Jihad on Terrorism is Part II of a set of two Islamic documentaries, titled The Fog is Lifting and produced by Bridges Foundation, an international organization working on building bridges of understanding between people in the West and Muslims, organizing different workshops and training programs to prepare Muslim trainees on becoming public speakers and good presenters of Islam; not just as a set of practices but as a culture and way of life.
Part I of The Fog is Lifting tackles Islam in general and is titled Islam in Brief. It sheds light on the principle concepts and practices of Islam and presents a lot of historical and contemporary facts about Muslims, addressing and clearing much of the misconceptions tainting the image of Islam.
As for Part II that’s the subject matter of this essay, it deals with one of the most debatable terms related to Islam and one that’s at the heart of many misconceptions about the doctrine and its adherents; Jihad. The film discusses what Jihad connotes in Islam in contrast to the widespread misleading interpretations offered by the mainstream media in the West, and actually among many Muslim communities, where Muslims receive distorted construal of the noble teachings of Islam as ordained upon and practiced by the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (pbuh).
Jihad on Terrorism, a 100-minute film and, in my view, one of the best documentaries presenting Islam of this decade, tends to dymistify the truthful notion of Jihad in Islam as stated in the Qur’an, the prime source of knowledge and guidance for Muslims, and beyond any human-interpretations or inclinations.
The film scans through the different types of Jihad, its varying applications, attempting to explore reasons behind it being one of the Islamic terms that’s most misinterpreted and most debatable in Non-Muslim Communities in general, and in the West in particular.
Jihad on Terrorism comprises a set of brief interviews with some of the most prominent world speakers and Muslim scholars, including: Dr. Jamal Badawy, a renowned author, preacher and speaker on Islam and member of Islamic Society of North America also a member of the board of trustees of Bridges Foundation, Dr. Robert Pape, Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago, Dr. Philippe Sands, Professor of International law at University College London, Imam Suhaib Webb, an active member of the Muslim American Society, Fadel Soliman, Director of Bridges Foundation, Dr. Gunnar Westberg, IPPNW-Nobel Prize Winner, Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick, a popular Muslim scholar, writer, historian and social activist of Native American origin, Aishah Schwartz, Founder and Director of the Washington, D.C.-based Muslimah Writers Alliance, Dr. Samuel Pierce Clinical Psychologist, and Petrina Higgs, a UK-based peace activist.
In attempt to fairly depict a correct understanding of Jihad, this highly controversial notion primarily encompassing each and every aspect of life, the film largely covers all levels of interpretations of Jihad, offering clear examples that are illustrative of its practices that present the nobility of such principle in Islam, one that ensures enacting strong will in suppressing base desires, anger- one that advocates fighting injustice, speaking the truth no matter what, opposite to the imposed and wrongful hypothesis affiliating the notion of Jihad to terrorism.
From Spiritual, Verbal, to Combative Jihad, the film delves into the essence of this notion and mechanism, trying to fetch its core value, as a principle Islamic concept aimed at safeguarding freedom in all of its eligible forms, justice in all of its forms, as well as social order and peace among people of all races and cults.
Besides offering a credible explanation of Jihad, the film explores the origin and root causes of terrorism, trying to pinpoint the circumstances that gave rise to such phenomenon over the past century.
Jihad on Terrorism also touches on the role of media in painting a distorted, far from truthful and greatly repulsive view of Jihad, presenting it as an obnoxious practice in Islam adamant on the annihilation of Non-Muslims.
However, the film also throws part of the blame on Muslims who need to reach out to their fellow Non-Muslims to explain much about Islam and its principles, to correct many of the widespread misconceptions about it that deliberately taint it and present it as a “dangerous ideology” risking the wellbeing of human race, which contradicts the truthful notion of Islam that was ordained upon Prophet Muhammad, as a concluding message and clarification of previous legislations brought at the hands of God’s Prophets in the form of Judaism and Christianity, one that promotes justice, peace and mercy, and not prejudice, bigotry and violence.
Allah (SWT) says in the holy Quran:
“Because of that We prescribed to the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul, unless it be for a retaliation or because of spreading corruption on earth, it would be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoever saves a life, it would be as if he have saved the life of all mankind. And certainly our Messengers came to them with Clear Signs, but even after that many of them (the Children of Israel) transgressed on earth”—Quran (5:32) – Surah Al Maida: Verse 32.
Watch the Trailer of Jihad on Terrorism Here:
Wassalaam,
Maha Youssuf
maha@muslimtribune.org
Posted on: June 10, 2011
Jihad on Terrorism is Part II of a set of two Islamic documentaries, titled The Fog is Lifting and produced by Bridges Foundation, an international organization working on building bridges of understanding between people in the West and Muslims, organizing different workshops and training programs to prepare Muslim trainees on becoming public speakers and good presenters of Islam; not just as a set of practices but as a culture and way of life.
Part I of The Fog is Lifting tackles Islam in general and is titled Islam in Brief. It sheds light on the principle concepts and practices of Islam and presents a lot of historical and contemporary facts about Muslims, addressing and clearing much of the misconceptions tainting the image of Islam.
As for Part II that’s the subject matter of this essay, it deals with one of the most debatable terms related to Islam and one that’s at the heart of many misconceptions about the doctrine and its adherents; Jihad. The film discusses what Jihad connotes in Islam in contrast to the widespread misleading interpretations offered by the mainstream media in the West, and actually among many Muslim communities, where Muslims receive distorted construal of the noble teachings of Islam as ordained upon and practiced by the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (pbuh).
Jihad on Terrorism, a 100-minute film and, in my view, one of the best documentaries presenting Islam of this decade, tends to dymistify the truthful notion of Jihad in Islam as stated in the Qur’an, the prime source of knowledge and guidance for Muslims, and beyond any human-interpretations or inclinations.
The film scans through the different types of Jihad, its varying applications, attempting to explore reasons behind it being one of the Islamic terms that’s most misinterpreted and most debatable in Non-Muslim Communities in general, and in the West in particular.
Jihad on Terrorism comprises a set of brief interviews with some of the most prominent world speakers and Muslim scholars, including: Dr. Jamal Badawy, a renowned author, preacher and speaker on Islam and member of Islamic Society of North America also a member of the board of trustees of Bridges Foundation, Dr. Robert Pape, Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago, Dr. Philippe Sands, Professor of International law at University College London, Imam Suhaib Webb, an active member of the Muslim American Society, Fadel Soliman, Director of Bridges Foundation, Dr. Gunnar Westberg, IPPNW-Nobel Prize Winner, Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick, a popular Muslim scholar, writer, historian and social activist of Native American origin, Aishah Schwartz, Founder and Director of the Washington, D.C.-based Muslimah Writers Alliance, Dr. Samuel Pierce Clinical Psychologist, and Petrina Higgs, a UK-based peace activist.
In attempt to fairly depict a correct understanding of Jihad, this highly controversial notion primarily encompassing each and every aspect of life, the film largely covers all levels of interpretations of Jihad, offering clear examples that are illustrative of its practices that present the nobility of such principle in Islam, one that ensures enacting strong will in suppressing base desires, anger- one that advocates fighting injustice, speaking the truth no matter what, opposite to the imposed and wrongful hypothesis affiliating the notion of Jihad to terrorism.
From Spiritual, Verbal, to Combative Jihad, the film delves into the essence of this notion and mechanism, trying to fetch its core value, as a principle Islamic concept aimed at safeguarding freedom in all of its eligible forms, justice in all of its forms, as well as social order and peace among people of all races and cults.
Besides offering a credible explanation of Jihad, the film explores the origin and root causes of terrorism, trying to pinpoint the circumstances that gave rise to such phenomenon over the past century.
Jihad on Terrorism also touches on the role of media in painting a distorted, far from truthful and greatly repulsive view of Jihad, presenting it as an obnoxious practice in Islam adamant on the annihilation of Non-Muslims.
However, the film also throws part of the blame on Muslims who need to reach out to their fellow Non-Muslims to explain much about Islam and its principles, to correct many of the widespread misconceptions about it that deliberately taint it and present it as a “dangerous ideology” risking the wellbeing of human race, which contradicts the truthful notion of Islam that was ordained upon Prophet Muhammad, as a concluding message and clarification of previous legislations brought at the hands of God’s Prophets in the form of Judaism and Christianity, one that promotes justice, peace and mercy, and not prejudice, bigotry and violence.
Allah (SWT) says in the holy Quran:
“Because of that We prescribed to the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul, unless it be for a retaliation or because of spreading corruption on earth, it would be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoever saves a life, it would be as if he have saved the life of all mankind. And certainly our Messengers came to them with Clear Signs, but even after that many of them (the Children of Israel) transgressed on earth”—Quran (5:32) – Surah Al Maida: Verse 32.
Watch the Trailer of Jihad on Terrorism Here:
Wassalaam,
Maha Youssuf
maha@muslimtribune.org
Posted on: June 10, 2011