discussed then as to how Muslimsshould relate to a non-Muslim state thatexplicitly allowed Islam to be practised ,prached and propagated in its territory. The situation now is different as a non-Muslim state not only allows practisingit but also allows its subjects to acceptIslam and follow it.

In the changed modern world , theauthor says, any proxy war andcommunal conflict in the name of jihadis simply not permissible . Muslimcitizens and residents of non-Muslimstates have new duties andresponsibilities . Jehad cannot bedeclared against a non-Muslimgovernment that does not in any wayoppress Muslims, nor can such agovernment be told either to acceptIslam or else hand over power toMuslims.

Muslims today must adopt the pathof peacefully inviting others to the faith,making them aware of all adequateproofs (hujjat) of God . After this, theyshould leave it to God to decide.Nomani says, "My own limitedunderstanding leads me to believe thatthis opinion is in closer accordance withreason, the spirit of the shariah, and theaims and wisdom of God’s revelation.This position can be backed by Hadithreports that insist on the need forpeaceful propagation of Islam beforefighting can at all be envisaged. And, itmust be remembered, today it is nolonger forbidden for Muslims tocommunicate their faith to non-Muslimrulers or non-Muslims in general."

One hopes Nomani's ideas arespread around . Since time immemorialpolitical crooks the world over havemisused religion to advance their ownshort-term, petty interests. Nomani'swill have those distorting the Quarnicmessage of peace, brotherhood andequality and resorting to terrorism inthe name of this great religion run awayfor a cover.

January 2012 Power Politics 61

In fighting the war on jehadi terror,few works can really compete withthe one under review. Translatedfrom Urdu into English by

Yoginder Sikand, the enterprise gives usthe best weapon--the power of moralforce--to fight the evil the entirecivilzed world is confronted with today. Herein author Maulana Yahya Nomaniacquaints one with what the ideology ofIslam really is and deals with itsimportant components : the concept ofjihad; its various forms, armed and non-violent ; the conditions for resorting tothem; the rules regarding treatment ofnon-Muslim combatants and non-combatants, including civilians duringthe armed jihad; and Islamic teachingson relations betweeen Muslims andfollowers of other faiths .

He quotes the Quran as saying,“Fight in the cause of Allah those whofight you, but do not transgress limits;for Allah loveth not transgressors.... ;fight them not at the Sacred Mosque,unless they (first) fight you there....Suchis the reward of those who suppressfaith. But if they cease, Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” ( Quran 2 :190-192 ). Explaining this powerfulquotation in the proper perspective,Nomani addresses whatever popularmisconceptions exist today in regard tothis religion and firmly establishes thatthe ideology of violence in its name asarticulated by various terrorist groups isa crass misinterpretation of the relatedscriptures.

Nomani also deals with the need fora contextual revision of certain rulescontained in the medieval Muslimjurisprudence ( fiqb). He says that thescenario in the medieval times wasdifferent . Those days all states wereidentified with one or the other religion. It was simply inconceivable that anynon-Muslim government would allowMuslims to invite its subjects to God’spath. As such it was never even

Exposing political crooks Jagdish N Singh

Vitasta, New Delhi ,2011Pp 166, Rs 395 .

The Truth AboutJihad

Maulana Yahya Nomani

English Translation

Yoginder Sikand

BOOK BAZAAR

In the changedmodern world , the

author says, any proxywar and communal

conflict in the name ofjihad is simply not

permissible . Muslimcitizens and residents ofnon-Muslim states have

new duties andresponsibilities .