Dr. Sano Koutoub Moustapha, Professor of Jurisprudence & Its Principles at the International Islamic University, Malaysia, states the following: “Indeed Jihad against injustice and oppression is an obligation upon oppressed people, and thus they have to defend their lives, properties, honour and dignities. Muslims call such defence Jihad while others call it resistance against oppression and injustice. Having said, I shall point out that individuals are not allowed in Islam to call for Jihad against other nations or people, thus calling for Jihad is a duty of the rulers not the individuals. In other words, no individual, be organization or association, has right to call other individuals or organization to go for Jihad. It is a common knowledge among learned scholars that only Imam has the right to call for Jihad after examining and taking into account many factors and aspects such as the consequences of declaring a war, and the status of power and readiness of Muslims at political, economic, social and ideological levels. However, those individuals or organizations or associations that are calling, without the permission of legitimate rulers, Muslims nowadays to go for Jihad are committing a clear sin and deviating from the right path of Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has made it clear that Muslim must obey and follow the ruler either he or she likes him or not and Muslim must not go against the ruler unless if he becomes an apostate. In this regard, I shall call upon beloved Muslims brothers or sisters in the Muslim countries or Muslim communities to avoid taking part in any call for Jihad either against their own countries or other Muslim countries.
As for their countries, there is not legitimate Jihad against other innocent Muslims, nor there is Jihad against peoples living with Muslims be Christians or Jews. Furthermore, there is no Jihad without a legitimate call from rulers not from individuals or organizations.
I shall also call upon beloved brothers and sisters who are killing themselves and innocents in the Muslim lands or elsewhere in the name of Islam. Islam is definitely against this evil actions, Islam never ever allowed a fellow Muslim to take the lives of innocent peoples. No justification or legalization should be given to a such horrible and terrible attitude of killing innocent Muslims and non-Muslims. It is not and will never a Jihad but it is a real hijack of Jihad. All in all, there are so many areas of Jihad that are neglected by us nowadays, such as learning, mastering sciences, improving the life standards of people, purifying our souls and hearts from envy, laziness, slandering, mixing, hypocrites etc.. Please do find peaceful means to resolve conflicts and disputes and do negotiate as much as you can in order to clear the lands from occupants and unjust people.