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AVOIDING HOLY WAR:
The war on terrorism will undoubtedly fail if it is perceived as a war on Islam and generates a call for Muslim solidarity in a holy war against the United States and the other powers combating terrorism. Understanding how to avoid that perception first requires some familiarity with the concept of jihad. Strictly speaking, translating jihad as "holy war" is incorrect.
FOCUS
In this issue of the National Security Report we continue to analyze the complexities and challenges facing us from the war on terrorism. Making a distinction between Muslim extremists and those who live by the precepts of Islam was stated by President Bush as an important element of the war on terrorism. In the first article, Dr. Sami Hajjar, director of Middle East Studies at the Army War College, describes the behavior of peace-loving Muslims and urges the United States to ensure that our efforts are not perceived as a war against Islam. While fully engaged in complex anti-terrororism actions, the Army must not lose sight of continuing requirements for peace keeping operations and the on-going mandate for transformation, argues Dr. Conrad Crane, research professor of Military Strategy at the U.S. Army War College. Finally, a doctoral candidate and former Marine Corps captain, James Bralski, provides a thorough analysis of the reasons for our deployment to the Philippines, including an historic perspective.
-Colonel O'Shea, editor
The National Security Report is available online in the members section of the ROA Web site at www.roa.org.
"Harb mukaddasah" is the Arabic phrase for holy war. The Arabic word jihad means striving or exertion. In an Islamic context, it would mean striving in the way of God: perpetually struggling for the triumph of the word of God among men, doing good deeds and performing the prescribed duties of the faith. A Muslim strives in the way of God with his sword, tongue and wealth, thus giving the concept of jihad a multifaceted nature that applies to the individual believer and the community.
One meaning of jihad is the duty of preaching the faith, because Islam is a proselytizing religion: "And let there be from you a nation who invite to goodness, and enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency" (Qur'an 3:104). This meaning...