Jihad: it’s Not What You Think it is
(ANTIMEDIA)
When Americans—or non-Muslims in general—hear the word “jihad,” they
immediately associate it with extremist groups such as ISIL, Al-Qaeda,
or the Taliban, as well as their terrorist acts in the name of “Allah.”
They might also envision these groups enforcing their corrupted version
of Islam onto people of other faiths. However, this misconstrued
definition of the word “jihad” is one of the most widespread
misconceptions about Islam.
Jihad—in the most pure, Quranic sense of the word—does not instruct
Muslims to wage war against non-Muslims or non-believers. It does not
promote the use of violence, period. It literally means, “struggling or striving.”
For most Muslims, jihad represents “internal
as well as external efforts to be a good Muslim or believer, as well as
working to inform people about the faith of Islam.” Therefore,
Jihad is the way that a Muslim strives to be as pure as possible in
mind, body, and spirit to avoid straying from their faith, to keep God
in mind, and to do good deeds—with one’s actions as well as with one’s
money (i.e. giving to charity).
Violence in regards to performing jihad is not permitted unless it is in self-defense: “When
used in the narrower sense of fighting against a visible enemy, jihad
means fighting only in self-defense, when the initiative of attack is
taken by the other party.”
