SOME CRITICS ARGUE that Jihad is a permanent feature in Islam – perhaps even the so-called 6th pillar.72 Some suggest that Muslims only see the world in one of two ways: Dārul Islam and Dārul Ḥarb. Dārul Islam is the House of Islam (that is, parts of the world where Muslims live), and Dārul Ḥarb is the House of War (that is, parts of the world where non-Muslims live). However, these terminologies come from later scholars. They are not used in the Holy Quran or Aḥādīth. According to the prophecies of Prophet Muhammadsa, the Muslims were going to deviate further and further away from their faith until they were to reach a point when:
…nothing will remain of Islam except its name. And nothing will remain of the Quran except its inscription. Their mosques will be full of worshippers but devoid of guidance. Their ’ulemā’ (scholars) will be the worst people under heaven. Fitna (discord) will come from them and return to them.73
It was prophesied for this time that the Promised Messiahas was to come and bring the people back to the true teachings of Islam. Explaining this mission of his, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas says:
The Promised Messiah has come in the world to refute the notion of using the sword [or fighting] in the name of religion, and to prove, with arguments and reasoning, that Islam is such a religion which does not need the support of the sword for its propagation. Rather, the inherent excellences of its teachings, its truth, enlightenment, reasoning, arguments, and the active assistance of God the Exalted, and signs, and His personal attention are such matters that always drive [Islam’s] progress and propagation74.
He also writes:
It should be remembered that today’s Islamic scholars (who are called maulavīs) completely misunderstand Jihad and misrepresent it to the general public. The public’s violent instincts are inflamed as a result and they are stripped of all noble human virtues. This is in fact what has happened. I know for certain that maulavīs who persist in propagating these blood-spattered doctrines are in fact responsible for murders committed by ignorant, egotistical people who know nothing of why Islam was forced to fight battles in its early history.75
Hence, to assume that permanent, aggressive Jihad is a feature of Islam is a false notion as the Holy Quran clearly specifies the context for Jihad and says that fighting should stop immediately when the enemy desires peace.
In the Aḥādīth, it is also mentioned that the prophesied era of the Promised Messiahas would be such that religious fighting will come to an end with his appearance.76 He will not use the sword or any earthly weapon for his cause. Instead, he will only pray to God for the success of his message and he will establish peace. In contrast, it is wrongly asserted that Islamic eschatology declares a violent bloodthirsty Mahdī and Messiah who would kill all disbelievers. The Promised Messiahas has come to stop this cycle of violence which the so-called scholars of Islam have wrongly continued for their selfish reasons. He has made a declaration in his writings directly to all of the scholars of Islam and called on them to stop this wrong-headed preaching of violence:
O Muslim scholars and maulavīs! Listen to me. I tell you truly that this is not the time for Jihad. Do not disobey God’s Holy Prophetsa. The awaited Messiah has arrived and orders you to abstain from religious wars involving armed combat, killing and bloodshed. Not refraining even now from spilling blood and giving such sermons is therefore not the way of Islam. The person who accepts me will not merely stop preaching in this way; he will recognize the evil of this path and come to know that it invites God’s anger.77