In Part 1 of the Bridges Foundation’s official response to the propaganda film “Obsession,” director Fadel Soliman presents a logical, evidence-based rebuttal of the film’s four main attacks on Islam: the claim that Jihad equals terrorism, that Islam promotes holy war, that suicide bombing is an Islamic practice, and that Islam is comparable to Nazism. Rather than appealing to emotion, Soliman relies on Quranic text, prophetic traditions, and scholarly research to set the record straight.
The True Meaning of Jihad
The Arabic word Jihad comes from the root “jahd,” meaning to exert extra effort. It has three primary meanings in Islamic scholarship: first, the inner struggle against one’s own ego to live a virtuous life; second, speaking truth even when it is dangerous or against one’s own interests; and third, combat to establish justice when all peaceful means have been exhausted. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) declared that the best form of jihad is “a word of truth in the presence of a tyrant.”
“It is not easy to wake up at dawn every day, wash your face, hands, and feet, and go to pray while people are in bed. This needs jihad. It is not easy to spend in charity without showing off. All of this needs jihad — a nonviolent struggling within oneself to live a life of virtue.”
Islam’s Rules of Engagement
The prophetic traditions establish rules of warfare that predate the Geneva Convention by 1,400 years:
- Never kill innocent civilians — only combatants may be engaged
- Never torture prisoners of war, physically or psychologically
- Never destroy crops, animals, infrastructure, or houses of worship
- Protect women, children, and the elderly from all harm
- Bury even the enemy’s dead with respect and dignity
“God Almighty said: ‘We sent our Messengers with clear signs and sent down with them the Book and the balance of right and wrong, so that people may stand forth in justice.’ The reason God sent prophets and scriptures is to establish justice on earth.”
This presentation demonstrates that far from promoting violence, Islam places justice and peace at the center of its teachings. Jihad can even be directed against Muslims who rebel and oppress others — proving it is about justice, not religious identity. Anyone genuinely interested in the truth about Islam will find these teachings speak with remarkable clarity and consistency.
