Decoupling Jihad from Boko-Haram Insurgency

The concept of Jihad is an essential Islamic doctrine often misrepresented and misunderstood, particularly in contemporary discourse. Jihad has a well-defined framework in Islamic law but insurgent groups such as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lida’awati wal Jihad in Nigeria, popularly known as Boko-Haram, c...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ismael Funsho Yusuph, Taofeeq Abolaji Abdulraheem, Abdurrozaq Opeyemi Abdulazeez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitas Islam Negeri Alauddin Makassar 2025-03-01
Series:Mazahibuna: Jurnal Perbandingan Mazhab
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journal.uin-alauddin.ac.id/index.php/mjpm/article/view/55536
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850224191097274368
author Ismael Funsho Yusuph
Taofeeq Abolaji Abdulraheem
Abdurrozaq Opeyemi Abdulazeez
author_facet Ismael Funsho Yusuph
Taofeeq Abolaji Abdulraheem
Abdurrozaq Opeyemi Abdulazeez
author_sort Ismael Funsho Yusuph
collection DOAJ
description The concept of Jihad is an essential Islamic doctrine often misrepresented and misunderstood, particularly in contemporary discourse. Jihad has a well-defined framework in Islamic law but insurgent groups such as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lida’awati wal Jihad in Nigeria, popularly known as Boko-Haram, claim to act under its banner. The situation raises concerns about the distortion of Jihad and subsequent conflation with insurgency. Therefore, this study aimed to critically examine the principles of Jihad under Islamic law and determine the possible connection to the activities of Boko-Haram. The analysis of misconceptions surrounding Jihad was to clarify its distinction from insurgency. This was achieved through the adoption of a qualitative method to analyze the classical and contemporary Islamic legal texts in order to establish the parameters of Jihad. Moreover, the principles were compared with the actions of Boko-Haram to determine whether their claims could be substantiated in Islamic jurisprudence. The results showed that the activities of Boko-Haram were not in line with the principles of Jihad as prescribed in Islamic law. However, their actions reflected the characteristics of insurgency which negated the ethical and legal framework of Jihad rooted in justice, equity, and moral conduct. This study contributed to the discourse on Jihad by systematically distinguishing the concept from insurgency through Islamic legal principles, offering a scholarly response to contemporary misinterpretations. The analysis further served as a foundation for future studies on religious misinterpretations in justifying violence and could also inform policy formulation, counter-radicalization tactics, and public awareness initiatives.
format Article
id doaj-art-4b0c1df9f90a451a906ebbe4de83e34c
institution OA Journals
issn 2685-6905
2685-7812
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Universitas Islam Negeri Alauddin Makassar
record_format Article
series Mazahibuna: Jurnal Perbandingan Mazhab
spelling doaj-art-4b0c1df9f90a451a906ebbe4de83e34c2025-08-20T02:05:42ZengUniversitas Islam Negeri Alauddin MakassarMazahibuna: Jurnal Perbandingan Mazhab2685-69052685-78122025-03-0111810.24252/mazahibuna.vi.5553641897Decoupling Jihad from Boko-Haram InsurgencyIsmael Funsho Yusuph0Taofeeq Abolaji Abdulraheem1Abdurrozaq Opeyemi Abdulazeez2University of Ilorin, Ilorin, NigeriaUniversity of Ilorin, Ilorin, NigeriaUniversity of Ibadan, Ibadan, NigeriaThe concept of Jihad is an essential Islamic doctrine often misrepresented and misunderstood, particularly in contemporary discourse. Jihad has a well-defined framework in Islamic law but insurgent groups such as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lida’awati wal Jihad in Nigeria, popularly known as Boko-Haram, claim to act under its banner. The situation raises concerns about the distortion of Jihad and subsequent conflation with insurgency. Therefore, this study aimed to critically examine the principles of Jihad under Islamic law and determine the possible connection to the activities of Boko-Haram. The analysis of misconceptions surrounding Jihad was to clarify its distinction from insurgency. This was achieved through the adoption of a qualitative method to analyze the classical and contemporary Islamic legal texts in order to establish the parameters of Jihad. Moreover, the principles were compared with the actions of Boko-Haram to determine whether their claims could be substantiated in Islamic jurisprudence. The results showed that the activities of Boko-Haram were not in line with the principles of Jihad as prescribed in Islamic law. However, their actions reflected the characteristics of insurgency which negated the ethical and legal framework of Jihad rooted in justice, equity, and moral conduct. This study contributed to the discourse on Jihad by systematically distinguishing the concept from insurgency through Islamic legal principles, offering a scholarly response to contemporary misinterpretations. The analysis further served as a foundation for future studies on religious misinterpretations in justifying violence and could also inform policy formulation, counter-radicalization tactics, and public awareness initiatives.https://journal.uin-alauddin.ac.id/index.php/mjpm/article/view/55536boko-haraminsurgencyislamic lawjihadmisinterpretation
spellingShingle Ismael Funsho Yusuph
Taofeeq Abolaji Abdulraheem
Abdurrozaq Opeyemi Abdulazeez
Decoupling Jihad from Boko-Haram Insurgency
Mazahibuna: Jurnal Perbandingan Mazhab
boko-haram
insurgency
islamic law
jihad
misinterpretation
title Decoupling Jihad from Boko-Haram Insurgency
title_full Decoupling Jihad from Boko-Haram Insurgency
title_fullStr Decoupling Jihad from Boko-Haram Insurgency
title_full_unstemmed Decoupling Jihad from Boko-Haram Insurgency
title_short Decoupling Jihad from Boko-Haram Insurgency
title_sort decoupling jihad from boko haram insurgency
topic boko-haram
insurgency
islamic law
jihad
misinterpretation
url https://journal.uin-alauddin.ac.id/index.php/mjpm/article/view/55536
work_keys_str_mv AT ismaelfunshoyusuph decouplingjihadfrombokoharaminsurgency
AT taofeeqabolajiabdulraheem decouplingjihadfrombokoharaminsurgency
AT abdurrozaqopeyemiabdulazeez decouplingjihadfrombokoharaminsurgency