10. It is admitted by all lexicologists, commentators, and jurisconsults that Jihád in classical Arabic means to labour, strive earnestly, and that the change of its meaning or the technical signification occurred only in the post-classical period, i.e., long after the publication of the Koran. It is obviously improper, therefore, to apply the post-classical meaning of the word where it occurs in the Koran. This fact is further admitted by all the Mohammadan commentators and English translators of the Koran, who render the word in its original and literal meaning in all the Meccan and in the early Medinite Suras or Chapters of the Koran.[328]
It is only in a few of the latest chapters of the Koran published at later dates at Medina, that they (the commentators and translators) deviate from the original meaning, and prefer the subsequent unclassical and technical signification of waging war or crusade.
All verses of the Koran containing the word Jihád and its derivation quoted and explained.
11. I herein place in juxtaposition the several English translations of the word "Jihád," together with its etymological derivation and several grammatical forms, to show, in the first place, that Mr. George Sale and the Rev. J.M. Rodwell and other European authors generally give the literal, original, and classical meaning; and in the second place, to show how they differ in giving various meanings, literal and technical, in some passages to the same word in the same verses.
It will be observed from a perusal of the statement, that the Rev. Mr. Rodwell, M.A., is more correct than the earliest English translator of the Koran, Mr. George Sale, and the latest, Mr. W.H. Palmer. The latter is the most unsatisfactory of all in this respect, as everywhere, except in six places—XXIX, 7; V, 39, 59; IV, 97; and IX, 74, 89—he translates Jihád as meaning fighting—a circumstance which not unnaturally leads to the supposition that he had paid but slight heed to the context.
| Serial No. | No. of the
Chapter and
the Verse of
the Koran. | Original Words. | English Translations. |
|---|
| George Sale's Translation. | Rev. Rodwell's Translation. | Henry Palmer's Translation. |
|---|
| 1 | XXXI. 14 | "Jáhadáka" | "Strive" | "Endeavour to prevail" | "Strive." |
| 2 | XXV. 54 | "Jáhid," "Jihádan." | "Oppose them herewith with strong opposition." | "By means of the Koran strive against them with a mighty strife." | "Fight strenuously; strenuous fight." |
| 3 | XXII. 77 | "Jáhidoo" | "Fight in the defence of God's religion." | "Do valiantly" | "Fight strenuously." |
| 4 | XVI. 111 | "Jáhadoo" | "Have since sought in the defence of the true religion." | "Fought" | "Fought strenuously." |
| 5 | XXIX. 5 | "Jáhada" | "Striveth" | "Maketh efforts" | "Fight strenuously; fight strenuously." |
| 6 | XXIX. 7 | "Jáhadáka" | "Endeavour" | "Strive" | "Strive." |
| 7 | XXIX. 69 | "Jáhadoo" | "Utmost endeavour" | "Made efforts" | "Fight strenuously." |
| 8 | XVI. 40 | "Jahd" | "Most solemnly" | "Most sacred" | "Most strenuous." |
| 9 | XXXV. 40 | "Jahd" | "Most solemn" | "Mightiest" | "Most strenuous." |
| 10 | II. 215 | "Jáhadoo" | "Fight in God's cause" | "Fight" | "Wage war." |
| 11 | III. 136 | "Jáhadoo" | "Those who fought strenuously." | "Did valiantly" | "Fought well." |
| 12 | VIII. 73 | "Jáhadoo be-am-
walhim-w-anfosa-him." | "Employed their substance and their persons in fight for the religion of God." | "Spent their substance and themselves for the cause of God." | "Fought strenuously with their wealth and person." |
| 13 | VIII. 75 | "Jáhadoo" | "Have fought for God's true religion." | "Fought" | "Fought strenuously." |
| 14 | VIII. 76 | "Jáhadoo" | "Have fought with you." | "Fought" | "Fought strenuously." |
| 15 | VI. 109 | "Jahd" | "Most solemn" | "Most binding" | "Most strenuous" |
| 16 | XLVII. 33 | "Mojáhidína" | "Who fight valiantly" | "Valiant" | "Fought strenuously." |
| 17 | LXI. 11 | "Jáhidoo" | "Defend God's true religion with your substance and in your person." | "Do valiantly" | "To fight strenuously." |
| 18 | IV. 97 | 1st. "Mojáhidína" | 1st. "Those who employ their fortune and their persons for the religion of God." | 1. "Defend God's true religion valiantly." | 1. "Strenuous." |
| | 2nd. "Mojáhidina." | 2nd. "Those who employ their fortune and persons." | 2. "Contend earnestly." | 2. "Strenuous." |
| | 3rd. "Mojáhidina." | 3rd. "Those who fight" | 3. "Strenuous" | 3. "Strenuous." |
| 19 | XXIV. 52 | "Jahd" | "Most solemn" | "Most solemn" | "Most strenuous." |
| 20 | LXVI. 9 | "Jáhid" | "Attack the hypocrites with arguments." | "Make war" | "Fight strenuously." |
| 21 | IX. 74 | "Jáhid" | "Wage war" | "Contend" | "Strive strenuously." |
| 22 | LXI. 1 | "Jihadan" | "To fight in the defence of my religion." | "To fight" | "Fighting strenuously." |
| 23 | XLIX. 5 | "Jáhadoo" | "Who employ their substance and their person in the defence of God's true religion." | "Contend with their substance and their person." | "Fight strenuously with their wealth and their persons." |
| 24 | IX. 16 | "Jáhadoo" | "Those among you who sought for his religion." | "Valiantly" | "Fought strenuously." |
| 25 | IX. 19 | "Jáhada" | "Fighteth" | "Fighteth" | "Strenuous." |
| 26 | IX. 20 | "Jáhadoo" | "Fought for his religion." | "Do valiantly" | "Fought strenuously." |
| 27 | IX. 24 | "Jihádan" | "Advancement" | "Efforts" | "Fighting strenuously." |
| 28 | IX. 41 | "Jáhidoo" | "Employ your substance and your person for the advancement of God's religion." | "Contend with your substance and with your person." | "Fight strenuously with your wealth and your persons." |
| 29 | IX. 44 | "Yojáhidoo" | "Employing their substance and their persons for the advancement of God's true religion." | "Contending with your substance and your person." | "Fighting strenuously." |
| 30 | IX. 82 | "Yojáhidoo" | "Employ their substance and their persons for the advancement of God's true religion." | "Contending with their riches and their persons." | "Fighting strenuously with their wealth and their persons." |
| 31 | IX. 87 | "Jáhidoo" | "Go forth to war" | "Contend" | "Fight strenuously." |
| 32 | IX. 89 | "Jáhidoo" | "Expose their fortunes and their lives." | "Contend with purse and persons." | "Strenuous with their wealth and with their person." |
| 33 | V. 39 | "Jáhidoo" | "Fight for his religion." | "Contend earnestly" | "Be strenuous." |
| 34 | V. 58 | "Jáhd" | "Most firm" | "Most solemn" | "Most strenuous." |
| 35 | V. 59 | "Yojahidoona" | "They shall fight for the religion of God." | "Will they contend" | "Strenuous." |
12. The above verses quoted with remarks. I will now proceed to give a correct translation of all the verses of the Koran referred to above, in the chronological order of the chapters of the Koran as far as it is ascertained together with my observations and remarks on them, and quotations from Mohammadan commentators when necessary.
I.—THE MECCAN SURAS.