Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Religious Studies – Anthology
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tendency and trying to implement the necessary balance of forces seem to be the
c onditions for an order that looks human. The latter being the only situation
whereby violenc e is given legit imac y; sit uat ions whereby violenc e is sust ained,
repression imposed or rights denied, to the extent that, if one suc c umbs, one loses
one's dignit y:
Surely God bids t o just ic e ... (Qur’ān, 16:90)
This verse clearly expresses the sense of men's actions. This lies in fighting for
good and rejec ting injustic e with all the forc e one’s being. To have faith is
tantamount to carrying the testimony of this dignity by resistance. The latter is for
the c ommunity what mastery over anger is to the inward of eac h person.
One may notic e nowadays an effervesc enc e in the Muslim world, and many
c ondemn the violenc e whic h ac c ompanies the awakening of a "fanatic al, radic al and
fundamentalist Islam''. One must understand this worry, as one must denounc e
polit ic al violenc e whic h finds it s expression in t he assassinat ion of t ourist s, priest s,
women, c hildren and in blind bombings and bloody slaughters. Suc h ac tions are
indefensible, nor do they respect, in the least, the Qur’ānic message. Again, one
must also c ondemn the violenc e whic h expresses itself prior to suc h ac tions. Suc h
violence is perpetuated by dictatorial powers that are often supported by
superpowers. Every day that passes, entire peoples sustain repression, abuse of
power, and the most inhumane - violat ions of right s. Unt il when will t hese peoples
remain silent or see themselves deemed "dangerous", by the West,·whenever they
dare to express their rejection? Here, it is not a question of defending violenc e but
rather of understanding the c irc umstanc es wherein it takes shape... As the end of
the twentieth century draws close, can we call all men to mobilise themselves
t owards more soc ial, polit ic al and ec onomic just ic e, for it seems t o us t hat t his is
the only, way t o give bac k t o men t he right s t hat will silenc e arms? Suc h an effort
would be t he lit eral t ranslat ion of t he word Jihād. The latter is the testimony of a
heart that illuminates faith and the witness of a c onsc ienc e whic h fashions
responsibility.
b. Towards a social jihād
T his brief c larific at ion about t he c ent ral not ions of t he Muslim religion allows us
to shed new light on the question of soc ial ac tion. All Muslims know and repeat that
the practice of Islam does not stop at the exercise of prayer, zakāt, fasting and
pilgrima ge. Every ac t of daily life whic h is fulfilled wit h remembra nc e of t he Divine
Presence is, in itself, an act of gratitude and worship. Moreover, we know the close
link, whic h is est ablished in t he Qur'ān, between believing and ac ting through the
oft-repeated expression "Those who believe and do good deeds.” Thus, to have
faith is tantamount to believing and ac ting, and ac tion here is of a multiple nature.
It is the honesty that one imposes on oneself, goodness and generosity t owards
one's relatives, just as it is the determined engagement in social reform, or even
mobilisat ion against injust ic e. All t hese effort s whic h are deployed in ac t ion are part
of jihād in the sense whereby they are oriented towards that whic h is more just and
more respectful of the revealed principles. T he following verse c larifies t he same: