True Conception of the Ahmadiyya Movement
by Maulana Muhammad Ali
Ahmadiyyat and Jihad
Emphasis by the Ahmadiyya Movement on the point that sword has nothing to do with the propagation of Islam has led many people to believe that Ahmadiyyat has abrogated the Islamic doctrine of jihad. This charge is absolutely baseless. Every Ahmadi believes in each jot and tittle of the Quran. When the doctrine of jihad forms a part of the Quran, and every Ahmadi believes that none of its commands can ever be abrogated, it follows that the doctrine of jihad is as valid for them as for other Muslims. Jihad was supposed to mean the spreading of Islam with sword and with this conception of course Ahmadiyyat did not agree. It made it clear that the significance of jihad was to exert oneself for a cause and sword was not necessary for such an exertion. Carrying the message of the Quran to the world was also declared to be jihad by the Quran.
“And strive against them a mighty striving with it (the Quran).”1
This chapter of the Quran is admittedly Makkan in origin when fighting was not permitted to Muslims and still preaching of the Quran had been called the greatest jihad. Indeed, jihad with sword was only meant for the defence of Islam or for the defence of the Muslim nation, the chief condition of which was that the enemy should first attack Muslims by sword. It was then that it became obligatory on Muslims to defend themselves with sword. But contrary to this the killing of non-Muslims without any rhyme or reason was considered to be the real jihad by the ignorant people. This was absolutely against the teachings of Islam. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian has thrown light on this point and has explained that there is a jihad which man can always carry on for Islam and that is exerting oneself spiritually in the way of God and doing one’s best to preach the message of Islam to others, and there is a jihad with sword which can be resorted to under particular conditions for the defence of the nation or of Islam. For instance, the initiative of attack is taken by the other nation, and this condition is mentioned in both the places in the Quran where permission to fight has been given to Muslims:
“Permission (to fight) is given to those on whom war is made because they are oppressed”,2
and
“Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you.”3
It was this kind of jihad about which Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad had written:
“There is no doubt in this that the conditions of jihad are not to be found in this age and in this country.”4
This is true because there is no party at war with Muslims at this time in India. When a Hindu leader, i.e., Gandhi showed the path of non-violence to Indians even some of the ‘ulama’ followed him but when the Founder said that conditions for jihad with sword did not exist, these ‘ulama’ raised a great hue and cry against him. And today all Muslims believe that conditions of jihad with sword in fact do not exist at the time in this country. Jihad by virtue of its being a Quranic command is never abrogated in the sight of an Ahmadi, neither jihad in the general sense, nor in the particular sense which is carried on in the form of qital (fighting).