The Idea
This claim holds that jihad in modern Islamic history is no longer a spiritual or moral concept, as some readers imagine it to be, but has become a tool of interpretation and mobilization in political and social conflicts. It suggests that it is used to identify the enemy within society as well as outside it, so that it turns into a discourse of confrontation rather than a call to self-discipline or to reform reality.
Concise Formulation
Jihad in modern Islamic history: has become: an ideology of struggle against the inside
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This claim appears within the book’s argument, which tracks the transformations of religious concepts when they enter modern history and are loaded with new functions. The point is not to judge religion, but to show how religious language changes when it is used in the political sphere. Jihad thus becomes an example of the passage of a concept from its original horizon to the arena of modern conflict.
Why It Matters
The importance of this claim lies in the fact that it reveals Arkoun’s way of reading Islamic concepts within their social history rather than within rigid definitions. It also helps explain how major words turn into instruments of conflict when they are detached from their original conditions. It further shows that his critique is directed at historical uses, not at the sacred itself.
Brief Evidence
This claim holds that jihad in modern Islamic history is no longer a spiritual or moral concept, but has become a tool of interpretation and mobilization in political and social conflicts. It suggests that it is used to identify the enemy within society as well as outside it. In this way, it becomes a discourse of confrontation rather than a call to self-discipline or to reform reality.
Reading Questions
- How does the meaning of jihad change when it enters modern political conflict?
- Does the text describe jihad as a religious concept or as a historical use of the concept?
Degree of Documentation
High: the claim appears in a clear location in the book’s material.