September 11 and the Ethics of Jihad Essay -- September 11 Terrorism E

September 11 and the Ethics of Jihad      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Western world has long been aware of the anti-Jewish, anti-Christian, and anti-American rhetoric taught by extremist Muslim groups. The concept of jihad existed as a vague notion: one of those Islamic things; something to do with the disputes in the Middle East. On September 11, 2001, the topic suddenly gained paramount importance in the mind of the common man.    "I will shed my blood for you, Oh Palestine, take back the land that is ours." "I am not afraid of suicide, God will receive me for I will be a martyr." "Jihad is my destiny, my life." Chants taught in Palestinian elementary schools.1      Jihad came under additional scrutiny as word spread of the fax that Osama bin Laden allegedly sent to the al-Jazeera television station in Qatar later in September.2    Bin Laden's fax was a call to Pakistani Muslims to participate in jihad against the United States. "We incite our Muslim brothers in Pakistan to deter with all their capabilities the American crusaders from invading Pakistan and Afganistan... I assure you, dear brothers, that we are firm on the road of jihad... to destroy the new Jewish Crusade."3 The fax forced Muslims and non-Muslims worldwide to consider, even if only for an instant, the validity of the claim. Was this a legitimate application of jihad? Were all Muslims compelled to fight alongside the Taliban? Even as the war in Afghanistan draws to an apparent close, the question is still worthy of consideration, for if bin Laden is correct, then non-Muslim nations are literally powerless to defend themselves against Muslim nations without creating a monstrous backlash from all Muslims of the world who heed the holy call. ... ... (Baltimore, 1955). Ostling, Richard N. "Islam's Idea of Holy War." Time, 11 February 1991, 51. Peters, Rudolph. Islam and Colonialism: The Doctrine of Jihad in Modern History (The Hague, Netherlands: 1979). The Qur'an: The Eternal Revelation vouchsafed to Muhammad, The Seal of the Prophets. Trans. Muhammad Zafrulla Khan. (New York, 1997). Ryan, Patrick J. "The Roots of Muslim Anger: The Religious and Political Background of Worldwide Islamic Militancy Today." America, 26 November 2001, 8. Sivan, Emmanuel. "The Holy War Tradition in Islam." Orbis 42, no. 2 (1998): 171. Streusand, Douglas E. "What Does Jihad Mean?" September 1997. (5 December, 2001). "Text of Alleged Bin Laden Fax." CBS News, 24 September 2001. (31 October 2001). Watt, W. Montgomery. Companion to the Qur'an: Based on the Arberry Translation (London, 1967).