New Delhi

Extremists and terrorists have misinterpreted Islamic teachings and used them for wrong purposes. Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia Professor Mohammad Shakeel, said while addressing a seminar.  Dr. Zeeshan Ahmed Misbahi's book Tafheem e Jihad  (Understanding Jihad) was also released on this occasion.

The book is published by the Khusro Foundation of New Delhi.

Professor Mohammad Shakeel, Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia University said that many misconceptions regarding Islamic teachings need to be removed and Khusro Foundation is engaged in that mission.

While appreciating the Khusro Foundation for publishing many books on the topic in a short period of its existence, he said that the university is always ready to cooperate in such efforts. He said 'Tafheem-e-Jihad' is an attempt to remove the misconceptions about Jihad that are spreading fast.

Addressing the seminar, Dr. Iqtar Muhammad Khan of the Islamic Studies Department said that Jamia Millia Islamia was established in the name of national unity and secularism. Its purpose was to create unity in the country and establish harmony among Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and all the classes living in the country.

He said in every country some problems arise temporarily; some political parties try to vitiate the environment for votes and power, but the people should not be disappointed. "After every night comes the dawn. The atmosphere of hatred is temporary, the real thing is love which lasts forever," he said.

On myths surrounding the Jihad, he said, no religion allows the killing of human life. "Killing innocent people is not Jihad. It is terrorism and a great crime. The misunderstandings regarding Jihad need to be removed," he said.

Islam is not at fault for giving the concept of Jihad, but it's a misunderstanding about it that has made many people walk on the wrong path. The purpose of religion is to create awareness about the afterlife and Islam has also tried to make people aware of this connection.

Commenting on the book, Dr. Zeeshan Ahmed Misbahi clarified the difference between Jihad and terrorism and said that there are many misconceptions about this. He said, "I also did not have any clear thoughts about this earlier, but only after research and intense study I understood the difference."

Dr. Zeeshan Ahmed Misbahi, who was present in the program, threw light on the purpose of writing it. He said that the word 'Jihad' has been a subject of curiosity for him since his student life.

Vice Chancellor of Jamia Milia Islamia Professor Mohammad Shakeel addressing the gathering

The word 'jihad' used jokingly among friends during his student life forced him to write this book. He said while he was young and a student, to him Jihad meant "Grabbing the property of other religions."

While writing the book, he realized the rampant confusion about it and how the term has been 'misquoted' and made a 'weapon' for violence. Dr. Misbahi said.

Citing the Quran and Hadith, he categorised Jihad as Big jihad, small jihad, and middle jihad. Jihad-e-Akbar i.e. big jihad is to control one's ego and desire.

The middle jihad is academic. It means to express your opinion through literature and Jihad-e-Asghar i.e. small jihad is to fight against those who commit oppression. This kind of fighting is also not permitted by an individual or an organization; but by a state. It means that when such an opportunity arises, the government will decide about going to war.

Quoting the Quran, he said, "Looking for an enemy is prohibited in Islam. Jihad is worship in Islam. Jihad is an Arabic word, which means good effort. There is a command in Islam that if someone does not listen to you, leave him at a safe place and come back."

He said that the real Jihad is self-jihad, which Islam has declared as a great Jihad. War is permitted for defense under duress and that too if negotiation fails and there is no way out.

He hoped that his book would clear up the misunderstandings in this regard. Speaking on this occasion, Ghulam Rasool Dehlavi said that the Quran was revealed in Arab, read in Egypt, and understood in India, and in the process, many misunderstandings have arisen that need to be removed.

Book Launch Function

Maulana Hasan Saeed Azhari said that it was easy to kill people in the name of Jihad, but it is difficult to win the hearts of other people. "The effort should be to win the hearts of people. This has been the way of the Sufis," he said quoting Nizamuddin Auliya.

Convener of the Khosro Foundation, Dr. Hafeezur Rehman said that the Khosro Foundation aims to rekindle the spirit of harmony and love. He said that even before Tafheem e Jihad, several books were published by the foundation, including Ghazwa-e Hind, and these have been received well.

He further said that the institution is going to publish important books on many important topics in the future as well.

The program started with Sirajuddin Qureshi's speech and ended with a vote of thanks by Shantanu Mukherjee. Both Mukherjee and Qureshi are the directors of the Khosro Foundation.

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Both hoped that the foundation would continue to strive for the promotion of peace and harmony in the country and resolve misunderstandings. Among the participants of the program were Jamia Millia Islamia teachers, students, prominent citizens, the director of Khosro Foundation, Ramveer Singh; Awaz-The Voice Editor-in-Chief, Atir Khan; Jamia teacher, Dr. Muhammad Arshad; journalist, Ahmed Javed; religious scholar, Maulana Manzar Mohsin; Maulana Abdul Moeed Azhari, and other scholars.