‘Jihad is sacred, must be taught in schools’: JUH chief Madani sparks national storm | WATCH

Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind (JUH) president Maulana Mahmood Madani has asserted that the concept of ‘jihad’ is “sacred” in Islam and should be included in school education to help children understand its “true meaning”, arguing that the term has long been distorted and misused in public discourse.

Speaking to IANS in an exclusive interview on Wednesday, the JUH chief said “jihad is significant not just for Muslims, but for the whole nation”, and that misconceptions about it have been deliberately amplified.

Madani claimed that some individuals, including those “identifying themselves as followers of Sanatan Dharma and other faiths”, were intentionally trying to equate jihad with terrorism. “Attempts to ignite hostility against Islam and Muslims have intensified,” he alleged.

His comments come at a time of controversy over the arrest of the Al-Falah University chairman, following revelations that some of those accused in the Delhi blast were linked to the institution.

Madani has already been facing criticism for his recent remark in Bhopal: “Whenever injustice occurs, there will be jihad.” The statement triggered sharp reactions from political parties and citizens alike.

Clarifying his stance, the JUH president said the country must understand what jihad actually entails. “People should know the types of jihad, the circumstances under which it is undertaken, who can perform it and who cannot,” he said.

Calling it a sacred Islamic principle, he added: “If someone has a problem with Islam, they should say openly that they reject Islam and Muslims, then they may call jihad whatever they wish.”

Madani accused “a few individuals” of spreading misinformation and creating discord.

“These people want to spread terrorism in the country. They behave rudely, are hostile to the nation, and are fulfilling the agenda of enemy nations like Pakistan,” he said. He also criticised political leaders for weaponising the term.

“Union Ministers, Chief Ministers, and senior leaders of a particular party misuse the word ‘jihad’ to abuse others. They do it to defame Islam, and we will strongly oppose this,” he said.

On the question of teaching jihad in schools, Madani reiterated his position: “It should definitely be taught. This concept exists in all religions, and everyone should learn about it.”

The cleric expressed deep anguish over terrorism committed in Islam’s name, including the recent Delhi blast that killed at least 13 people. His reaction followed a circulating video of the accused bomber, Dr Umar Muhammad, who described suicide attacks as “martyrdom operations”.

Madani dismissed such interpretations as betrayals of Islamic values. “If humanity is attacked—even in the name of Islam or jihad—it is an attack on Islam itself,” he said, adding that the courts should decide the guilt or innocence of the accused. He stressed that true jihad is the opposite of violence.

“All Indians are pained by the killing of innocents. We feel that pain twice—because innocent people died, and because the act was done in Islam’s name. “We have been fighting terrorism for 30 years, and will continue. Ending terrorism is true jihad,” he said.