Misconceptions about Islam are the same around the world—and Jihaad tops the list. Dr Zakir Naik explains how media misrepresents Islam and why it’s essential to clarify the true meaning of Jihaad with knowledge and wisdom.
00:00A few decades earlier, the 20 common questions were a bit different, now it is different.
00:07Before 9-11, before 11th of September 2001, before the Twin Tower attack in New York,
00:16the top of the charts was, why does Islam permit a man to have more than one wife?
00:24Now, after 9-11, this top of the charts has gone down to number 5.
00:30Now, the most common question is regarding Jihad.
00:33Muslims are fundamentalists.
00:35Muslims are extremists.
00:36Muslims are terrorists.
00:37So, depending on how the media portrays Islam, these 20 most common questions, the order may change.
00:47Couple may be added, some may be removed.
00:50So, every few years, it may change.
00:55But, the common questions are normally the same.
00:59Wherever you go, I have traveled in different parts of the world.
01:02Whether it be America, whether it be UK, whether it be Singapore, whether it be Europe, whether it be Saudi Arabia, whether Pakistan, whether Africa, whether Nigeria, whether Kenya.
01:12These 20 common questions regarding Islam among the non-Muslims are the same.
01:19There may be an additional one or two questions depending upon the society.
01:25Like, if you go in the Western society, they may ask, why does Islam not permit the Muslim to take interest?
01:34Additional.
01:34But, the 20 common questions are the same.
01:37There may be an additional one or two questions depending upon the surrounding, depending upon the society.
01:43But, the 20 common questions remain the same.
01:46So, if every Muslim memorizes the replies to these 20 common questions with quotations from the Quran and Hadith, with quotations from the scriptures of the non-Muslims, whether it be the Bible, whether it be the Vedas, whether it be the Upanishad, whether it be Bhagavad Gita.
02:01Then, give the reply with reason and logic.
02:07And, fourthly, with scientific evidence.
02:10Inshallah, you will be able to convince many non-Muslims.
02:16In today's talk, we may not have time to complete all the replies to the 20 most common questions.
02:26But, Inshallah, we will try and cover between 9 and 12 depending upon the time that we have.
02:32At our disposal.
02:33Maybe 9 to 12.
02:35And, the balance we will cover tomorrow in part 2.
02:38Tomorrow's talk would be misconceptions about Islam, part 2.
02:43The total is about 3 hours, the answers to all.
02:47So, we will divide into two parts, Inshallah.
02:50Today, after 9-11, the most common misconception regarding Islam, the most misunderstood word in Islam today,
03:01is Jihad.
03:03This word Jihad is not only misunderstood by the non-Muslims, because of the media, even many Muslims, they misunderstand this word.
03:14But, most of the non-Muslims, and many Muslims, they think that any war fought by any Muslim, whether it be for money, whether it be for wealth, whether it be for power, whether it be for land, whether it be for language, it's called as Jihad.
03:32Jihad, Jihad does not mean any war fought by any Muslim for any reason, whether it be for money, whether it be for wealth, whether it be for language, whether it be for land.
03:45Jihad comes from the Arabic word Jihadah, which means to strive, which means to struggle.
03:54So, Jihad basically means to strive and struggle.
03:58In Islamic context, Jihad means to strive and struggle against one's own evil inclination.
04:07Jihad means to strive and struggle to make the society better.
04:14Jihad also means to strive and struggle against oppression.
04:21Jihad also means to strive and struggle in the battlefield in defense.
04:28So, Jihad basically means to strive and struggle.
04:30Jihad also means to strive.
04:53Jihad is really the only one turned to one's motive.
