UK Muslim women declare jihad on violence
UK Muslim women declare jihad on violence Print
Friday, 10 June 2011 19:23
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

 

In an effort to clear misconceptions about the term of jihad, a group of British Muslim women have initiated a new campaign to fight against all types of violence, terrorism and domestic abuse.

 

Originally published by On Islam

 

 

"People think 'jihad against violence' is a contradictory statement but our jihad is for peace," Sara Khan, the director of Inspire campaign, told The Guardian on Monday, June 6.

 

Themed "Jihad against Violence", the campaign, launched on Sunday, aims to fight all forms of violence.

 

It focuses on combating crimes, including terrorism, domestic abuse and female genital mutilation that some perpetrators attempt to justify in the name of Islam.

 

Emphasizing the high esteem women hold in Islam, the new campaign calls on ending women abuse and urges men to restore the true virtues Islam calls for.

 

"Islam has become synonymous with all things violent and the repression of women,” Khan said.

 

“We thought we couldn't sit back and stay silent while our religion is being used to carry out acts of violence.”

 

Inspire is a partner in the ‘Jihad Against Violence’ campaign, produced by Global Muslim Women's Shura Council; a program of the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

 

Seeking to empower British Muslim women, Inspire was established in 2009 to correct what they call “cultural crimes” committed against women.

 

No Terrorism

 

The campaigners say that their initiative aims to restore the term 'Jihad' long hijacked by terrorists.

 

“We are appalled by the distortion of Jihad into terrorism by various extremist groups around the world,” the group said on its website.

 

“We urge Muslim communities and leaders not to remain silent whilst extremists hijack the sacred Islamic scriptures to justify their acts of evil against humanity, but to actively reclaim scripture as a force for goodness and justice in the world.”

 

Muslim scholars have repeatedly affirmed that the word Jihad, which is mentioned in the Noble Qur'an, means "struggle" to do good and to remove injustice, oppression and evil from society.

 

The widespread use of the word Jihad as merely meaning holy war began since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

 

Karen Armstrong, the prominent and prolific British writer on all three monotheistic religions, has criticized stereotyping the Arabic word "jihad" as merely meaning holy war.

 

Pope Benedict XVI has provoked international criticism for questioning the Islamic concept of Jihad and quoting a Byzantine emperor who said that Islam had spread by the sword.

 

Britain is home to a sizable Muslim minority of nearly 2 million who have taken full brunt of anti-terror laws since the 7/7 attacks.

 

They have repeatedly complained of maltreatment by police for no apparent reason other than being Muslim.

 

A Financial Times opinion poll has showed recently that Britain is the most suspicious nation about Muslims.

Last Updated on Friday, 10 June 2011 19:36