Interrelated Meanings of Khalifa and Jihad in the Quran
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While it may seem on the surface as though khalifa and jihad have nothing to do with each other, in the Qur'an they are inextricably linked. According to the Qur'an, a khalifa is a deputy of Allah, sent to create a moral social order on earth. The meaning of jihad is literally "the struggle," but not in the way of terrorism as people today tend to associate it. The Qur'an explains jihad to be a total endeavor, a struggle for the cause; the cause being acts such as prayer, fasting, charitable donations, honesty and compassion. The only time it is acceptable to actually fight for the cause is when under attack, but as soon as the aggressors have stopped, the Qur'an orders that fighting must cease. While these are components of jihad, the greater jihad, or the greater struggle is in daily life, to be active participant in the type of Islamic society that the Qur'an lays out.
The khalifa, as deputy, attempting to create a moral and social order on Earth, must engage in jihad to accomplish this goal. Humans have been given an eternal challenge of a continuous moral struggle, and therefore an unceasing jihad. This struggle stems from the creation of Adam, whom Allah created from the clay, in order to establish His kingdom on earth. From the beginning it was known that humans, as opposed to angels who would only glorify Allah, would cause trouble and blood shed...