Sincere question for Muslims, what does Jihad really mean?

Question

This term has meaning in your faith, that I think most non-Muslims are unaware of. When most non-Muslims hear the word "Jihad," it really freaks them out. So, what does it really mean to you? Does it really mean to convert on the blade of a sword? Or is there some other, less violent meaning?

Please, Muslims only. No disrespectful answers. I am asking this to understand more, and to clear up any misconceptions I may have, and yes I ask this out of respect.

Answer 1

Jihad in Arabic means struggle within ones self. It doesn't mean "Holy War". War can never be holy. Holy war in Arabic is "Qital". Islam doesn't mean force people to revert to Islam by a sword. The prophet(PBUH*) NEVER forced the pagans of Mecca to revert to Islam.
Examples of Jihad:
1)A mother giving birth is a Jihad.
2)A person battling a mental illness is a Jihad.
3)A person battling some type of addiction is a Jihad.
4)A country or group of people fighting the oppressors is the greatest Jihad one can do.(Palestine for example).
5)A person staying on the straight path(Muslims staying on the course of Islam) is a Jihad.

Answer 2

Non mUslims are not the only ones who get freaked out when Jihad is mentioned, some of my famiy does too and yes they are Muslims!!

THis is as they have the wrong understanding of what it really means, many just believe what is apparent on the media which is wrong.

To me Jihad means to struggle and stirve, for example my Jihad is wearing my headscarf and covering up whilst I am outside, when many dislike the idea, however I strive to be a better person even if I go through struggles. Furthermore even waking up the Morning (fajr) prayer, that is my is my Jihad, as when many are tucked away nicely (",) I get up to pray.

Thankyou for your question, I hope your more clearer with the term.

Peace

Answer 3

I agree with AQ.

And would like to add, whatever media shows today, is another form of extremism. whatever has happened in the recent years, was an act of Extremism under the name of Jihad. and who knows if they all are really muslims?
but whatever has been happening in the recent years, isn't a jihad at all.

Answer 4

Thanks for asking the question.

Jihad is an Arabic word whose root word is "jahada" or to struggle. The Prophet said the greatest Jihad is the routine fighting against one's daily desires and selfishness and the littlest Jihad or struggle is the occasional fighting of a physical enemy, who is out there in the open willing to fight you openly, and is not crafty like your own self/soul, who hides behind excuses and uses all tools to fool you into wronging others or which tries to diminish its wrong doings and emphasizes the fault of others, so that it is easier to wrong others and take from them what is not yours. On another occasion he called the self the ULTIMATE ENEMY.

Thus Jihad is a very rich World with many levels of strugglings hidden within it. Physical fightins is also a form of Jihad, but scholars know that there are many types of Jihad, one of which, that is most honored by the Prophet is the "Jihad-bil-qalam", the Struggle through a pen. There is another saying of the Prophet that says that the ink of the scholar is more valuable in the eyes of God than the blood of the martyr.

Once all these sayings and the true meaning of Jihad is understood, the common meaning of Jihad will hopefully be forgotten.

In Arabic there are many other words which are used for fighting in a physical sense such as "Jadal" or "Qitaal" or "Harb" etc. Jihad in contrast is a comprehensive word, which is subtle or not, based on the context.

I hope this makes sense.

Answer 5

Hello my friend :}

Just as I thought, after reading the other comments of the posters. Just another example of how things are misrepresented by the media. You don't know the truth as things are always taken out of context. The poster was right that said "there is no profit in peace" I found it funny that Cat Stevens now Josef who still is making music and who I looked up to in the 70's with all his beautiful songs of peace and love is a converted Muslim. It didn't jell with me that a person who wrote such beautiful lyrics would change that dramatically and become associated with a violent religion. That alone made me suspicious that maybe I wasn't being told the truth about matters?? Then I found that Josef cannot come to the US as he is on the "terror watch list" because he helps CHILDREN! When I read this it shocked me! So Mr. "ride on the peace train" was not allowed to come to the US..I don't think I looked up to someone more when I was young, I loved his peaceful music. He was someone that had it together. And he still does, as his last album shows and he is a Muslim. People should get over the labeling and shouldn't believe the media. They lie to sell the overpriced consumer goods that advertisers sell and they will do anything to get your business too..too bad the real news is hard to get apparently. I think all faiths should be respected and the truth be told about ALL of their beliefs...

Answer 6

I'm not muslim, but I know a far bit about it.

Jihad means struggle. How that is achieved differs from sect to sect, but it's supposed to be entirely an internal struggle. The type we know of today is a perversion of the concept preached by the corrupt or the hateful. It was first warped during the Crusades by first the 'Assassins' and then the mainstream who came to mirror the Crusader's fanaticism and extremism. During the many conflicts, they learnt just how effective it would be as a war machine and that is how it all began.

Answer 7

The word jihad doesn't mean war its root meaning is to struggle the word jahda.

So we are talking about struggle not war. The Quran say to struggle in the path of God/Allah. This is badly translated by some to mean fight but this is wrong.

Because of really bad press with that word and that the muslims dont understand this either, the meaning has been compounded.

Whats the point of struggle?

The whole point is to make things better. If there is no chance of things getting better that there is no point!


Jihad can be divided into struggling with yourself, your wealth or anything else you have. This could be giving up your time to help others or paying for a mosque; anything like that.

Many people also consider that there is a spiritual struggle that is a jihad; which is fighting low attributes like remaining patient and or controlling over eating. Something like that.

The Quran states that there is no complusion in religion and historically there are no cases of forced coverstion. In fact Muslims were the minority in places like syria and Egypt for maybe 400 to 500 years. Even now there are significant number of non muslims in arab countries. Maybe 10-5% are coptic christans still in Egypt. This was an idea put forward by Christan orientalists then withdrawn by them later on.

Like the idea of the validity of the Quran was rejected by the same people then they a few decades later they refuted their own ideas!

I don't know how this looks to you; looking in from the outside; please don't believe the news. There is no profit in peace and people are making money from exploitation.

If I can help you futher, please let me know.

Answer 8

It means to struggle or strive or exert oneself
in the way of Allah (SWT).

There's no compulsion in religion, so it is not about converting by the sword.

Jihad can be pretty much anything that requires struggling. For example, Struggling to pay a bill on time/ Jihad
You striving to learn the meaning of jihad/ Jihad
Struggling to be good to your spouse/ Jihad
Striving to bite your tongue with the in-laws/ Jihad
Striving to lower your gaze when you want to look/ Jihad
Learning a new language/ Jihad
Striving to forgive someone who has really dogged you/ Jihad

Muslims make it a point to differentiate from day-to-day (getting to work on time) jihad and jihad regarding Islam (learning a surah from Qur'an).

Insha'Allah this helps and makes sense.

Answer 9

Jihad literally means "struggle", it doesn't mean "holy war". Now I'll answer your questions one-by-one:

1) what does it really mean to you?

Jihad has several aspects, and the main aspect is as you have probably guessed the fighting aspect, to fight in the path of Allah with our properties and ourselves.
The greatest jihad is to say truth in front of an unjust ruler.

Other minor aspects are, as some have quoted, are other meanings of striving for Islam.

Those who deny the aspect of armed struggle live in fear from authorities. The narration of "greater" and "lesser" jihad is either fabricated or weak, in both cases unacceptable. Besides, there are many mentions of words "ghaza" - to fight, "ribat" - movement in war, "qital" - fight, combat, and they make the armed aspect of jihad very clear. Those who deny armed jihad have disbelieved in Al-Qur'an. I will explain that armed struggle now, because there are many misconceptions about it.

2) Does it really mean to convert on the blade of a sword?

No, that's ridiculous. Allah s.w.t. said in Al-Qur'an: "There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is henceforth distinct from error. And he who rejecteth false deities and believeth in Allah hath grasped a firm handhold which will never break. Allah is Hearer, Knower." (2:256)

So, definitely Muslims aren't allowed to force anyone to convert to Islam, and we don't do so. If you study the history of Islam, you will learn that jihad is launched to defend Muslims when under attack, or to repel a threat to Muslims (like the Byzantine empire in time of Mohammad a.s.), NEVER to force people to Islam. However, a nation is given a chance to convert to Islam before the battle takes place, not as blackmailing but because their conversion to Islam will automatically mean that all hostilities cease immediately.

3) Or is there some other, less violent meaning?

Yes, but the war is the main meaning. Don't equate concept of jihad with the concept of crusade. It's different.

Jihad includes serving one's parents, going to Hajj (for women), fighting one's own desires...

Wikipedia's article on Jihad is quite good and take it as an unbiased source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jihad

4) It's a paradox how those who invade Muslim lands, kill, imprison and intimidate Muslims, call Muslims violent. Even if Bin Laden is guilty (which he said he is not but he greeted the attacks), number of people killed in all terrorist attacks in the West is still much smaller than number of Muslims killed by US and their allies.

It's ironic how those who have blood on their hands accuse Islam of being violent. Much more killing has been done in the name of democracy and in the name of Christianity, than in the name of Islam.

Answer 10

The word jihad means ''struggle''. This is usually a personal form of struggle, such as fasting the month of Ramadan and performing daily Prayers. If, however, the enemy comes to you and THEY start a fight/war then fighting them back and defending yourself and others is a form of struggle (jihad.) Like, for example, in Iraq.

This verse from the Quran explains it:

"Fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for God loves not transgressors.''

[Quran 2:190]


''4Yeshua'', if Jesus asked you Christians not to fight your enemies then why is America attacking so many different countries all around the world, one of them being my homeland ( iraq) ? Either you're against what the United States is doing or you're against what Jesus taught, let me know !