In Nigeria, where jihad terror attacks happen daily, Islamic scholar claims ‘terrorism not part of Islam’

Dr Nurudeen Abdulkareem cited Qur’an 2:190, “which permits fighting only against aggressors and expressly forbids transgression, stressing that Islam does not allow individuals or non-state actors to declare war.”

Qur’an 2:190 says: “Fight for the sake of Allah against those who fight against you, but do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not love transgressors.”

This passage is often invoked today to show that jihad can only be defensive. Unfortunately, however, the words “do not transgress,” which Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall translates as “begin not hostilities” and that Islamic apologists often invoke today to show that jihad can only be defensive, don’t necessarily mean what many Westerners assume or hope they mean. The Islamic apologist and Qur’an scholar Muhammad Asad enunciates a common view, and a quite popular one in the Western world, when he says that “this and the following verses lay down unequivocally that only self-defence (in the widest sense of the word) makes war permissible for Muslims.” However, the Tafsir al-Jalalayn says that this verse “was abrogated by Surat at-Tawba [sura 9, which contains numerous exhortations to jihad warfare] or by Allah’s words in the following ayat,” which is one of the Qur’an’s four exhortations to “kill them wherever you find them” (the others are at 4:89, 4:91 and 9:5).

Meanwhile, how did people ever have arrived at “the persistent misrepresentation of jihad as terrorism”? Could it have been because of passages such as these?

“When your Lord inspired the angels, I am with you. So make those who believe stand firm. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Then strike the necks and strike their fingertips.” (Qur’an 8:12)

“We will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve because they ascribe partners to Allah, for which no justification has been revealed. Their dwelling is the fire, and wretched is the dwelling place of the wrongdoers.” (Qur’an 3:151)

“And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from where they drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter. And do not fight with them at the sacred mosque until they first attack you there, but if they attack you, then kill them. This is the reward of unbelievers. But if they stop, then indeed, Allah is forgiving, merciful. And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah. But if they stop, then let there be no hostility except against wrong­ doers.” (Qur’an 2:191-193)

“They wish that you would disbelieve even as they disbelieve, that you may be on the same level. So do not choose friends from them until they migrate in the way of Allah, if they turn back, then take them and kill them wherever you find them, and choose no friend or helper from among them, except those who seek refuge with a people with whom you have a covenant, or come to you because their hearts forbid them to make war on you or make war on their own people. If Allah had willed, he could have given them power over you, so that assuredly they would have fought you. So if they remain aloof from you and do not wage war against you and offer you peace, Allah allows you no way against them. You will find others who want security from you, and security from their own people. As often as they are returned to hostility, they are plunged into it. If they do not keep aloof from you or offer you peace, or hold off their hands, then take them and kill them wherever you find them. Against such people we have given you clear justification.” (Qur’an 4:89)

“The only reward for those who make war upon Allah and his messenger and struggle to sow corruption on earth will be that they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet cut off on opposite sides, or be expelled from the land. Such will be their degradation in this world, and in the hereafter, theirs will be an awful doom.” (Qur’an 5:33)

“And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is all for Allah. But if they stop, then indeed, Allah is the seer of what they do.” (Qur’an 8:39)

“Then, when the sacred months have passed, kill the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them, and besiege them, and prepare for them every ambush. But if they repent and establish prayer and give alms, then leave their way free. Indeed, Allah is forgiving, merciful.” (Qur’an 9:5)

“Fight against those who do not believe in Allah or the last day, and do not forbid what Allah and his messenger have forbidden, and do not follow the religion of truth, even if they are among the people of the book, until they pay the jizya with willing submission and feel themselves subdued.” (Qur’an 9:29)

“Indeed, Allah has bought from the believers their lives and their wealth, because the garden will be theirs, they will fight in the way of Allah and will kill and be killed. It is a promise that is binding on him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur’an. Who fulfills his covenant better than Allah? Rejoice then in your bargain that you have made, for that is the supreme triumph.” (Qur’an 9:111)

“O you who believe, fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you, and let them find harshness in you, and know that Allah is with those who keep their duty.” (Qur’an 9:123)

“Now when you meet the unbelievers, strike the necks until, when you have subdued them, then make fast the bonds, and afterward either generosity or ransom until the war lays down its burdens. That, and if Allah willed, he could have punished them, but so that he may test some of you by means of others. And those who have been killed in the way of Allah, he does not make their actions useless.” (Qur’an 47:4)

“Terrorism has no place in Islam, Abdulkareem says at the Vanguard Ramadan lecture,” by Ishola Balogun, Vanguard, March 4, 2026:

Islamic Scholar, Dr Nurudeen Abdulkareem, has said that the evil acts of terrorism as seen in some parts of the country are completely incompatible with Islamic teachings and modern international law.

Speaking at the maiden Ramadan lecture on the topic: “Terrorism not part of Islam” organised by the Vanguard Newspaper Muslim Ummah held at its headquarters, Lagos yesterday, Dr. Abdulkareem explained that Islam places strict ethical and legal restraints on the use of force and does not permit violence outside clearly defined moral and legal boundaries….

Dr. Abdulkareem noted that one of the major drivers of global misunderstanding about Islam is the persistent misrepresentation of jihad as terrorism. He clarified that jihad linguistically means “to strive” or “to exert effort in the path of God,” and primarily refers to spiritual and moral self-discipline.

According to him, what Islamic scholars describe as the greater jihad is the inner struggle against moral weakness, injustice and sin, while armed struggle, known as the lesser jihad, is permitted only under strict conditions such as self-defence, resistance to aggression and protection of the oppressed.

He cited Qur’an 2:190, which permits fighting only against aggressors and expressly forbids transgression, stressing that Islam does not allow individuals or non-state actors to declare war….