al-Jihad bayna 'Aqidat al-Muslimin wa-Shubuhat al-Mustashriqin
- Author died
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- Editions
- The Islamic University of Madinah
al-Jihad bayna 'Aqidat al-Muslimin wa-Shubuhat al-Mustashriqin (Jihad Between the Creed of Muslims and the Doubts of Orientalists) is an academic treatise by Awad Abd al-Hadi al-Atta, published in the Journal of the Islamic University of Madinah (issue 67–68, 1423 AH / 2002 CE) . The work examines the Islamic doctrine and historical role of jihad, contrasting Islamic principles with the claims and criticisms advanced by Western Orientalists .
Background and Overview
The author, Awad Abd al-Hadi al-Atta, served as an assistant professor in the Faculty of Hadith at the Islamic University of Madina . The treatise addresses widespread controversies surrounding the concept of jihad in Islamic history, setting out to clarify its theological foundation and respond to misconceptions regarding its objectives and implementation .
Core Themes and Historical Context
The work traces the development of the Islamic call (da'wah) from its inception in Mecca, noting that it began as a purely religious mission focused on monotheism (tawhid) and the renunciation of idolatry through rational argument, persuasion, and good counsel . The author notes that early converts were predominantly young people, peers of the Prophet ﷺ, and marginalized individuals who faced severe trials, while elder leaders resisted change due to entrenched tribal tradition .
Following the migration (Hijrah) to Medina and the establishment of a cohesive Muslim society, the nature of the community evolved into three distinct groups: genuine believers, open disbelievers, and hypocrites . It was in this phase that armed resistance was legislated, initially to repel aggression and oppression against those who had been expelled from their homes, and subsequently to secure the freedom to propagate the faith .
Refutation of Orientalist Arguments
The treatise engages with and critiques specific assertions made by prominent Orientalists, including Leone Caetani, Thomas Arnold, and Maurice Gaudefroy-Demombynes :
- Material Motivations: The author addresses the claim by Arnold and others that the early Muslim conquests were driven primarily by economic desires—namely, exchanging the barren deserts of Arabia for the fertile lands and spoils of the Byzantine and Sasanian empires . The author notes that critics cited the letters of Caliph Abu Bakr al-Siddiq rallying tribes toward Syria as evidence of economic ambition, while overlooking the foundational religious imperative of spreading Islam .
- Propagation by the Sword: The work counters the claim that Islam relied on warfare as its primary vehicle for forced religious conversion . The author emphasizes that fighting in Islamic doctrine is not an end in itself, but rather a mechanism designed to remove political and military impediments that obstructed the peaceful delivery of the message .
- Doctrinal Coherence: In response to Gaudefroy-Demombynes's view regarding the development of warfare rules from Meccan patience to Medinan militancy, the treatise underscores that early Muslims triumphed not through material grandeur or imperial luxury, but through conviction and ascetic discipline in contrast to the internal strife of the Roman and Persian empires .
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