"Middle East Studies Profs. Still Peddling Peaceful Jihad"

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Campus Watch Blog
Middle East Studies Profs. Still Peddling Peaceful Jihad
by Cinnamon Stillwell
April 28, 2008

http://www.campus-watch.org/blog/2008/04/middle-east-studies-profs-still-peddling.html

In his 2002 Commentary article, "Jihad and the Professors," Middle
East Forum director Daniel Pipes makes a compelling case for "the
nearly universal falsification of jihad on the part of American
academic scholars." Rather than acknowledging the aggressively
military nature of jihad (otherwise known as "holy war"), such
academics would have us believe that it consists either of defensive
warfare, a struggle for spiritual and personal improvement, or the
promotion of social justice. Here are a few of the quotes he cites in
the article:

Jihad as "usually understood" means "a struggle to be true to the will
of God and not holy war."

Dell DeChant, professor of world religions, University of South
Florida

"…in the struggle to be a good Muslim, there may be times where one
will be called upon to defend one's faith and community. Then [jihad]
can take on the meaning of armed struggle."

John Esposito, founding director of the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal
Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University

Jihad is "resisting apartheid or working for women's rights."

Farid Eseck, professor of Islamic studies, Auburn Seminary

Six years later, it would be nice to conclude that the situation has
changed. But the academic apologists inhabiting the field of Middle
East studies continue the obfuscation. The following is just a
sampling of the sort of misleading and, in some cases, deceptive
definitions of jihad these professors have been peddling:

"It is clear that military warfare is the lesser jihad, and the
greater jihad is against the forces that prevent human beings from
being human, as it were."

Mary Richardson, professor of history, Tufts University (source: Tufts
Journal)

There is "the bigger jihad and the smaller jihad." The bigger sense of
the word, he said, refers to a struggle for self-improvement while the
smaller sense is a struggle to show support for Islam…The use of the
term to describe wars waged in support of Islam "is incorrect in the
sense that it is not the primary meaning of jihad. It is a slogan to
create a gap between East and West."

Mohammed Sawaie, professor of Arabic, University of Virginia (source:
Cavalier Daily, see also: Jihad Watch)

"Feeding the poor is jihad…writing your Congressperson is jihad."

Timothy Gianotti, professor of Islamic studies, University of Virginia
(source: Cavalier Daily, see also: Jihad Watch)

"The September 11 terrorism attacks and Osama bin Laden's calls for a
'holy war' are irrelevant to the concept of jihad. What is more
relevant is the political conditions that are creating an environment
of militancy throughout the Muslim and Arab world."

As'ad AbuKhalil, associate professor of political science, California
State University-Stanislaus (source: CNN)

"Jihad has become a global fad, rather like gangsta rap."

Jessica Stern, lecturer on terrorism, Harvard University (source: The
Boston Globe)

In the following case, the real meaning of jihad is acknowledged, if
somewhat reluctantly:

Al-Qazzaz says there are two levels of jihad. The greater jihad is
every Muslim's quest to live out their faith in their daily lives, to
improve themselves and to become a better Muslim. The lesser jihad
means to protect one's people and fight against enemies, he says. So
the greater jihad prompts devout Muslims to remember their religious
guidelines while fighting, which would cause them to treat war
prisoners well.

Ayad Al-Qazzaz, professor of sociology, Cal State University-
Sacramento (source: ACF News, see also: Campus Watch)

In direct contrast to the dissimulation demonstrated above, Islam
scholar Robert Spencer pulled no punches in an April 8 speech at
Stanford University accompanied by Daniel Pipes and titled, "Jihad and
Its Implications." (The Stanford Review covers the speech in its
latest issue and the video is available online). Spencer read numerous
passages from the Koran to demonstrate that in its original
incarnation, jihad involved "the relation of believer to unbeliever."
And more often than not this relationship has been one of violence
towards non-Muslims.

The fact that Spencer was accompanied by all of four security guards
throughout the evening would seem to back up his conclusions. Peaceful
jihad, indeed.
.

Relevant Pages

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  • Re: Jihad in the Koran
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  • Iraqs Jordanian Jihadis
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