Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's views on jihad

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[1.]"It should be known that the word jihad is derived from juhd, and means to strive. It is then metaphorically applied to religious wars.

(Government Angrezi aur Jihad, p. 3)

 

[2.]"As to the means and arrangements to be used, whether for physical warfare or spiritual warfare, whether the battle is by the sword or by the pen, the following verse is sufficient for our guidance: `Make ready for them [the enemy] whatever force you can' [the Quran 8:60]. In this verse God empowers us to employ against the enemy all suitable means, and to use the method which we consider to be the best and most effective."

(Majmu`a Ishtiharat, vol. i, p. 360)

 

[3.]"This time is also one for a kind of jihad. I stay up till as late as 3 o'clock in the morning. Everyone should take part in this, and for the needs of the religion and religious tasks they should make day and night into one."

(Malfuzat, Part IV, p. 196)

 

[4.]"This is an age of spiritual warfare. A battle with the devil is in progress. The devil is assailing the fort of Islam with all his weapons and schemes. He wishes to defeat Islam. But God has established this Movement in order to defeat the devil in his last battle at this time."

(Malfuzat, Part V, p. 25)

 

[5.]"The jihad of this age is exactly to propagate Islam and refute the allegations of the critics [of Islam], to spread the beauties of the true religion, Islam, in the world, and to manifest the truth of the Holy Prophet to the world. This is jihad, until God produces different circumstances in the world."

(Letter by Hazrat Mirza quoted in Ruhani Khaza'in, vol. 17, p. 17)

 

[6.]"Christian missionaries have started a dangerous war against Islam. In the field of battle, they have come out with spears which are pens, not sword and cannon. So the weapon we should enter the field with, is the pen and only the pen. We believe that it is the duty of every Muslim to join this battle."

(Malfuzat, Part I, p. 217)

 

[7.]"In our age the pen has been raised against us. It is with the pen that we have been caused pain and suffering. In response to this, the pen is the thing which is our weapon."

(Malfuzat, Part I, p. 44)

 

HAZRAT MIRZA ON JIHAD WITH THE SWORD

[1.]"It should be known that the Holy Quran does not arbitrarily give the command to fight. It gives the command to fight only against those people who prevent others from believing in God, and stop them from obeying His commandments and worshipping Him. It gives the command to fight against those who attack the Muslims without cause, expel them from their homes and countries, and prevent people from becoming Muslims. These are they with whom God is wroth, and Muslims must fight them if they do not desist."

(Nur al-Haq, vol. i, p. 46)

 

[2.]"In short, Islamic battles fall into only three categories: for self-defence; for punishment, i.e., blood for blood; for establishing freedom, i.e., to break the power of those who kill converts to Islam. Since there is no direction to force a person into the faith by means of coercion and threat of murder, it is utterly vain and pointless to wait for a blood-shedding Mahdi or Messiah, for it is not possible that such a person could come, against the teachings of the Quran, and make people Muslims by the sword.''

(Masih Hindustan Main, pp. 18--19)

 

[3.]"We are commanded that we should make the same kind of preparation to face the unbelievers as they do to confront us. Or that we treat them as they treat us, and as long as they do not raise the sword against us, we do not raise it against them till then."

(Haqiqat al-Mahdi, p. 28)

 

[4.]"In the early days of Islam, defensive wars and physical battles were also necessary because those who preached Islam were answered in those days, not by reasons and arguments, but by the sword. So in reply the sword had per force to be used. But in these times the sword is not used in answer, but the pen and the argument is used to criticise Islam. This is the reason why, in this age, God has pleased that the work of the sword be done by the pen, and the opponents be routed by fighting them with writing. Hence it is not appropriate now for anyone to answer the pen with the sword."

(Malfuzat, Part I, p. 59)