Jihad means struggle( correct me if i am wrong).can dawah be considered a type of jihad?
2 Answers
For sure, 'Jihad' literally means an 'intensive struggle,' or 'employing oneself vigorously'. It can be done through any Islamic means and not restricted to fighting. The Quran speaks about Jihad in general sense and never solely relates it to warfare.
وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا ۚ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
And those who strive/jahadu in Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is certainly with those who do good. (Quran 29:69)
لا يَستَوِي القاعِدونَ مِنَ المُؤمِنينَ غَيرُ أُولِي الضَّرَرِ وَالمُجاهِدونَ في سَبيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَموالِهِم وَأَنفُسِهِم ۚ فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ المُجاهِدينَ بِأَموالِهِم وَأَنفُسِهِم عَلَى القاعِدينَ دَرَجَةً ۚ وَكُلًّا وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الحُسنىٰ ۚ وَفَضَّلَ اللَّهُ المُجاهِدينَ عَلَى القاعِدينَ أَجرًا عَظيمًا
"Not equal are those believers who sit/qa'iduna other than those that are disabled/darari, and those who strive/mujahiduna in the way of Allah with their wealth/amwalihim and their persons/anfusihim. Allah has granted a grade higher to those who strive with their wealth and persons than those who sit Unto all God has promised good: But those who strive, He has preferred them above those who sit by a great reward" (Quran 4:95)
This ayah, and before it, makes no mention of fighting, yet still calls those as going out and striving as 'mujahidun/in'.
Dawah -understood as inviting to Islam- is one of the obligations and Islam's important aspects.
Allah says:
ادْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ ۖ وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ۖ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ
Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good/Hasanati instruction, and contend with them in that which is best/aHsanu. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is guided. (Quran 16:125)
وَمَن أَحسَنُ قَولًا مِمَّن دَعا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صالِحًا وَقالَ إِنَّني مِنَ المُسلِمينَ
And who is better/aHsn in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, "Indeed, I am of the Muslims." (Quran 41:33)
Better is always good.
Yes Dawa is a type of Jihad. Although it is not a replacement of Jihad in which one fights with his life and takes life for the sake of Allah.
