Lesson video

Hello fine theologians and thank you for joining me for a another religious education lesson.

Today, we are going to learn all about the Islamic concept of Jihad.

So before we do that can you please make sure you've got four things with you.

Number one, a pen, number two, a different colour pen, number three, some paper to work on and number four, that fine theology brain of yours.

Now, if you need to pause the video to go and get any of those things, please do that now and then come and join me.

How are we going to become fine and wise and noble theologians and know all there is to know about jihad? Well, we're going to start off by defining jihad.

Then we're going to explain the different types of jihad.

Then we're going to give examples of the different type of jihad, before then and finally supporting the different types of jihad with scripture references.

So we'll begin by defining jihad.

Now jihad means struggle and Muslims need to struggle to stay on the straight path of Islam and to fight against desires and temptations.

So let's think together for a moment, what do you think is meant by the straight path of Islam? What types of things might a Muslim need to struggle to do? Well, the straight path of Islam that's following all of Allah's rules, living their life in a way that really shows they fully submit to Allah.

The types of things a Muslim might need to struggle to do, well that comes from the point we've just made, doesn't it? Following all of Allah's rules and think of all the rules, you know, already, you know the five pillars, you know the 10 obligatory acts and these require Muslims to do some quite challenging things.

Praying five times a day, paying Zakah, perhaps also paying kings, making additional charitable payments of Zadakah, fasting for the month of Ramadhan, the pilgrimage to Hajj showing love to God and all his followers.

Now these are not easy things but they are obligations.

So Muslims will need to struggle to meet all of these obligations in order to stay on the straight path of Islam.

Now this is a general definition of jihad and there are two types of jihad we need to know about one of them is referred to as the greater jihad and the other is the lesser jihad.

So the greater jihad is the individual and personal struggle of all Muslims to follow all of Allah's teachings in their everyday life and this can include ensuring Allah is the number one priority.

Following the five pillars.

Overcoming feelings of anger, hatred and greed and we can see how that might be really difficult, can't we? Everyone at certain points in times might get angry and feel hatred or perhaps desires things they know that they shouldn't, greater jihad in involves the Muslim trying really hard and consciously making that effort to eject those feelings and turn their attention towards God.

Forgiving people who have wronged them again that can be really hard, that can be a real struggle can't it? I'm sure most of you can remember a time where you've really struggled to forgive and working for social justice that's making things in society right and fair as Allah would want.

And the lesser jihad, the lesser jihad is a struggle to build a good Islamic society and protect the faith and this can allow, but does not demand the use of force including war in order to defend the faith.

So it is acceptable within Islam to use force, to use conflict, to use warfare in order to defend the faith, to make sure that the Islamic society, Islamic community can flourish without threat and this can include lots of different things it can involve promoting peace and justice in society.

It can involve standing up against hatred, standing up against depression and can also include being prepared to use the force if necessary to defend the faith.

So we're going to do some quick fire questions to help us recall all that information and make sure that we are able to give precise definitions and examples of the greater, lesser jihad.

So you can see on the board of statement in your blue and green box and I need you to tell me whether that's greater, lesser or both types of jihad.

So which type of jihad involves a struggle? Greater, lesser or both.

Point to your screens now for me.

Excellent, Well done.

All types of jihad involve a struggle.

Involves attempting to follow all of Allah's teachings, greater, lesser or both? Well done it is the greater jihad.

Can, but does not demand, the use of force, greater, lesser or both? Point to it.

Excellent, Well done it's lesser, all right the next one, fighting any inner feelings of hatred or anger.

Point to it again for me.

Well done.

It is the greater jihad.

Forgiving those who have wronged point to it for me.

Brilliant, Well done.

It is the greater jihad.

Standing up against oppression in society, greater, lesser or both? Point to on your screens.

That was listed in both so both the greater and lesser jihad involve that.

Salah, can we remember what Salah is? I'm sure we can.

Praying five times a day remember? So greater, lesser or both? Excellent, well done.

It is the greater next one involves promoting justice.

Both, excellent, well done.

Next one is Zakah.

Not sure what that is? Or wait a second so you can remember first? It's a charity payment, isn't it? 2.

5%, lesser, greater or both.

Greater, well done.

Next one Sawm, greater, lesser or both.

Greater, well done.

Involves a struggle, you could've taken the definitions right here to make it a little bit tougher, greater, lesser or both, involves a struggle.

It's both, well done.

Involves attempting to follow all of Allah's teachings.

Greater, well done.

Can, but does not demand, the use of force.

Lesser, well done.

Fighting any inner feelings of hatred and anger, point to your screens.

Brilliant, well done, that is greater.

Forgiving those who have wronged you.

Fantastic, well done, that's greater.

Next one, standing up against oppression in society, greater, lesser or both? Brilliant, well done it is both.

Salah, remember that's prayer, greater, lesser or both? Greater, well done.

Involves promoting justice, greater, lesser or both? Make your mind up, both, well done.

Next one Zakah, charity, greater, lesser or both? Greater, well done.

Sawm, fasting, greater, lesser or both? Greater, we need to consolidate this work now and in order to consolidate and organise our work today we're going to do it in a table.

So if you can take a moment to draw this table it'd be about a side of A4, and make sure at the top of the table, you've got the definition of jihad.

So, the struggle to stay on the straight path of Islam.

Then you can see we're going to divide that into greater jihad and lesser jihad and then throughout the rest of the lesson we can get definitions, examples and quotations but what you need to do to start off with is draw the table as you can see it on your screen so pause now and do that for me please.

Excellent, so the next thing I'm going to ask you to do is to fill in the definition column of your table the definition row sorry, the definition row of your table.

I need you to get definitions for greater and lesser jihad and you can see I've put in the definition box words in pink that I need you to use so for your definition of greater jihad, I need you to use the words struggle, personal and Allah and for your definition of lesser jihad I need you to make sure you use these words struggle, good, protect, community, force, does not demand, that's a phrase all in one, does not demand.

I know you can do this, you know you can do it, so give it a go pause the video and then rejoin me for some feedback in a moment.

Excellent, well done.

So let's see how you did.

Hopefully in your greater jihad box you've written greater jihad is the individual and personal struggle of all Muslims to follow all of Allah's teachings and in your lesser jihad box, you've written lesser jihad.

It's a struggle to build a good Islamic society and protect the faith.

This can allow, but does not demand the use of force including war in order to defend the faith.

So if you need to pause the video to check or amend or add to your work in a different colour pen please do that for me now and then unpause it once you've got your theology work delightfully perfect.

All right, the next thing we're going to do then is focus on those examples.

So on your screens now you can see eight examples in the pink boxes, following the five pillars, forgiving people who wronged you, Salah, standing up against depression, working for social justice, being prepared to use force to defend the faith, overcoming feelings of hatred and greed and sawm.

So in your second row of the table, write as examples, fill that up with these examples here and just be alert to the fact that you may be able or I should say we'll be able to use some of them for both.

So pause your screens now and have a go at that and then rejoin me for some feedback in a moment.

Top work, so let's see how you did, So in your greater jihad examples hope you've put following in the five pillars and the fine and wise and mighty and noble theologians might have even given some examples like Salah and sawm, forgiving people who wrong you should also be in that one along with overcoming feelings of hatred and anger and standing up against oppression and working for social justice can also go in the greater jihad column and in lesser jihad you can put being prepared to use force to defend the faith, again, standing up against oppression because that's one way you can stop conflict and working for social justice.

So again check your work, make sure it looks like this.

Make any corrections or additions in a different colour pen and then unpause the video once you've made all your corrections and amendments Right, now we're on to the tricker bit the tricker bit we are going to do together.

We are going to look at some quotations, some scripture verses from the Qur'an and think really carefully about which type of jihad that can be used to support either greater or lesser.

So we've got a quotation here from the Qur'an and it says "Lord guide us to the right path." And this is from the opening chapter of the Qur'an which tells Muslims that there is only one God, Allah, who is Lord of all and master of the day of judgement and this particular part makes it clear that there's a path that needs to be followed, the path that needs to be followed is Allah's path.

Following Allah's path means submitting to him, dedicating your life to him and showing this by putting trust in Allah and following all of his rules.

So this is telling Muslims to stay on Allah's path to submit to him and follow all of his rules.

So I would like you please, to pause the video in a moment and then add this quotation to your greater jihad column then explain how it links to the greater jihad.

Once you've had a go at it unpause the video and we'll do some feedback together to make sure that your work is as delightful as it possibly can be, which I'm sure it will be.

So let's take a careful look at this.

This makes it clear that there is a right path.

The right path is following Allah's teachings.

Muslims will need Allah's help to do this as it's difficult to follow all of his rules and we've seen that in the table that we did a moment ago, didn't we? Those examples, they're difficult, it's challenging.

So if you need to add to or correct or amend your work please pause the video now and do that for me.

And here is another quotation this quotation relates to the lesser jihad and we'll unpack that together in a moment let's first do read it, "Fight for the cause of God, against those who fight you, but do not transgress, for God does not love the transgressors." And we can see there, you know, the words causes of God, what could the cause of God be? The cause of God could be promoting peace.

Especially when the Islamic community is under attack.

It might also be defending the faith to make sure that those people that submit to God can do so without fear of attack.

It might also be working really hard to reestablish peace.

Now let's think about what transgressing means.

Transgressing, If you transgress, it means you break rules and Mohammed actually gave really clear rules for warfare and conflict and it makes it really clear here look, if lesser jihad does end up involving conflict there are some really important clear rules that you must make sure you obey in order to stay on Allah's path.

If for example, you were to kill a woman, a child or someone elderly, or were to burn or harm trees.

You wouldn't be following the rules and that wouldn't be classed as a action that's permitted within lesser jihad.

So this quotation tells us what the cause that this quotation tells us that it's acceptable to fight for the cause of God and the cause of God might be promoting peace, defending the faith or trying to reestablish peace.

It also tells us that there are rules that need to be followed.

The rules that need to be followed aren't explicitly mentioned in this quotation but Mohammed does clarify what those are and Mohammed clarifies that those rules are things like but not limited to, not killing women, not killing children, not killing the elderly, not harming trees, not burning trees.

So now we've gone through that together I would like you please to add this quotation to your lesser jihad column and then explain how it links to lesser jihad.

So pause the video and have a go at doing that for me now, please.

Hopefully you have something like this in your table now God's cause can be to defend the faith.

Muslims are therefore allowed to use force to defend the faith.

There are clear rules for war which Muslims must follow and these rules include not killing women, children or the elderly or harming trees.

If you need to add correct or amend your work again please pause the video now to do that for me.

Excellent work today, really pleased that you've managed to do so much.

Let's think about what you managed to do.

Define both types of jihad.

You managed to give examples of both types of jihad and you also managed to fully explain some fairly complex scripture verses and how they're referred to, both types of jihad.

So go and check what you've learned by doing the quiz for me.

If you want to share your work with Oak National Academy, please ask your parent or carer to share your work on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter using the information you can see on your screens now And that just leads me to say a huge thank you for joining me again I look forward to seeing you soon.