I have only browsed this report, but there does seem to be a fundamental
problem in the methodology.
The authors have interpreted "Jihad" to mean waging war against
unbelievers. They acknowledge in a footnote. however, that "jihad" can
have many other meanings related to the spiritual struggle. They then
quote a number of authors who use the word "jihad" but do not explain the
meaning that the authors quoted have attached to the word. As this is of
fundamental importance and alters the whole context, this lack of
scholarship by the authors is not helpful. I have no idea what Islamic
background the authors quoted come from, and so I have no way of telling
whether the quotes are being misapplied or not. That is, no idea without
doing a great deal of research. I suspect that most of us do not have the
time for that.
I do have a vague idea, however, that a Sufi scholar would use an
interpretation of "Jihad" that would be similar to the interpretation of
the spiritual struggle used by Ignatius Loyola or the author of "Onward
Christian Soldiers". I am also aware that there are differences in the
interpretation of ideas between mediaeval and modern scholars. I think
that one of the authors quoted was a contemporary of Salah-ed-din and
Richard the Lionheart. I know that a report of this kind has to be pithy
and punchy to make its point, but if it is not accurate then its value
decreases enormously.
If, for instance, we take the argument used by the authors of the report to
its logical conclusion, the word Jihad is used in the Qu'ran, which makes
it an extremist text. This is clearly ridiculous.
My point is that this subject is extremely complicated, and that librarians
have to approach a matter of this kind with great caution and sensitivity.
Finally, I should point out that these are my personal views only.
Regards
David Kenvyn,
Assistant Manager, Community Libraries
East Dunbartonshire Council
Tel: 0141 775 4519
Fax: 0141 776 0408
E-Mail: As above
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