Monday, December 10, 2007

Bias of Jihad
Al Quran mentions these following two terms: jihad and qital. The word “jihad” in its various derivations is mentioned 41 times in 19 verses. Some of them were revealed in Mecca, while the others in Madinah. In the perspective of lughawi (language) jihad means “fighting against enemies”, dedicating all abilities and powers in forms of words, actions, and everything that one able to dedicate. Meanwhile, the word “qital” clearly denotes war and it also contains the meaning of killing enemies (qatala). On the contrary, the word ‘jihad” may mean war against enemies, but also may mean working hard not in the context of war. From the word “jihad” a sentence on jihad arise, “working hard intellectually and mujahadah an nafs, working hard spiritually”.

Concept of Jihad in Al Quran
From those 41 verses mentioning the word “jihad”, 28 of them mention jihad in the meaning of struggle, for example, command to jihad by using Al Quran against kafirin (unbelievers), fala tuthi` al kafirin waja hidhum bihi jihadan kabira (Q: al Furqan:52), doing jihad and be patient after hijrah, tsumma ja hadu wa sabaru, (an Nahl:110), benefits of jihad, wa man ja hada fa innama yujahidu linafsihi, (al `Ankabut:6) jihad with properties and souls ( wal mujahidun fi sabilillah bi amwalihim wa anfusihim (an Nisa :95) and so on. Meanwhile, the verse firstly allowing jihad in the context of war uses the word “qital”, stating that Muslims fought against by enemies may defence themselves through physical war, uzina lillazina yuqataluna bi annahum zulimu, (al Hajj:39), and these verse refers to the first battle, the battle of Badr.

Meanwhile, in hadith jihad doesn’t only refer to war, but also hajj. The commands to jihad are intended for individuals (mukhatab mufrad) but majorities of them are intended for groups (mukhatab jamak). Some commands to do jihad mentions the objects, kafirin and munafiqin (hyprocretes) like those mentioned in At-Tahrim 9, jahid al kuffar wa al munafiqin. Rule of interpretation determines that if a transitive verb mentioned in a verse without mentioning the object, the object of the verse is of general nature. Therefore, objects of the jihad are not only unbelievers and hypocrites, but everything included in the meaning of fisabillah (fighting in way of Allah), for example giving foods to the poor, releasing slaves (al Balad; 13-16). Hence, jihad doesn’t have to use swords, but may also pens or words.
Jihad and Die as Syahid

Al Quran often mentions die as syahid in connection with jihad as something highly honorable. It is mentioned that those who killed in Allah's way are not dead, they are even alive in a better life (al `Imran: 169). That’s why mujahiddin (jihad doers) enthusiastically try to achieve syahadah (die in way of Allah), since syahadah is an achievement and more beneficial. The jargon regarding syahadah is “live respectfully or die as syahid (Islamic martyrs)”.

Jihad and Dakwah
Basically dakwah is freeing man from the chains of unbelief, hypocrisy, slavery, polytheism, and other wrongdoings or deviations. In essence, dakwah is socialisation of the role of Islam plays as the religion of blessing for the universe. Al Quran should be preached to mankind. In submitting dakwah, we often meet obstacles, therefore jihad as part of dakwah are required for:

1. Fighting crimes
2. Protecting the society from enemies’ disturbances
3. Denying slanders
4. Safeguarding continuation of dakwah

Jihad in forms 1, 2, and 3 are defensive, meanwhile form 4 may be offensive. The aim of jihad among others to make sentences of Allah in victory, kalimatullah hiya al ‘ulya (at taubah: 40). In the period Makkah, Al Quran in general commands Muslims to be patient and do jihad through Al Quran (dakwah), but in the period of Madinah, Al Quran allows wars to defend Muslims from attacks of enemies, accompanied by message not to exceed the limits (4: 190).

The best way of doing Jihad for protecting the poor or denying slander is by using physical power (biyadih), if we can’t do that, then do jihad with our words, protests, and demonstrations. If we still can’t do that, just do jihad with our heart, feeling sad and praying for the suppressed, and that’s the weakest faith. In relations with global world order at present, a question arises: what kind of jihad is the most effective in fighting against the superpower USA?

Social phenomena of Jihad
We know about Jihad Command (in the period of Soeharto). Laskar Jihad (Soldiers of Jihad) in Ambon and Posi conflicts, Jihad of Islam in Palestine and many others, and the term of “Jihad” may also be related to the group led by Amrozi and Imam Samudera. We, however, are often misguided by external phenomena, so that jihad as a psychomotoric term in religious affairs is misunderstood when observing social realities not comprehensively. The movement of Jihad Command in the era of Soeharto was actually a political project of a intelligent institution (Bakin) since in strengthening the ideology of Pancasila, ideological enemies should be created and then some figures are prepared who can be encouraged to form what seemingly an Islam ideological movement, the Jihad Command.

In practice, later Bakin couldn’t completely control the movement so that it really widespread as a destructive ideological force using the name of Islam. It is rumoured that Hambali, who is at present accused as the intellectual actor of Bali Bomb, was a figure recruited by Bakin, so were Danu Muhamad Hasan and Hispran, who had an office at Jl. Senapati, and lived in Tanah Abang (Ali Murtopo’s “headquarter”). Meanwhile, Soldiers of Jihad, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the movement of Imam Samudra and his friends are impacts of globalisation in which Islamic community as a whole has been treated unfairly by USA (perceived as a part of the Christians), as in Afghanistan, Moro, Iraq, and Palestine. Much of the leaders of the Soldiers of Jihad are veterans of Mujahidin, Afghanistan, and Moro conflicts, and they regard crimes committed by small groups of certain Christians in Ambon and Poso as parts of global conflicts also happening in Palestine, Afghanistan, and South Philippines. Since in the global era enemies don’t fight against each other frontally but they clearly compete with each other, then it is not easy to identify enemies, since often movement using jihad as part of their names are actually supported by intelligent deceivers who regard Islam as an enemy.

The case of Mataharitimoer
The author of underground stories whose book is on your hand now, whose alias is Mataharitimoer tells us through this book how he had expressed himself in the avenues to the truth which are believed to be under the ridla (a kind of sincerity) of God, how he unconsciously had gone far passing avenues of struggles some of which sometimes indeed were felt as bright and correct paths, but other avenues were felt as dark or even as dead-end. It seems that after he had arrived at the end of the avenues, he finally found what he believed as the true path of the truth, encouraging him to write out his experiences in passing the avenues to the truth as guidance for the next generation. I am gladly writing this preface since the avenues were similar to those I’ve known. As long as 10 years in the New Order period, I secretly embraced a hard-line aspiration. My obsession was also on jihad and for some times I participated in some underground discussions. However, my experience of living together in a barrack for about three months with Afghan Mujahiddin, my getting acquaintance with Afghanistan President Sibghatullah Mujaddidi, Chechnya President General Ashlan Mashadov, Nur Misuari MNLF Moro, Luis Farachan for USA dan my visits to Libya, Sudan and Egypt, changed my perspectives on politics, religion, and jihad so that now I become highly moderate in perceiving conflicts and believe that Islam is a blessing for the universe (rahmatan lil`alamin). As a citizen, now I put more emphasis on the ship of Republic of Indonesia than on the room of Islamic community, since if the ship is drowned, the room would be drowned too. Wallahu a`lam bi as sawab.