciousness. It was then gradually supplanted by bogus alternatives related to nationalism, ethnocentrism, nepotism, tribalism and monarchism.

As a consequence, the Muslim world has been flooded with Western institutions, systems, traditions and values to support novel vogues.

Muslim urban centers have become major hubs and consumers of Western pop culture. Additionally, Muslim educational systems have been dominated by subjects that are not only inconsequential but also flawed and unnecessary, such as philosophy, pseudo or theosophical Sufism, jurisprudential ritualism, theoretical abstraction, scientism and the glorification of Western history, culture, identity and civilization.

These were intended to baffle, especially young Muslims, and to divert their minds and souls from what was truly theirs and most needed: jihad, shari’ah, and the Qur’an and Sunnah as the sources of all wisdom and Islamic identity. Sufficient efforts were made to ensure that alongside the physical colonization of Muslim lands, the colonization of the mind—and even the soul—was also happening irreversibly.

The impact of the absence of jihad today

The current events serve as evidence of how significant the absence of jihad is and how much its inherent benefits are needed to restore religious and civil order in Muslim lands. For example, if jihad were active among Muslims, their incompetent and corrupt governments would not be able to commit various crimes and escape accountability.

Also, Muslims would be united and would not fight or harm each other for trivial geopolitical and nationalistic (tribal) interests. Instead, their focus would be on their common enemies, who, for at least the past century and a half, have consistently conspired against, undermined and destroyed the Muslim world.

Finally, the Palestinian tragedy, currently culminating in the Gaza genocide, would be addressed differently, in a manner consistent with the principled mission of Islam and the dignified status of Muslims.

The Prophet was able to foresee these unfortunate circumstances. He thus warned Muslims: “The people will soon summon one another to attack you as people when eating invite others to share their dish.” Someone asked: “Will that be because of our small numbers at that time?”

He replied: “No, you will be numerous at that time: but you will be scum and rubbish like that carried down by a torrent, and Allah will take fear of you from the breasts of your enemy and cast enervation (wahn) into your hearts.” Someone asked: “What is wahn (enervation), Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “Love of the world and dislike of death.”

Undeniably, people (nations) summoning one another to attack Muslims, Muslims being numerous but useless, and being overwhelmed by the love of this world and a dislike of death, could only mean colonialism, the death of the caliphate, Muslim disunity, materialism and, most importantly, the nonexistence of the jihad spirit to act as the antidote for Muslim deficiencies and a catalyst for their worldly and otherworldly ambitions.

This means that every Muslim revivalist effort, whether in religion, education, intellectualism, politics, economy, social contract, or defense, should begin with the revival of jihad. Without jihad, the result will be a cycle of partial successes and outright failures. Muslims cannot keep doing the same things repeatedly and expect different results.