subject: Jihad in quran [print this page] Jihad in quran Jihad in quran
How can the concept of jihad in Islam be recognised in a globalised world?
Within Islam, Jihad refers to a large category of meanings. Today, however, there are attempts to isolate this term to only one form of jihad that at best refers only to armed struggle, and at worst to a barbaric form of warfare that seeks to destroy whatever peace may still remain in the world. This could not be farther from the concept of jihad. For Muslims, jihad is more than an armed struggle against an outside enemy. It includes constant struggle with oneself and one's own society. When jihad takes the form of armed struggle, it can only be done for a just cause.
Once, upon returning from battle, the Prophet Muhammad said to his companions,"We have returned from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad; the jihad of the soul". Here the term jihad refers to the spiritual excercise of opposing the lower self or one's baser instincts. This is referred to as the greater jihad since people spend their entire lives struggling against the base desires within them that can harm both themselves and those around them. No excuse can be made for the crimes committed against humanity in countries like India, New York, Spain and London killing hundreds of innocent people. Anyone who tries to condone these is ignorant of Islamic law or Shariah and the excuses are the result of extremism and ignorance.
I am writing this article because there are many misinterpretations regarding jihad.
