Is the greatest Jihad to achieve non-violence within one's self?

Question

i believe the jihad is a process to cleans one's inner self of spiritual diseases through consistant prayer and meditation. Isn't that what jihad really is?

Answer 1

yes indeed the real jihad is jihad fil nafs fight our own self and stop ourself from all prohibited things and worship god as god want us to

Answer 2

Terrorism and Jihad - An Islamic Perspective, speaker clearly defines jihad and terrorism and Islamic perspective on these issues; jihad is an important part of Islamic teachings while Islam strongly opposes terrorism, then why world is relating both of them? Why everyone believes that jihad is terrorism? Why everyone thinks that Muslims are terrorists? These are the questions for which you will get answer by great Muslim scholar, while listening this lecture with complete explanation and convincing arguments..
Dr Zakir Naik is a medical doctor by profession but is renowned as a dynamic international orator on Islam and Comparative Religion. Dr. Zakir Naik clarifies Islamic viewpoints and clears misconceptions about Islam, using the Quran, authentic Hadith and other religious scriptures as a basis, in conjunction with reason, logic and scientific facts

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Answer 3

What does Jihad mean?


Answer

The essential meaning of Jihad is the spiritual, psychological, and physical effort we exert to be close to God and thus achieve a just and harmonious society. Jihad literally means "striving" or "struggle" and is shorthand for Jihad fi Sabeel Allah (struggle for God's cause). In a sense, every Muslim is a Mujahid, one who strives for God and justice.

Al-Ghazali captured the essence of Jihad when he said: "The real Jihad is the warfare against (one's own) passions. Dr. Ibrahim Abu-Rabi calls Jihad "the execution of effort against evil in the self and every manifestation of evil in society." In a way, Jihad is the Muslim's purest sacrifice: a struggle to live a perfect life and completely submit to God.

Another form of Jihad is the striving to translate the Word of God into action. If one has experienced God and received guidance from the Qur'an, one struggles to apply that guidance in daily life. So the larger, more prevalent meaning of Jihad is the spiritual struggle of the soul. In this case, Jihad is always present for the believer whether there is an external enemy or not. We should never reduce Jihad to violence.

A third level of Jihad is popularly known as "holy war." The classic passage is found in the Qur'an:
Fight in the way of Allah those who fight against you, but transgress not the limits. Truly Allah likes not the transgressors (Qur'an 2:190).

It is crucial to note here that what is condoned is defensive warfare; Islam cannot justify aggressive war. Muhammad and the Tradition are also against killing non-combatants, torturing of prisoners, the destruction of crops, animals and homes. Adapted from Ira 6. Zepp, Jr., A Muslim Primer (1992, Wakefield Editions, US) pp.133-135.

Robert Ellwood of the University of Southern California has the following to say about the Muslim concept of Jihad:
Out of the community ideal of Islam comes the concept of jihad, or holy war, which is designed to defend Islam and allow its social practice, though not to force individual conversions, which is forbidden. Since Islam in principle is a community as well as a religion, presumably only an absolute pacifist would be able to reject the theory of jihad out of hand, since other communities also fight to defend or expand their ways of life. (Many Peoples, Many Faiths by Robert S. Ellwood, 4th edition, Simon & Schuster, US, 1982, p.346).

Answer 4

You are correct. The mainstream interpetation for "Jihad" is "internal struggle". That has not stopped the fanatics from using the term for their use of violence in persuit of their private ends, any more than the messages of nonviolence in the Bible have stopped "The Army of God" or the KKK from persuing their repulsive ends.

Answer 5

Yes it is the original Jihad......Jihad is basically fighting evil.....be it ur bad thoughts.....or anyone who has evil intentions on you... (NOT MENT TO INCITE).....such as harming you...not just you...but maybe anyone who has evil intentions towards your house hold members, Neighbours, Nation,Country,and even strangers within the fold of Islam...becaues some of them cannot fight...so its ur Duty to PROTECT them...not to kill....but to PROTECT from..That is the line most Extremists use...but mainly its "to fight oneself"

Answer 6

prophet muhammed(pbuh) taught ,'the most excellent holy war is that for the conquest of thy self'

unless and until one person is perfect he cannot point his finger on other. let me give u a hadith:

one day people were stoning a woman and she came running and beggibg for mercy to muhammed(pbuh). when prophet asked(pbuh) why the people were abusing her, they replied that she had commited adultary.

muhammed said,'then let one of you who has never commited a sin stone her first.'

Mashaallah. enough said

Answer 7

All religion is based on self wellness and nothing more.

Answer 8

i heard ist a holy war