We heard this term so many times in the last week. One of the main hijacker Mohammed Atta said to his family before he went on this rampage, "I will be a martyr and go to heaven." But how sad it is that in his ignorance he headed straight towards eternal hell. No one can go to heaven by killing others.

JIHAD
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We heard this term so many times in the last week. One of the main hijacker Mohammed Atta said to his family before he went on this rampage, "I will be a martyr and go to heaven." But how sad it is that in his ignorance he headed straight towards eternal hell. No one can go to heaven by killing others. When Jesus was crucified, on the cross He said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." ( Luke 23:34)

Yes, having no knowledge of what they are doing and devoid of true understanding many are heading towards hell fire. They are blinded by the devil and they really do not know what they are doing.

Actually what is Jihad? What does it mean? Let me try to answer these questions. "Jihad" is an Arabic word that means "Struggle". Muslims are called to struggle for Allah or to spread
Islam no matter what it costs. By this I do not try to imply that all the Muslims are violent people. They are regular human beings and most of the time they live normal life. But Islam religion or
Quran teaches about "Jihad" or "Holy War" which makes them violent. "Jihad" is considered to be the most important religious act in Islam. Not only Quran but also Hadith says about this "Holy War" and expounds its benefits like getting directly into
heaven etc.

Here are a few Quranic verses:
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Al-Anfal (Spoils of War)
Sura 8:60 Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of Allah and your enemies, and others
besides, whom ye may not know, but whom Allah doth know. Whatever ye shall spend in the cause of Allah, shall be repaid unto you, and ye shall not be treated unjustly.

At-Tauba (The Repentance)
Sura 9:14 Fight them, and Allah will punish them by your hands, cover them with shame, help you (to victory) over them, heal the breasts of Believers,

So we can see that permission is given by Allah to kill those who are unbelievers or those who do not follow Allah while Bible condemns these types of activities and warns people very clearly
that by living in sin they cannot enter into heaven. Bible says in Galatians 5:19-21, "Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and
the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom
of God."

Jesus speaking about devil as thief in John 10:10, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more
abundantly."

Yes, destruction, murder, killing, stealing, hate etc. comes from devil, it is not from God. God wants us to live eternally but devil wants us to be killed and destroyed. He wants to steal our
blessings. But on the other hand God wants to see us blessed and live forever as the Bible says in Ezekiel 18:23, "Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?" says the Lord GOD,
"and not that he should turn from his ways and live?" That was the reason why Moses said in Deuteronomy 30:19, "I call heaven and
earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live."

Yes, Jesus Himself came to give us eternal life. He died on our behalf so that we may come out of our sins and live a holy life. My friend, Jihad is not the answer to go to heaven but if we want to
go to heaven there is only one condition i.e. our sins must be forgiven. And only God can forgive our sins. Come to Jesus and accept Him as your Lord and Savior and He will give you eternal
life. Bible says in John 3:15-16, "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have everlasting life."