Allah says in verse 190, Chapter 2 of the Quran: “Fight against those who fight you, but don’t transgress.” For murderers pretending to act in the name of Allah, there is no divine reward promised in the Quran. Still, jihad is purposely mixed with terrorism. And because billions spent to fight terrorism are less than trillions spent to propagate it, security remains a concern.

I find it unfortunate to have seen many illogical articles making headlines after the Paris attacks. More humiliating was the biased support shown by Muslim writers, pointlessly adding Muslims and even Islam in every other crime. And many tried to confuse the Muslim world with ISIS stories, calling Islamic rulings a dossier against basic human rights.  

Recently, men were kept from boarding a flight from Chicago to Philadelphia because they were speaking Arabic. Muslims are being questioned by airport security and police around the world. Ordinary Muslims fear they will be blamed. Innocent Muslims are harassed. Also, veiled women are insulted and Muslim leaders are urged to monitor religious scholars in their respective countries.

It would be unjust if I charge enemies of Islam for current woes of the Muslim world. In my opinion, Muslims kill Muslims.  Muslims themselves are making it easy for their enemies. And because of different interpretations concerning Islam, Muslims are deeply divided. Today, media is the most important weapon. On every sensitive occasion, the international media actively runs anti-Muslim campaigns. Books are written against Islam. And then, Muslims are labeled as terrorists. With an aim to confuse Muslims around the world, misconceptions regarding Islam and its fundamentals are financed on print and digital media.

For your information, the controversial term ‘fundamentalism’ means strict adherence to the basic principles of any subject. My question to you would be: Isn’t it good to be a fundamentalist? I mean, following Islam with all its basic principles should not be questioned. And more importantly, why should Muslims be apologetic? In reality, the false label given by the world’s most powerful economies wasn’t questioned. It was obediently accepted for the sake of dollars and personal preferences.

And the word ‘Jihad’, not only misunderstood by the non-Muslims, is also misunderstood by the Muslims. Even non-Muslims did Jihad, as Allah says in Chapter 31 of the Quran: “But if your parents strive with you to make you worship somebody else of whom you have got no knowledge, don’t obey them but live with them.”

In Islamic context, Jihad means to strive against one’s own evil inclinations. In Chapter 22 of the Quran, Allah says: “And strive hard in Allah’s cause as you ought to strive.”

Similarly, in Chapter 29, Allah says: “And whosoever strives, he strives only for himself.”

According to Sahih Al-Bukhari, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “The best Jihad (for women) is the perfect Hajj.” Similarly, speaking truth against a tyrant ruler was advised. Also, serving the parents was categorized as Jihad.

From the sayings in Quran and the Hadith, it’s evident that Jihad depends upon the situation. In some cases, it is ‘spreading Quran’s message to the non-Muslims’. In others, it is about fighting your own desires.    

In another verse, Allah says in Chapter 9 of Quran, “Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger (PBUH), and fighting in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His Decision (torment).”

From the above verses, it’s clear that Muslims were asked to practice Islam wholeheartedly and not partly. Many critics of Islam quote a verse from Chapter 9 of the Quran, which says: “Then kill the Mushrikin (non-Muslims) wherever you find them.” This verse is actually talking about the battlefield and can be understood by reading the earlier verses.  Of course, your respect and faith is at stake during a war. Therefore, Muslims were advised not to surrender themselves. 

Quran explicitly condemns violence as Allah says in Chapter 5, “If anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.” So, just because some Hindus harmed Muslims in occupied Kashmir, Muslims in Pakistan shouldn’t harm Hindus living in Pakistan. In simple words, killing any innocent human being is not allowed in Islam.

Islam, world’s prominent religion, is the best solution for humanity. The earlier we know the truth, the better for us.