Christian Peace vs. Jihad

It was Ambrose Bierce who once wrote, “war is God’s means of teaching Americans geography.” To that we might add the lessons it has taught us about history. How many of us would even now about Iraq, the Crusades, Moorish Spain, Armenia, Lebanon, Afghanistan, etc. if it had not been for Muslim wars? The warlike and aggressive jihad has introduced names like Khomeini, Saddam, Ghaddafi, Idi Amin, etc. into of daily conversations.

Many of the tragic events that have flooded the news over the past few decades are a result of the Jihad, the “sixth pillar of Islam.” The hostages taken in the Iranian revolution of Ayatollah Khomeini, the assassination of Egypt’s President Anwar Sadat, the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein and the resulting Gulf War, the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993, the attack on the USS Kole, the bombing of the barracks in Beirut, the destruction of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on 9/11, two million Sudanese Christians murdered in twenty years by the Muslim Janjaweed militia. The on-going conflict with Israel and the Arab states. The burning of over a hundred church buildings in Nigeria by Muslim rioters in 1987. The list goes on and on. Why do so many Muslims practice this form of violent “jihad?” After all, “one man’s terrorist is another’s man’s freedom fighter” (Zacharias 25).

Definition of “Jihad”

The term jihad comes from the Arabic word “to struggle” or “to strive in the path of Allah” or “to try one’s utmost.” Not all believe this struggle involves violence. In a brochure, Islam at a Glance, distributed in July 1985, in Birmingham, England, it is admitted, “to struggle in the path of Allah with the pen, speech, and the sword is Jihad.” Others claim, “Jihad is the use of all our energies and resources to establish the Islamic system of life, in order to gain Allah’s favour” (Sarwar 81).

Is Islam A Religion of Peace?

Islam does not mean “peace.” “Peace” in Arabic is salaam. However, their view of peace and the western view are very distinct for each other. Islam believes “The peace of the world cannot be secured until the people come under the rule and protection of Islam” (Braswell 87). This concept of peace could even require the violent removal of all those who are enemies of Islam.

The Qur’an contains 64 specific calls to fight. For example…

▸ surah 2:216 – Warfare is ordained for you, though it is hateful unto you; but it may happen that ye hate the thing which is good for you, and it may happen that ye love a thing which is bad for you. Allah knoweth, ye know not.

▸ surah 9:5: “When the sacred months are past, kill those who join other gods wherever you find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them with every kind of ambush; but if they convert and observe prayer and pay the obligatory alms, let them go their way.”

It may be true that the actions of most Muslims are peaceful. About 600-700 million Muslims do not practice this type of jihad. Most of them are unaware of the violent teachings of the Qur’an against pagans, Jews, and Christians. Others have a watered-down history of Islam’s violent past. However, this does not change the fact that Islam is not inherently a religion of peace.

If Muslims really want to prove their claim to be a religion of peace than why not release all those non-criminal, non-Muslims from their prisons? Why not stop the wars and persecution against non-Muslims?

Christian Approach to Struggle

As Christians we too are engaged in a struggle against the unbelieving powers of darkness. Yet in our struggle with others who reject Christ, we live in peace (Romans 12:18). Jesus taught His disciples to turn the other check (Matt. 5:39), not to take up a sword. The one time a disciple used a sword in a vain effort to defend Him, Jesus rebuked the disciple saying, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matt. 26:52).

Why did Christ reject the use of carnal weapons to advance His kingdom? As He told Pilate, His is a spiritual kingdom. “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence” (John 18:36). Christians are in a battle between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. A spiritual warfare calls for spiritual weapons.

• 2 Cor. 10:3-5 – For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
• Eph. 2:12 – that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
• Eph. 6:18 – praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints
• Lk. 11:21-22 – “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.
• Heb. 4:12 – For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Notice it is the Word of God which can pierce all the way to the very depths of man’s heart or soul. No man-made sword can change the spiritual heart or even reach it.

After 9/11 some Muslims were harassed and threatened in the United States. This is not the will of God. We are not to retaliate by returning evil for evil. Christ “who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Peter 2:22-23).

Instead, we do good to them. Paul wrote, “repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:17-21).

The best strategy is for Christians to love Muslims, reach out to them, develop quality relationships with them. Jesus said, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12).

At the Arts Museum Malaysia in Jalan Lembah Perdana is displayed the sword of Muhammad for all to come and see. Pilgrimages bring millions to see his tomb in Medina. Yet Jesus came and died and left us no tomb to visit or weapons to admire. His only memorial is the weekly observance of the communion meal which represents the giving of His life. The Prince of Peace took no one’s life, instead He came to give eternal life to all.

– Daniel R. Vess