Jihad (Islam)

Revivalist movements within Islam, concerned at social and moral degradation, call for a return to original Islam with rejection of later additions to the religion and promotion of reform through armed force. This holy war or jihad is referred to by some as the sixth pillar of Islam. However, other sources claim that the greatest jihad is the holy war which is carried out through the Qur'an - in other words through offering the choice of Islam by preaching the scriptures. They quote the Qu'ran itself when indicating that there should be no compulsion in religion and that the only permitted use of armed force is in defence when a state has been attacked. Even then all possible peace terms should be followed up - a generous peace was more likely to turn the heart of an aggressor than annihilation.