Islamic Law Society
Syracuse University
FACT SHEET ON ISLAM & JIHAD

1. Islam means "Peace." Islam is a religion of peace that holds all
forms of life-human, animal and natural-to be the sacred creation of
Allah, Who is the same One God of Abraham, Moses, Jesus & Muhammad (May
Allah's peace & blessings be upon them all).

2. Jihad does not mean "Holy War." Jihad has been misunderstood by
Westerners to connote "Holy War." This erroneous translation has been
handed down from the Crusades, which occurred almost a thousand years
ago.

3. What does Jihad mean? Jihad, which derives from the Arabic root
j-h-d, means "to strive" or "to struggle." It is a very broad concept in
Islam, one which encompasses all forms of action that involve striving
or struggling to promote good and protect the common welfare. Different
forms of jihad include acquiring and disseminating knowledge to uphold
truth (jihad bil-qalam, lit. "to strive by means of the pen"); using
one's wealth to benefit society (jihad bil-mal, lit. "to strive by means
of wealth"); purifying one's self from bad thoughts and desires (jihad
bin-nafs, lit. "to strive by means of the self"); and protecting one's
society from harm (jihad bis-saif, lit. "to strive by means of
weapons"). The greater form of jihad among all of these is to struggle
against one's own self (i.e. from desires and temptations).

4. What are the rules of Jihad bis-saif? Because all forms of life are
sacred, it is unlawful to take life except in the restricted context of
military battle. Attacks against civilians-including women, children,
elderly and non-aggressors-are absolutely prohibited. Moreover,
destruction of trees, crops, homes and businesses is also forbidden. In
this way, jihad bis-saif is a constructive, humanized form of combat. If
an opponent decides to call a truce on the battlefield, fighting must
cease. Thus, Islam calls for peace at all times.

5. Why has "Jihad" been invoked for acts of terror? Any person who
invokes jihad to commit atrocities against civilians is not acting in
accordance with Islamic teachings and principles, and has in fact
declared war against Allah and His Messenger. Legitimate political
causes can never justify such acts, under any circumstances, at any
time, under Islamic law.

6. Is suicide encouraged by Islam? No. Suicide is one of the gravest
sins in Islam. It is severely punished in the Hereafter. The status of a
martyr is bestowed on one who dies adhering to the laws of battle in
Islam, which, as mentioned before honor and protect innocent human,
animal and natural life.

7. Could Islam ever be a threat to the U.S.? No. The United States does
not persecute Muslims for practicing Islam; it actively protects our
rights. It is classified in our law as a "land of peace or trust" (dar
al-Amn) for Muslims.

8. How many Muslims live in the U.S.? There are approximately 7 million
Muslims living in the U.S., according to the Council on American-Islamic
Relations (CAIR). The majority of American Muslims are Black Americans,
followed by Immigrants, Whites, Hispanics and Native Americans.

Paul G. Hawken
Natural Capital Institute
hawken@well.com