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Unlock This CourseWhy Conflicts and Wars Happen explained that conflict harms homes, health and lives, and that politics, resources, history, culture and religion can all cause it. Muslims agree that conflict damages society. They believe that Allah created people to live together, so Islam gives teachings that answer each of those causes.
Key terms:
Islam does not say that fighting is never allowed. Qur'an 2:190 tells believers to fight in the way of Allah those who fight them, but not to go beyond the limits, because Allah does not love those who go beyond them. Qur'an 22:39 gives permission to fight to those who are being fought, because they have been wronged. Muslims read these verses as being about defence against attack, and as setting limits. Qur'an 8:61 adds that if the enemy inclines to peace, believers must incline to it too. Early Muslim leaders told their armies not to harm women, children, the elderly or worshippers, and not to destroy crops and trees.
Most Muslims say that these verses show how Islam wants war to be a last and limited step. Sunni and Shi'a Muslims both accept the lesser jihad, but they have traditionally differed over who may call it. This is covered further in Just War and Weapons of Mass Destruction: Muslim Views.
Jihad means striving. Every Muslim is asked to strive to do good and to resist wrong, so jihad is first of all a part of everyday life.
The inner struggle to live a good life: to fight against selfishness, anger and temptation, and to obey Allah. Many Muslims call this the greater jihad because it lasts for life and every Muslim faces it. A hadith says that the true mujahid (one who strives) is the person who strives against their own self. It can also mean working hard to care for family, speaking up for what is right, or helping the poor.
Armed struggle in defence, under strict rules. It is called "lesser" not because it is unimportant, but because it is only needed at times of attack, while the inner struggle never ends. The rules come from verses such as Qur'an 2:190: self-defence, limits on the force used, and peace when the enemy asks for it.
Some scholars say that a saying of the Prophet, about returning from battle to the greater jihad, supports this ranking. Other scholars question how reliable that saying is, but most agree that the struggle against one's own faults is central.
The spec uses the Arabic term Harb al-Muqadis, which means "holy war". A holy war is a war fought for a religious reason or in the name of a religion. Many Muslims point out that this is not the same as jihad, for three reasons:
People who are not Muslim often use "jihad" to mean "holy war", but most Muslims reject this. They also say that nobody can make a war holy just by calling it so. Some Muslims and some scholars use the idea of holy war more widely than others, so views differ.
The Qur'an teaches that peace is the aim. Believers must stay within the limits of Qur'an 2:190, and make peace when the enemy asks for it (Qur'an 8:61). Qur'an 5:32 (see Sanctity of Life and Abortion: Islamic Views) says killing one innocent person is like killing all humankind. Muslims use these teachings to say that war must be an exception, not the normal way to solve a problem.
Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism explained what terrorism is. Most Muslims and mainstream Islamic scholars reject it. They say that it:
Terrorism harms Muslims too, and many Muslim leaders and organisations have spoken out against it.
Paper 1 style. Choose one religion and answer for Islam.
(a) Identify three Muslim teachings or terms linked with conflict and war. [3 marks, AO1]
1. Jihad, which means striving (1) 2. The greater jihad, the inner struggle (1) 3. Qur'an 2:190, fight those who fight you but do not go beyond the limits (1)
(b) Choose one religion. Outline two Muslim teachings about war. [4 marks, AO1]
Qur'an 2:190 allows Muslims to fight those who fight them (1) but not to go beyond the limits, so war must be defensive and controlled (1). Qur'an 8:61 says that if the enemy inclines to peace, Muslims should do the same (1), which shows that peace is the aim of war (1).
(c) Choose one religion. Explain why jihad is not the same as holy war in this religion. [6 marks, AO1, AO2]
Muslims believe that jihad means striving in the way of Allah, so it is not simply "holy war". The greater jihad is the inner struggle to live a good life, and a hadith says that the true mujahid strives against their own self. This means that for most Muslims jihad is about everyday effort, such as resisting selfishness and helping others. The lesser jihad is armed struggle in defence under strict rules from Qur'an 2:190 and 22:39, so it is not fighting to force belief, which Qur'an 2:256 forbids. Because armed jihad needs a just reason and has limits, most Muslims say it cannot be called holy war just because someone says so.
(d) "War can never be justified." Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks, AO1, AO2]
For: war kills innocent people and destroys homes; Qur'an 5:32 values every life; Qur'an 8:61 tells Muslims to accept peace; pacifists believe that talking is always better. Against: Qur'an 2:190 and 22:39 allow defence against attack, so most Muslims say fighting can be justified when people have been wronged; failing to defend others may allow greater harm; many non-religious people also accept self-defence. Judge each point and cover the word "never". Possible conclusion: Muslims would say that war is a last resort and must stay within limits, but it is not wrong in every case, so "never" is too strong.
In "Choose one religion" questions on Islam, name the verse or term, such as Qur'an 2:190, and say what it means in your own words. Avoid writing that jihad is "holy war".