Meaning Of Jihad: Terrorism And Peaceful Connotation

Meaning of Jihad Author Name University Name Jihad is a verbal noun with literal meanings of “determined efforts” and “striving for the best.” Mujahid, on the other hand, is a person who participates in jihad and doesn’t hesitate to kill people in the name of religion. In different contexts, jihad means “fighting for one’s rights.” In simple words, we can say that jihad is all about struggling for one’s survival and protecting a particular religion. For Muslims, jihad is the name of giving or taking lives to please God. They believe that whenever someone disrespects their religion or threatens the Muslims, they are permitted to kill them. According to Islamic rules, jihad means minor fights, but more broadly, it is all about dividing the world into two sections: Muslims and non-Muslims. The lesser jihad means not initiating fights or battles until or unless there is a strong reason. On the other hand, the greater jihad means initiating conflicts or even wars if someone gives a tough time to the Muslims or talks negatively about their religion. Muslims believe that lesser jihad can be continued without creating a mess for the others, but the great jihad must involve mass killings and conflicts. In short, all efforts made to reform the society are part of jihad, as you make efforts for your own family, friends, neighbors, relatives and of course, religion. Believers know that they will have to die one day, so fighting on the name of religion will benefit them in the afterlife (Al-Rawi, 2016). It should be noted that jihad is often tied to terrorism. That’s because no nation wants conflicts or wars. Muslims, however, find it necessary to fight against the rivals if they challenge their religion or cause issues for them. Islamic laws condemn all wars or conflicts that do not qualify as jihad. Even the military actions are prohibited in this religion because Islam wants to ensure the protection and safety of its followers. Jihad becomes compulsory when there is an uncertain situation and is often tied to terrorism because it involves mass shootings and murders. The world we live in is full of extremists, including Muslim and Hindu extremists. Many of them believe that without jihad, their survival or the protection of their religion is impossible. That’s why jihad is linked to terrorism and violence. But it is not compulsory until or unless people find a way to discuss the issue and resolve it peacefully. And if they don’t do so, then believers are said to be free to fight against them. In effect, the laws of jihad are formulated ...