My Muslim friends: This is a serious question, based on something I read over the weekend. What does...?

Question

Jihad mean to you?

What I read over the weekend sounded like an honorable thing...

Answer 1

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.

The real Jihad is the warfare against (one's own) passions. Jihad is "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.

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 2

In its original context, Jihad was a battle within the heart to better understand the Qu'ran and the Hadith. It was to wrestle with ones self to better submit to Allah.

After the Fourth Crusade ended in a stalemate, however, Muslim culture was left in a dangerous precipice -- Qu'ran promises victory to the faithful and defeat to the unfaithful ... and never said a THING about stalemate. While some turned inwards, to pursue the Jihad of the Heart, others turned outward, determined to have victory after all -- thus was born Jihad of the Sword.

Answer 3

Do you remember Heshoz from 8 months ago?

He emailed me that this was a 3 part thing,

1 internal, 2 was like in the community, like police, and 3 was anyone who attacks a muslim land there needs to be a defense against the agressor,

sounds pretty noble to me

of course the terrorists have taken this and made it their own and declared this jihad against america, with the justification of gulf war 1991

Answer 4

I have been always linking it to a holy war, but one Muslim lady explained to me that it is cause of Allah. Helping other people and honoring God. Sometimes refusing to do business with bad people and stuff like that. : )

In Arabic Jihad means "to struggle or strive". So it is the struggle of what is right in the heart.: )

Answer 5

Jihad is not only a holy war but it's also a struggle against one's own soul which is called the internal jihad and that is much greater than the physical jihaad (fighting). The inner jihad can be a struggle of good against evil in your mind, through writing and speech, through scholarly study of Islam, through actions and lastly through the use of a sword which takes shape of a physical jihad.

To me It's a struggle inside oneself to obey God and reject sin. What is happening in the world today in the name of Islam is NOT jihad...it's just gruesome killing of innocent people by barbarics who believe they are doing this for God.

Answer 6

I'm not a Muslim, so my answer doesn't really address your question, but I wanted to share.

From what I have come to understand, Jihad = Holy War, which does not necessarily mean physical violence. It can be more symbolic of the belief in God triumphing over non-belief or simply getting your message across to just one person. In some cases it could be a defense of your faith through violent means. In general, it is just the God-belief triumphing over the lack of belief and the actions believers must take to make that happen, including internally.

Answer 7

What does Jihad mean?

This word represents a concept which is much misunderstood in the West. The term is explained nicely by the Christian scholar Ira G. Zepp, Jr. in his book entitled "A Muslim Primer", on pages 133-135. We adapt from his answer the following: 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: to 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 G. 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 8

A good friend of mine who was raised Muslim explained to me that Jihad means "struggle," and that can be a personal, spiritual thing, or a physical thing - such as self defense, etc. It is not necessarily violence and war as is commonly believed.

Answer 9

to me jihad means struggle. liek if im at a party where there is drinking (muslims are not supposed to drink), i perform jihad by avoiding the drinks and resisting the want to try one.

Answer 10

All Jihad means is a struggle. It is usually a struggle within yourself for things such as decency, faith, strength etc. This is the Great Jihad. Don't believe people who tell you that the Great Jihad is otherwise because it is not true and they are probably extremists.