American International Journal of Social Science

The Concept of Jihad in Islamic Philosophy
Abdul-Raheem, Bashir

Abstract
In any given society, there is always need for revolution especially when deviation is noticed in every aspect of human life. However, revolution is not easy to come by because man by nature is antagonist of changes. Therefore, in the process of ensuring that revolution take place, physical confrontation or bloody combat, in most cases, becomes unavoidable because revolution is usually resisted by its antagonists. It must be emphasized that among the messages that Islam wants to deliver to the entire world is the establishment of peace in the place of crisis, relief in the place of oppression, equality in the place of social class, pleasant in the place of evil. Meanwhile, Jihad in its different connotations is capable of achieving these objectives. In the process of realizing these objectives there is need for protection and the protection cannot come by without power. This explains the concept of jihad in Islamic philosophy. Jihad means defending Muslim community against any form of oppression or external aggression, wagging war against one’s soul from being corrupted, standing for the truth infront of a tyrant ruler, striving in the course of peaceful propagation of Islam. Anything outside this cannot be regarded as Jihad. Based on this, this paper will attempt to shed light on the origin and causes of Jihad in Islam, Islamic law of jihad, the effects of modern jihad theory in the Muslim world, the critique of modern jihad theory with objective of establishing its viability within the precepts of Islam, relevance of physical in 21st century and misconception about Jihad which has created jihadphobia in the mind of non-Muslims.

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