---
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title: "Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward"
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---

# Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward

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## Description

From New York Times bestselling author of Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus Nabeel Qureshi—a former Muslim—comes his deeply personal, challenging, and respectful answer book to the many questions surrounding jihad, the rise of ISIS, and Islamic terrorism. San Bernardino was the most lethal terror attack on American soil since 9/11, and it came on the heels of a coordinated assault on Paris. There is no question that innocents were slaughtered in the name of Allah and in the way of jihad (meaning warfare against the enemies of Islam, in this case). But do the terrorists' actions actually reflect the broader religion of Islam? The answer to this question is more pressing than ever, as many Muslim refugees are still migrating to the West, seeking shelter from the violent ideologies of ISIS, Al-Qaida, and other radical Islamic groups. Setting aside speculations and competing voices, Qureshi explores the answers to difficult questions like: What is Islam, and is it a religion of peace or violence? Is there a clear definition and doctrine of jihad? How are we to understand jihad and radical expressions of Islam in relation to our Muslim neighbors and friends? Why is there such a surge of Islamist terrorism in the world today, and how should we respond? How does jihad compare with Old Testament calls to warfare? In Answering Jihad , bestselling author Nabeel Qureshi answers these urgent questions from the perspective of a former Muslim who is deeply concerned for both his Muslim family and his American homeland.

Review: Insightful answers to key questions about Islam and jihad. - This repeat performance by the author of the NYT bestseller “Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus” deserves a place in the religion section of every library, public and private. Organized around eighteen vital questions, this relatively brief (173 pp.) discussion of jihad and related topics is intended for the lay reader. The research is thorough, and the writing is clear, concise, and compassionate. “Answering Jihad” addresses a potentially volatile topic with understanding and a surprising degree of objectivity. Books on religion are inevitably prone to bias, and their authors tend to fall into three categories: (1) some deny being biased, which is either disingenuous or demonstrates lack of self-knowledge; (2) some acknowledge possible bias and leave it to the reader to discern the specifics; (3) a minority admit to and describe the bias present in their work, equipping the reader with a baseline from which to judge the accuracy of the author’s perspective. Qureshi is in the last category, admitting a pro-Christian view, while encouraging non-Muslims to separate criticism of Islam from rejection of Muslims. In the author’s words, “Islam is not Muslims, and one can criticize Islam while affirming and loving Muslims.” Islam is often, particularly in western media and politics, described as a religion of peace. This is an assertion hotly debated across many venues, and the author’s own experience provides an example regarding this aspect of Islam. As a young Muslim raised in the United States, Qureshi came from a family that was both patriotic and peace loving. Like most Muslims in the West, “my understanding of the Qur’an was limited to what I had been taught by the elders in my community” -- a peaceful interpretation of the religion. This is common primarily because “... the vast majority of Muslims inherit their understanding of Islam and have not investigated the foundations of Islam for themselves.” If Imams and other local leaders teach that Islam is a peaceful religion, mosque attendees, usually not fluent in the Arabic of Qur’an, tend to accept what they are told as the truth regarding their faith. The book contributes significantly toward an understanding of what is commonly termed “radical Islam,” and of the disparity between the beliefs of most western Muslims and so-called radicals. Based on the Islamic canon, the Qur’an and the hadith, the author concludes that groups such as Al-Qaida, Boko Haram, and ISIS are in fact following the ‘true’ literal teachings of the faith. More liberal and peace-loving Muslims, by contrast, hold to a less literal and often less informed version of Islam. However, in order to adhere to a peaceful version of the faith, Muslims must “... either ignore or reinvent whole swaths of Islamic history and thirteen centuries of Islamic tradition to dissociate themselves from violent Islam.” The ultimate contrast to the violent Islam of past and present Islamists is the forgiveness and love taught and modeled by Jesus Christ, summarized as follows: “The final marching order of Islam is jihad. The final marching orders of Christians are grace and love.” The book includes four appendixes, including a timeline of jihad and a collection of Muhammad’s sayings on the subject, taken from a popular edition of the hadith. One of the appendixes is a seven page explanation of the author’s (former) sect of Islam, the Ahmadiyyat. Although one could argue this portion of the book will be of limited interest to many readers, and therefore unwarranted, its inclusion is justified in light of the proclivity of various branches of Islam to label others as non-Muslims and heretics. The defense of the Ahmadis is, therefore, necessary to substantiate the author’s background as a true Muslim. Readers can expect to be enlightened and challenged by the discussion of questions such as “What is Sharia?”, “Was Islam spread by the sword?”, Does Islam need a reformation?”, Why are Muslims being radicalized?”, and “Do Muslims and Christians worship the same God?”. I strongly recommend this latest work by a well-respected and popular author to all whose world and life may be impacted by Islam and Islamists, and particularly to those who tend to either defend Islam against any type of criticism, or to view all Muslims through the negative lens of violent Islamism.
Review: Well written and insightful - Author Nabeel Qureshi is a former Muslim, now a Christian, and author of three books Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity, and No God But One: Allah or Jesus and the work under review. He holds an MD from Eastern Virginia Medical School, an MA in Christian apologetics from Biola University, an MA in Religion from Duke University, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in New Testament Studies at Oxford University. Qureshi is also an itinerant speaker for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. His desire in writing this book is encourage people to think carefully about Islam, responding without naiveté or undue fear. Synopsis Answering Jihad is organized into three categories, in which Qureshi answers the 18 most common questions he is asked regarding Islam and Christianity. Part 1 gives an introduction and historic overview of the concept of jihad. Part 2 addresses the practice of jihad today, and Part 3 deals with the differences between Islam and Christianity with respect to violence. The end of the book contains some appendices that explain more about Islam in general, as well as the particular sect to which Qureshi’s family belongs. Analysis In Part 1, Qureshi offers a compelling argument for the idea that those who practice violent forms of Islam are far more consistent with the teachings of the authoritative, foundational documents and the actions of the founder of Islam. He shows from historical context, as well as the documents themselves, that jihad is properly understood as violent warfare. In Part 2, Qureshi explores the resurgence of jihad in modern times. His explanation of how moderate Muslims receive their traditions, which is far different from the Protestant tradition of Sola Scriptura. For Muslims, their Imams carry far more authority than an equivalent leader in Christianity. Therefore, if the Imams are teaching Islam as peaceful, then Islam is peaceful. This is especially helpful in light of claims made by some that all peaceful Muslims are merely employing Taqiya, or deception. However, with the advent of the Internet, Muslims have unprecedented access to their foundational documents, the Quran and the Hadiths, which teach a more aggressive Islam. Qureshi notes that exposure to these documents leads to a crisis of faith for these Muslims. They must choose apostasy, violence, or to live in cognitive dissonance. In Part 3, Qureshi responds to questions and challenges about the seeming similarities and differences between Islam and Christianity. Here he does a good job of differentiating jihad from Old Testament warfare. I thought, however, he could have done a little more research into Jesus’ teaching on “turning the other cheek.” Qureshi claims this is an injunction against even self-defense. However, as J. Warner Wallace points out, “When Jesus told His followers to “turn the other cheek,” He was referring to personal retaliation rather than to responses related to criminal offenses or actions related to military force.” Wallace’s comment was in response to the idea that “turn the other cheek” was a command to be pacifist, but I think it can be applied to self-defense, though not retaliation. One other issue I would take would be with Qureshi’s response to the Crusades and the reports of the taking of Jerusalem. As Rodney Stark points out, “the commonly applied ‘rule of war’ concerning siege warfare was that if a city did not surrender before forcing attackers to take the city by storm (which inevitably caused a very high rate of casualties in the besieging force), the inhabitants could expect to be massacred as an example to others in the future.” (God’s Battalions, 168.) This is not to argue that Christians are to behave this way, but to expect Christians sent to war in medieval times and expecting them to conduct themselves by modern standards is unrealistic. That simply was how wars were fought. It was not a uniquely “Christian” practice. Qureshi concludes by reminding us that we need to realistic in our view of Islam, while charitable toward Muslims. If we wait until our Muslim neighbors reach that “three-pronged fork in the road” to reach out to them, it may be too late. This point cannot be overemphasized. As Christians, we need to see Muslims as people for whom Christ died. Recommendation Despite my nit picking, I highly recommend this book. It is accessible for anyone from late middle school and meaty enough for a graduate student. It is a must read for anyone hoping to have a meaningful interaction with their Muslim neighbors.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #133,241 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #13 in Islamic Social Studies #14 in Islamic Theology (Books) #84 in Comparative Religion (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.8 out of 5 stars 908 Reviews |

## Images

![Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81raHVuUo9L.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Insightful answers to key questions about Islam and jihad.
*by A***R on March 8, 2016*

This repeat performance by the author of the NYT bestseller “Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus” deserves a place in the religion section of every library, public and private. Organized around eighteen vital questions, this relatively brief (173 pp.) discussion of jihad and related topics is intended for the lay reader. The research is thorough, and the writing is clear, concise, and compassionate. “Answering Jihad” addresses a potentially volatile topic with understanding and a surprising degree of objectivity. Books on religion are inevitably prone to bias, and their authors tend to fall into three categories: (1) some deny being biased, which is either disingenuous or demonstrates lack of self-knowledge; (2) some acknowledge possible bias and leave it to the reader to discern the specifics; (3) a minority admit to and describe the bias present in their work, equipping the reader with a baseline from which to judge the accuracy of the author’s perspective. Qureshi is in the last category, admitting a pro-Christian view, while encouraging non-Muslims to separate criticism of Islam from rejection of Muslims. In the author’s words, “Islam is not Muslims, and one can criticize Islam while affirming and loving Muslims.” Islam is often, particularly in western media and politics, described as a religion of peace. This is an assertion hotly debated across many venues, and the author’s own experience provides an example regarding this aspect of Islam. As a young Muslim raised in the United States, Qureshi came from a family that was both patriotic and peace loving. Like most Muslims in the West, “my understanding of the Qur’an was limited to what I had been taught by the elders in my community” -- a peaceful interpretation of the religion. This is common primarily because “... the vast majority of Muslims inherit their understanding of Islam and have not investigated the foundations of Islam for themselves.” If Imams and other local leaders teach that Islam is a peaceful religion, mosque attendees, usually not fluent in the Arabic of Qur’an, tend to accept what they are told as the truth regarding their faith. The book contributes significantly toward an understanding of what is commonly termed “radical Islam,” and of the disparity between the beliefs of most western Muslims and so-called radicals. Based on the Islamic canon, the Qur’an and the hadith, the author concludes that groups such as Al-Qaida, Boko Haram, and ISIS are in fact following the ‘true’ literal teachings of the faith. More liberal and peace-loving Muslims, by contrast, hold to a less literal and often less informed version of Islam. However, in order to adhere to a peaceful version of the faith, Muslims must “... either ignore or reinvent whole swaths of Islamic history and thirteen centuries of Islamic tradition to dissociate themselves from violent Islam.” The ultimate contrast to the violent Islam of past and present Islamists is the forgiveness and love taught and modeled by Jesus Christ, summarized as follows: “The final marching order of Islam is jihad. The final marching orders of Christians are grace and love.” The book includes four appendixes, including a timeline of jihad and a collection of Muhammad’s sayings on the subject, taken from a popular edition of the hadith. One of the appendixes is a seven page explanation of the author’s (former) sect of Islam, the Ahmadiyyat. Although one could argue this portion of the book will be of limited interest to many readers, and therefore unwarranted, its inclusion is justified in light of the proclivity of various branches of Islam to label others as non-Muslims and heretics. The defense of the Ahmadis is, therefore, necessary to substantiate the author’s background as a true Muslim. Readers can expect to be enlightened and challenged by the discussion of questions such as “What is Sharia?”, “Was Islam spread by the sword?”, Does Islam need a reformation?”, Why are Muslims being radicalized?”, and “Do Muslims and Christians worship the same God?”. I strongly recommend this latest work by a well-respected and popular author to all whose world and life may be impacted by Islam and Islamists, and particularly to those who tend to either defend Islam against any type of criticism, or to view all Muslims through the negative lens of violent Islamism.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Well written and insightful
*by D***E on March 14, 2016*

Author Nabeel Qureshi is a former Muslim, now a Christian, and author of three books Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity, and No God But One: Allah or Jesus and the work under review. He holds an MD from Eastern Virginia Medical School, an MA in Christian apologetics from Biola University, an MA in Religion from Duke University, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in New Testament Studies at Oxford University. Qureshi is also an itinerant speaker for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. His desire in writing this book is encourage people to think carefully about Islam, responding without naiveté or undue fear. Synopsis Answering Jihad is organized into three categories, in which Qureshi answers the 18 most common questions he is asked regarding Islam and Christianity. Part 1 gives an introduction and historic overview of the concept of jihad. Part 2 addresses the practice of jihad today, and Part 3 deals with the differences between Islam and Christianity with respect to violence. The end of the book contains some appendices that explain more about Islam in general, as well as the particular sect to which Qureshi’s family belongs. Analysis In Part 1, Qureshi offers a compelling argument for the idea that those who practice violent forms of Islam are far more consistent with the teachings of the authoritative, foundational documents and the actions of the founder of Islam. He shows from historical context, as well as the documents themselves, that jihad is properly understood as violent warfare. In Part 2, Qureshi explores the resurgence of jihad in modern times. His explanation of how moderate Muslims receive their traditions, which is far different from the Protestant tradition of Sola Scriptura. For Muslims, their Imams carry far more authority than an equivalent leader in Christianity. Therefore, if the Imams are teaching Islam as peaceful, then Islam is peaceful. This is especially helpful in light of claims made by some that all peaceful Muslims are merely employing Taqiya, or deception. However, with the advent of the Internet, Muslims have unprecedented access to their foundational documents, the Quran and the Hadiths, which teach a more aggressive Islam. Qureshi notes that exposure to these documents leads to a crisis of faith for these Muslims. They must choose apostasy, violence, or to live in cognitive dissonance. In Part 3, Qureshi responds to questions and challenges about the seeming similarities and differences between Islam and Christianity. Here he does a good job of differentiating jihad from Old Testament warfare. I thought, however, he could have done a little more research into Jesus’ teaching on “turning the other cheek.” Qureshi claims this is an injunction against even self-defense. However, as J. Warner Wallace points out, “When Jesus told His followers to “turn the other cheek,” He was referring to personal retaliation rather than to responses related to criminal offenses or actions related to military force.” Wallace’s comment was in response to the idea that “turn the other cheek” was a command to be pacifist, but I think it can be applied to self-defense, though not retaliation. One other issue I would take would be with Qureshi’s response to the Crusades and the reports of the taking of Jerusalem. As Rodney Stark points out, “the commonly applied ‘rule of war’ concerning siege warfare was that if a city did not surrender before forcing attackers to take the city by storm (which inevitably caused a very high rate of casualties in the besieging force), the inhabitants could expect to be massacred as an example to others in the future.” (God’s Battalions, 168.) This is not to argue that Christians are to behave this way, but to expect Christians sent to war in medieval times and expecting them to conduct themselves by modern standards is unrealistic. That simply was how wars were fought. It was not a uniquely “Christian” practice. Qureshi concludes by reminding us that we need to realistic in our view of Islam, while charitable toward Muslims. If we wait until our Muslim neighbors reach that “three-pronged fork in the road” to reach out to them, it may be too late. This point cannot be overemphasized. As Christians, we need to see Muslims as people for whom Christ died. Recommendation Despite my nit picking, I highly recommend this book. It is accessible for anyone from late middle school and meaty enough for a graduate student. It is a must read for anyone hoping to have a meaningful interaction with their Muslim neighbors.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Better Way Forward
*by L***P on March 11, 2016*

Nabeel Qureshi's book, Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward, is timely and relevant to our culture today, beginning with the origins of jihad and asking questions like "is Islam a religion of peace?" and "what is jihad?" He then moves forward to help us understand jihad today, discussing what radical Islam is and who Al-Qaida, ISIS and Boko Haram are. This book was respectfully and compassionately written by Nabeel after being raised in a devout American-Muslim family and experiencing 9-11. This tragic day made him question and seek the truth from Islam's original source texts, the Quran and Hadith, about what Islam taught regarding jihad. Nabeel helps us wrestle with questions like "Who are the true Muslims - violent or peaceful Muslims?" and "do Muslims and Christians worship the same god?" Jihad is also explored in a Judeo-Christian context. All the while we see Nabeel's respect for humanity, which is refreshing and necessary when exploring a topic like this. I appreciate that while Nabeel is very well educated (degrees in medicine from Eastern Virginia Medical School, Christian apologetics from Biola University, and religion from Duke University, while currently pursuing a doctorate in New Testament studies at Oxford University) and respected (he has lectured at over 100 universities and participated in 18 public debates around the world), he has made this book very readable. Not only is the book understandable but it is organized in an easy-to-read way. Each chapter addresses a specific question - eighteen in all - and by the end you come away with a much better grasp of Islam like no other source I have seen. The back of the book has a glossary as well as four appendixes which aids in comprehension and allows you to dig deeper into the topics explored. This book is a must read for people seeking to better understand Islam. I do wish parts of his book were expanded to more fully cover a topic, but then this book was not meant to be an in depth review of every topic covered.

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