Question
Being a muslim (thank’s allah) i am trying my best to follow on all the commandments of allah and his prophet (pbuh) as far as allah has taught me, now as i am already trying my level best to follow all the conditions of jihad which deals with desires and emotions, now i want to go on jihad of warfare, please guide me if al-qayeda is the right way or to some other groups,pls guide me how to go and where to go?
Answer
Islam is not merely jihad (i.e. striving). Islam is the spiritual connection between a person and God in which the person commits to the things God has guided him towards. If your religiousness has reached such a level that you feel you need to do more then I recommend you feed the poor, help the needy or do some volunteer work. You want to struggle in the way of God do so with the positive things you can do in your community. I cannot emphasize enough the importance to learn your religion correctly and apply it to your life. Your passion and zeal is commendable but it should be directed correctly. As of right now there is not an Islamic country in a state of war that meets the requirements of jihad. No group, not the one mentioned or otherwise, is fighting in the way of God because they do not fulfill the prerequisites for Islamic warfare. As a matter of fact they are fighting illegally and against the precepts of Islam. This along with the fact that many of them misuse the Qur’an to justify their un-Islamic goals. They use Islam as a political weapon, while misguiding the masses with their distorted interpretations. By their actions they have disfigured Islam in the minds of people; Muslim and non-Muslim. It is important to consider these points before committing one’s self to participating in a cause whose purpose has no religious basis and at the same time using the religion in a way that mutilates the rules of engagement, not to mention the image of Islam.
I urge you to reconsider such ideas and though you seem self-confident that you are following every aspect of Islam I can assure you that no one is perfect and that Islam requires constant upkeep of the self. Since there is no rightful war out there you should avoid such endeavors and find other ways of being in communion with the Almighty.
I hope I have clarified the issue.
God knows best.