DECOLONISED REPRESENTATION OF JIHAD NARRATIVE: CONSTRUCTION OF RELIGIOUS MISREPRESENTATIONS (PART II)

Abstract

This paper, Part II of the research series initiated in "Construction of Religious Misrepresentations…", employs a decolonial lens to critically examine the dominant and weaponised narrative surrounding the Islamic concept of Jihad. It argues that a profound misrepresentation, fueled by neo-colonial geopolitical interests and radical Islamist ideologies, has systematically reduced Jihad’s multifaceted meaning - fundamentally denoting "struggle" or "striving" - to a monolith of violent warfare. Through linguistic analysis and theological exegesis, the paper delineates the classical typologies of Jihad, emphasising the primacy of the internal, spiritual struggle (Jihad al-Akbar) over the strictly regulated, defensive armed struggle (Jihad al-Asghar). Supplementing theoretical analysis with empirical survey data from Muslim respondents, the research investigates contemporary perceptions of religious coercion, blasphemy, and the role of human reasoning (ijtihad) versus blind following (taqleed). The findings reveal a significant dissonance between mainstream Islamic teachings, which advocate for peace and tolerance, and the popular sentiments shaped by socio-political misrepresentations, particularly regarding blasphemy laws. The paper concludes that the prevailing intolerance within some Muslim societies is not an intrinsic feature of Islam but a historical and political consequence of power dynamics, colonial trauma, and the successful dissemination of distorted narratives by both external and internal actors. This study aims to recuperate the pluralistic and peace-oriented dimensions of Jihad, contributing to a decolonised understanding of Islamic epistemology.