The British Government and Jihad — Page v
PUBLISHER'S NOTE A Government Angreizi aur Jihad is an Urdu booklet written in 1900 by Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, the Promised Messiah and the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamāʻat. In this booklet, he refers to the Holy Qur'an and the ahādīth (sayings) of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa in order to explain the true nature of the Islamic concept of jihad. The author points to the peaceful nature of the Islamic faith and explains that Muslims resorted to defensive war early in their faith's history only after suffering thirteen years of brutal oppression. Divine permission to retaliate was granted for the specific purpose of self-defense, to punish aggressors, and to uphold freedom of conscience. We are grateful to Tayyba Seema Ahmed and Dr. Lutfur Rahman for their earlier translations. The revised version was prepared by the Translation Team, headed by Munawar Ahmed Saeed, under the direction of Vakālat-e-Tasnif London. Impor- tant contributions were made by Ahmed Muneeb Saeed, Hanānah Zaheer, 'Abdul-Wahāb Mirzā, Fouzān Pāl, and Karīmullāh Zīrvī. May Allah bless them all. Amin. Munir-ud-Din Shams Additional Vakil-ut-Tasnif London, March, 2006