What does jihad really mean?

Question

If the word jihad means inner struggle as I have been told in school and by others, then why are the disabled and elderly exempt from jihad as stated in the Qur'an? This leads me to believe that jihad's real meaning is holy war or else why would the elderly and disabled be exempt from an inner struggle to better oneself? Also the word jihad is mentioned over 200 times in reference to the words of Muhammad and each one is a clear connotation to holy war. I don't know, maybe I'm just not knowledgeable enough to analyze the beliefs of those who follow Islam.

THESE ARE ALL GREAT RESPONSES, BUT STILL WHY ARE THE ELDERLY AND SICK EXEMPT FROM JIHAD?????? CAN THEY NOT STRUGGLE TO FIND GOD?

Answer 1

The following quote comes from Bernard Lewis' 'The Political Language of Islam" pg 72:


" jihad, an Arabic word with the literal meaning of 'effort,' 'striving,' or 'struggle.' In the Quran and still more in the Traditions, commonly though not invariably followed by the words 'in the path of God,' it has usually been understood as meaning 'to wage war.' The great collections of hadith all contain a section devoted to jihad, in which the military meaning predominates. The same is true of the classical manuals of sharia law. There were some who argued that jihad should be understood in a moral and spiritual, rather than a military, sense. Such arguments were sometimes put forward by Shi'ite theologians in classical times, and more frequenly by modernizers and reformists in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The overwhelming majority of classical theologians, jurists, and traditionists, however, understood the obligation of jihad in a military sense, and have examined and expounded it accordingly."

Answer 2

Jihad is the struggle for the sake of Allah.

It is a Jihad to protect and help the poor or help the needy.

It is a Jihad(struggle for good) for Pregnant women to undergo the hardships of childbirth.

It is a Jihad(struggle) to forbid the wrong and enjoin the right.

To struggle to do good and the struggle to stop ourselves from doing evil will both be rewarded.

The biggest struggle for ourselves is the internal struggle against evil.

There is a struggle with evil whispers in our hearts.

There is a struggle with evil influences in our homes and communities.

There is a struggle with evil influences on a national level.

If an invader comes then you have to repel that danger with every resource available.

The Universal struggle against evil on all fronts is called Jihad.

Jihad can be done with the Quran (using the verses) for spiritual battles or weapons of war for material battles.

To get a more rounded understanding of God and his commands ------- Here are some verses that God commanded in the Old Testament (THE BIBLE) ::




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Answer 3

Jihad does NOT mean holy war. Exactly what is holy about war? Nothing. Jihad means stuggle for the sake of Allah. Anything that you struggle with for Allah's sake is jihad. When a muslim woman goes to perform Hajj or pilgrimage it is considered jihad for her. Tearing yourself away from your children for a couple weeks is extremely hard. That is a struggle for Allah's sake. The media is a horrible place to learn anything let alone some other religion

Answer 4

Its not just inner struggle although it can mean that. Jihad is striving in the way of islam. Resisting temptations is also Jihad, feeding the poor is jihad, spreading the truth about islam is jihad. But fighting can also be Jihad. That fighting is to protect islam from enemies and is only justified by the Quran if someone attacks first.

"Oh you who believe!
Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to God,
even against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin,
and whether it be against rich or poor,
for God can best protect both.
Follow not the cravings of your hearts, lest you swerve,
and if you distort justice or decline to do justice,
verily God is well acquainted with all that you do."
Qur'an 4:135

The people who say that killing innocents just because they are nonmuslim are distorting justice. That is not jihad. Verse 109:6 says to say to the disbeliever "to you be your way and to me mine." Anyone who disregards that is going against the word of Allah.

The Prophet (pbuh) also described a woman giving birth to a child as jihad.

Answer 5

jihad means to struggle for God. The media says its a holy war and bullshit like that making Muslims sound like their terrorists but its all wrong

Answer 6

The word "Jihaad " means "Struggle", or to be specific, striving in the cause of God. Any struggle done in day-to-day life to please God is considered Jihaad. One of the highest levels of Jihaad is to stand up to a tyrant and speak a word of truth. Control of the self from wrong doings is the greatest Jihaad. One of the forms of Jihaad is to take arms in defense of Islaam or a Muslim country when Islaam is attacked. This kind of Jihaad has to be declared by the religious leadership or by a Muslim head of state who is following the Quraan and Sunnah.

Answer 7

I got this from a Muslim who was trying to convince me that jihad isn't murderous:

"Jihad, is to spread Islam in 3 ways:
1-you enter a town and you spread peacefully the words of God (Islam), and everybody keeps their goods. if they accept the words of God (Islam) they will pay just Zakat for the treasury department.
2-if they don't accept Islam they must pay head tax, Jizyah for their lives. if they refuse to pay Jizyah they and their family can be beaten, kidnaped, totured, or soled as slaves by muslims.
3-If the arrogant people of the town want to fight. muslims give them 3 days to be prepared. then kill them and take their goods."

Answer 8

It means that ignorant people, (Americans),
had better wake up and stop converting over
to Islam; We haven't been attacked since 9/11 thanks to Mr. Bush; The Islamic agenda is to destroy us from the inside, by spreading this motto you hear lately: "Islam:
the religion of peace". Geez, I'm Christian and can't call our religion one of peace - but thats how religions go - people are gonna fight for their God. Islam is no more the religion of peace than I'm Lady Di -
Those Americans who believe that muslims all of sudden have changed their minds about you, have stopped calling you Satan,
and have stopped describing you as "westerner infidels who deserve death";
well, gee according to CNN they still teach exactly that in their schools and even mosques right in the good 'ol U.S. of A.
Hey, do you think the terrorists changed their minds about us. maybe they like us now?
We haven't been attacked since 9/11, because Mr. Bush is doing a fine job at protecting this Country. Thats why they hate him so much. But Bush can only do so much to protect us, if you have Americans
opening our doors - wide open - to an attack. Do you really think they want you to be thier brother and sister ? They want you dead. Are their any nice muslims? Sure; but tucked up nice and snuggly in the middle of those "nice ones", are those who want to destroy us. Wake up, America.
We are in the middle of a war. If you involve yourself in islam, you are not only putting yourself at risk, but putting all of us at risk, including our Children. If we are attacked again, the finger will be pointed at you american citizens who converted and opened our doors to this very thing. You should be vigilant and on guard; there are
silent secret cells of groups right here in America who are ready to wake up and do massive damage to us; And they will use you to accomplish that.
Americans: Wake up or else when you finally do, there may be nothing left.
Jihad is a reality in perfect silence, right here in America.

Answer 9

A jihad is a holy war.

Answer 10

I really don't know But if I ever hear anybody Yell that, I am agonna run.