Jihad in the form of a military action is a last resort set within the limits of the Qur'an (2:190) and the practice of the Prophet Muhammad. Peaceful solutions to disputes are preferred over military ones. Muslims should never be the aggressors. In the event of unavoidable war, every opportunity to end the war must be pursued. War is only justified in defence of the country and freedoms (22:39-40, 60:8). The Qur'an directs, "But if the enemy inclines towards peace, then you must also incline towards peace" (8:61). The aim of military action is to end an aggression and to remove the reason for warfare, not to crush or totally annihilate the enemy. The following rules must be adhered to in military warfare:

• War can only be declared by nations, not by individuals.
• Jihad cannot include offensive action or war for personal ambition or nationalistic or ethnic disputes.
• Muslims cannot wage war on nations that have no hostility towards them.
• They cannot engage in indiscriminate killing and pillage.
• Women, children or the elderly cannot be deliberately killed in war.
• Corpses cannot be mutilated in a battle.
• There is to be no torture of prisoners of war.
• Land and crops cannot be destroyed.

Today, the concept of jihad in Islam has been one of the most misused and misunderstood concepts. It is quite clear that the concept of jihad has a very wide scope in Islam and includes personal struggle, intellectual endeavour, social construction and, when necessary, military defence. Unfortunately, a few individuals willingly or unwillingly have reduced this very important concept in justification of their deplorable actions. Some political leaders in countries with prominent Muslim populations have wrongly exploited the word jihad to meet their political ends and to gain public support. The global media has jumped on this opportunity in order to sell 'sensationalism' and controversy ignoring the explanations and clarifications of Muslim intellectuals.