Differences Between Muslim, Islamist, Islamic And Jihadist
The recent and terrible attacks perpetrated in Barcelona on August 17 by a group of young people with Mohammedan religious beliefs (Islam), have shaken the old hornet’s nest of Islamophobia. This can be seen, among other things, in that despite the fact that many people express strong opinions about what believers in this religion are like and how they act, the confusion about what they are and how they act remains even more radical and widespread. how to call people willing to kill in the name of Islam
Some linguists, communication specialists and even sociologists insist on the importance of knowing how to differentiate between the terms used in this area, such as “jihadist”, “Muslim”, “Islamic or Islamist group”, sometimes used interchangeably to refer to the authors of the events. There is no unanimous agreement on how the group in question should be referred to.
To clarify these doubts, below we will see the differences between Muslim, jihadist, Islamist and Islamic
To briefly contextualize the topic that we will discuss in this article, it is necessary to make an introductory approach to what it is. the religion of Islam, which has 1.6 billion followers around the globe especially in the area of the Arabian Peninsula (which is where it was founded), passing through the Middle East, North Africa and with increasing influence on the European continent.
The Islam It is a monotheistic, Abrahamic and Semitic religion that was founded in 622 AD in modern-day Saudi Arabia by the prophet Muhammad, who according to his sacred writings was chosen by God to spread and verbalize his message (since Muhammad was illiterate). These messages were sent through the archangel Gabriel (Jibril in Arabic). The typical premise of Islam is that “There is no one but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.”
Quite contrary to what is usually argued, Islam recognizes Christianity and Judaism as twin religions, as well as its prophets such as Moses, Jesus, Solomon, Abraham or Adam, among others. The only differences in habits and customs properly linked to religion reside in some differentiating practices: Muslims pray 5 times a day, fast once a year for a month, do not eat pork or drink alcohol.
After the Quran, the Muhammadan teachings and actions are the writings (hadiths) that are obligatory for practitioners of Islam to follow. They reflect the attitude of the prophet Muhammad such as morality, ethics and behavior with other human beings.
Islamist, Muslim, Islamic and jihadist: their differences
Let’s now see how to discern between the controversial concepts that are still being debated today. Below we will make a definition of each of them.
Muslim
The fact of being Muslim basically responds to every individual who firmly accepts and believes in Islam as the ultimate religion, pronouncing the phrase “I attest that there is no God but God, and I attest that Muhammad is the messenger of God.” This recital is called “shahada” (profession of faith). Anyone who does not pronounce this phrase will not be considered a Muslim.
Islamist
Being an Islamist or following Islam, on the other hand, responds to a purely political condition. Consequently, the entire society must be governed by the beliefs of “sharia” these are the commandments of God, and this should directly interfere in people’s lives, conditioning their habits, customs and ideas.
In this sense, any type of foreign or foreign influence on Islam is rejected, and any type of non-Muslim pretexts are not accepted. There are, therefore, Islamist political parties such as Hamas or Hezbollah.
The Islamic term responds to a complementary adjective. That is It means anything, territory, art, state or work that is closely related to the Muslim religion. Islamic states, for example, are those whose sole and official religion is Islam. The organizations, both official and not, have an Islamic character as well.
Jihadist
Here is the most controversial concept we have analyzed, and it often infuriates the world and Islamic scholars. It is said that the meaning of the word is “adulterated”, since jihadism is currently related to terrorism. This is, however, wrong.
The etymology of jihad is synonymous with effort, work, sacrifice in the name of God, but that under no circumstances is it related to violence. Islamic scholars reiterate that jihad corresponds to the fulfillment of the 5 pillars of Islam, and that over time it has taken on another character that leaves no one indifferent.
The interpretation of jihadist dates back to the times of the crusades, where it could be deduced, without confirmation, that the Mohammedan fighters devoted themselves to jihad to defeat the enemy. Some scholars and orientalists have determined 3 types of interpretation of jihad:
