The most ancient and authoritative university in the Islamic world would beg to differ. Cairo’s al-Azhar University has authorised the classic manual of Islamic Jurisprudence, known as the “Umdat al-Salik”. It is unequivocal: “Jihad means to war against non-Muslims, and is etymologically derived from the world mujahada, signifying warfare to establish the religion.”(*)
Not much ambiguity there. Moreover, in the Hadith, the sayings and doings of Muhammad, the use of Jihad almost always refers to warfare in the cause of Islam.
To quote the etymology of “jihad”, as Soliman does, in his attempt to sell its alleged benign meaning, is irrelevant. Consider the word “awful”, which used to mean “full of awe”, but now means the opposite. We go on what the word "jihad" clearly means today to many in the Muslim world.
In any case, shouldn’t Soliman direct the propaganda in his documentary at those Muslims for whom the meaning is clearly warfare in the way of Allah, and not at we non-Muslim infidels, who will simply go on the evidence of our lyin’ eyes?
Yours, etc,
PF, Hong Kong
(*) Umdat al-Salik (“The Reliance of the Traveller”), o9.0. Amana Publications, 1991, p599.
