The meaning of 'jihad'

[pikatore]

I think it's funny to note the misconception that is rife in the West that 'jihad' is some sort of Muslim license to kill non-believers. This word's definition has been so misunderstoof that it's ignorantly used by the public simply to describe the drive of Islamic extremists to kill and maim non-believers, and nothing else.

This is how it's defined in the American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition:

jihad [(ji-hahd, ji-had)] In Islam, a holy war; a war ordained by God. The Koran teaches that soldiers who die in jihad go to heaven immediately.

Funny how THAT kind of jihad should be mentioned above the other ones.

Here is how 'jihad' is defined by Wiki, which I judge to be a slightly more enlightening definition:

Jihad, sometimes spelled Jawwad, Jahad, Jehad, Jihaad, Jiaad, Djehad, or Cihad, (Arabic: جهاد‎ ǧihād) is an Islamic term, literally meaning struggle in the way of God and is sometimes referred to as the sixth pillar of Islam, although it occupies no official status as such.[1] Within the realms of Islamic jurisprudence, jihad usually refers to military exertion against non-Muslim combatants.[2][3] In broader usage and interpretation, the term has accrued both violent and non-violent meanings. It can refer to striving to live a moral and virtuous life, to spreading and defending Islam, and to fighting injustice and oppression, among other usages.

Jihad literally means struggle, and in the context of military conflict is commonly translated as holy war. But people need to realise that it's just ONE kind of jihad. The others include (also from Wiki):

* Jihad of the heart/soul (jihad bin nafs/qalb) is an inner struggle of good against evil in the mind, through concepts such as tawhid. * Jihad by the tongue (jihad bil lisan) is a struggle of good against evil waged by writing and speech, such as in the form of dawah (proselytizing), Khutbas (sermons), et al. It is one weapon in the jihadi arsenal. * Jihad by the pen and knowledge (jihad bil qalam/ilm) is a struggle for good against evil through scholarly study of Islam, ijtihad (legal reasoning), and through sciences (such as medical sciences). * Jihad by the hand (jihad bil yad) refers to a struggle of good against evil waged by actions or with one's wealth, such as going on the Hajj pilgrimage (seen as the best jihad for women), taking care of elderly parents, providing funding for jihad, political activity for furthering the cause of Islam, stopping evil by force, espionage, and the penetration of Western universities by salafi Islamic ideology, in numerous Middle East Studies departments funded by Saudi Arabia.

[Epistemologist]

Indeed, yet it's often (quasi-justly) a struggle against the West.

I know some people named Jihad, though, although their parents named them based on the more peaceful definition.

But ultimately, hostilities between both sides in these conflicts transcend any actual details concerning the definitions of words. That is, people will persist in using words' other meanings to their advantage. Perhaps it's quite sad.

[xyzer]

pikatore..I interpret your treatise on jihad as steeped in circular logic? You rationalize around in a circle touching on such phrases as

It means 'holy war'..but isn't really a war? What in the hell is war then..slapping an enemy with feathers?

But people need to realise that it's just ONE kind of jihad.

Hmm? What other kinds of war are there?

A struggle of good against evil? Hmm? is good better than evil? Do we want evil to win?

I think we better interpret the word jihad as meaning a war against those who don't believe(evil defined as infidels) and those who do believe(defined as the Muslim faithful)

The bottom line, which you clearly show. is that the term can be interpreted and used by anyone in any fashion? Thus it is itself an evil generalized theory subject to interpretation? Try as one may, it can't be rationallized logically

[pikatore]

Quote by: xyzer The bottom line, which you clearly show. is that the term can be interpreted and used by anyone in any fashion? Thus it is itself an evil generalized theory subject to interpretation? Try as one may, it can't be rationallized logically

There are five types of jihad, four I mentioned, the fifth being jihad by the sword, which is to DEFEND yourself against those who would oppress your faith in Islam.

It is subject to interpretation, and can be used for evil as well as good, like many things.

Quote by: xyzer Hmm? What other kinds of war are there?

Know what an analogy is?

There are different kinds of 'wars'. One of the jihads talk about a war between your good side and bad side. One talks about fighting a war in an intelletcual sense. Do I need to go further?

Quote by: xyzer I think we better interpret the word jihad as meaning a war against those who don't believe(evil defined as infidels) and those who do believe(defined as the Muslim faithful)

You'd be making the same mistake the terrorists make, and that is to interpret the word jihad in the most extreme and violent sense. By showing that kind of prejudice towards a religion which they themselves pervert, you are just as bad as they are.

[notworthabean]

yes there are more peaceful defintosn of jihad, but i don't think osama was saying he wanted to pray about us...

[Athena]

My old dictionary uses the word "crusade" to define "jihad". That seems a very fair way of defining the word, and Christians crusaded against non believers, and they also crusade against wrongs and injustices.

My dictionary defines "crusade" as "to participate in a crusade; to support or oppose any cause with zeal". The word seems to originate from the Latin word for cross. The fuller definition goes like this:

1. any of the military expeditions which were undertaken by the Christians from 1096 yo 1271 to recover the Holy Land from the Mohammedians. ( I think this should be clarified with a historical understanding of what happened when Turks took control of the region. The Turkish culture gave Islam a different nature.) 2. any war or expedition having a religious object and sanctioned by the church. (only some churches have sanctioned our invasion of Iraq and others opposed it. It is hard to have a united church sanctioned act when the church and Islam are divided). 3. an enterprise projected in a spirit of enthusiasm and conducted with earnestness for some cause or idea, or against some social or economic wrong; as, a crusade against the slave trade, a crusade against impure milk.

perhaps we need to lighten up. Or perhaps as we learn more, we will become more comfortable with our shared humanness. :)

[Jack]

In the West, we no doubt misapply jihad and fatwa based on their definitions within the Middle East. When we read news reports that a fatwa was declared against Rushdie or Islamists have declared jihad against Danish cartoon artists, we know the substance of the situation even though the terms have been used inaccurately.

[phoenix_fire]

I think, perhaps, that the group that most needs to be schooled in the definition of "jihad" as you read it, pika, are those who strap bombs on themselves and murder innocents.

[pikatore]

Quote by: phoenix_fire I think, perhaps, that the group that most needs to be schooled in the definition of "jihad" as you read it, pika, are those who strap bombs on themselves and murder innocents.

I agree totally, but we should remember that there is no point doing this when so many people in the West associate the word 'jihad' purely with such a violent meaning, and attribute this to Islam itself, and all Muslims, and become prejudiced because of that. It's an effort to work on not just the minds of Islamic terrorists, but on the people of the public as well.

[The_Genius]

Friend: Hey dude, let's go to a strip club and get drunk.
The_Genius: Let me think...
Friend: and now?
The_Genius: I cannot participate in those things. You should go without me.

The_Genius had to think and make a decision. Taking the right decision of abstaining from going to the club + getting drunk and not doing what Allah has forbidden him to do was also a form of Jihad. In this case, Genius has won the Jihad. Basically Jihad is one of those Arabic words which has no accurate English meaning. In simple words, Jihiad means striving for spiritual good while enduring military, economic, social or political oppression.

[phoenix_fire]

Acquaintance: Hey dude, let's go to a strip club and get drunk
phoenix_fire: *smack* Get lost, perv.

Phoenix_fire does not see how this is such a big deal. Phoenix_fire fails to see the relevance. Phoenix_fire tires of idiotically speaking in the third person, even if it is for satirical purposes.

[The_Genius]

Quote by: phoenix_fire Acquaintance: Hey dude, let's go to a strip club and get drunk phoenix_fire: *smack* Get lost, perv. Phoenix_fire does not see how this is such a big deal. Phoenix_fire fails to see the relevance. Phoenix_fire tires of idiotically speaking in the third person, even if it is for satirical purposes.

Lol..

[arielmessenger]

Quote by: xyzer View Post
I think we better interpret the word jihad as meaning a war against those who don't believe(evil defined as infidels) and those who do believe(defined as the Muslim faithful)

"You'd be making the same mistake the terrorists make, and that is to interpret the word jihad in the most extreme and violent sense. By showing that kind of prejudice towards a religion which they themselves pervert, you are just as bad as they are."

That extreme interpretations of Muhammad's words takes place on a regular basis by Muslims, is it not more accurate to blame Muhammad not providing clearer evidence Islam is a religion of peace? When a man's words are interpreted for hundreds of years in the same violent way, one must assume there's more than a kernel of truth in the non-Muslim opinion that Islam is a religion advocating religious war with others far more than a religion advocating self-improvement through self-discipline. If this were the "Jihad" the world knew of Muslims, there would be no conflicts happening as all religionists struggle to overcome their own fallibilities.

[pikatore]

Quote by: arielmessenger That extreme interpretations of Muhammad's words takes place on a regular basis by Muslims, is it not more accurate to blame Muhammad not providing clearer evidence Islam is a religion of peace? When a man's words are interpreted for hundreds of years in the same violent way, one must assume there's more than a kernel of truth in the non-Muslim opinion that Islam is a religion advocating religious war with others far more than a religion advocating self-improvement through self-discipline. If this were the "Jihad" the world knew of Muslims, there would be no conflicts happening as all religionists struggle to overcome their own fallibilities.

Mohammed's words were not initially interpreted this way, and you have to realise the context that the military jihad was in, that is, the constant warfare being wrought at the time, and the military jihad is simply the intention to physically defend one's religious beliefs. Simple as that.

You can't blame mohammed for this misinterpretation, much like you can't blame jesus for the nuts that shoot themselves thinking that they will go to heaven.

I want you to know you've made a VERY biased statement.

[nilan3000]

Quote by: pikatore I want you to know you've made a VERY biased statement.

Dude please...its AM for crying out loud!

[phoenix_fire]

He is certainly not one to speak on providing evidence.

[Jack]

I want you to know you've made a VERY biased statement.

That happens a lot here, perhaps because we're all pretty biased.

[arielmessenger]

I've made the biased statement?

What does it take for Muslims to see the "clear signs" that Muhammad's religion is the Abrahamic religion most easily made into a fighting ideology for terrorists?

How many dead people will it take for Muslims to wake up? The evidence of Muhammad's errors in judgment can be seen every single night on network news. Because Muslims are taught by their Quran to virtually worship Muhammad as a demi-god, (and as proof of such worship one has only to note no Muslim on earth can refute what Muhammad has taught), they have mesmerized themselves into a very false belief that their idol Muhammad and his book contains a Script that answers all their questions about God and society. The veil has to be lifted at some point for Muslim minds to adjust to reality--otherwise, we will just see a rerun of every religious war in history where religion is used as a cover for the territorial conquest and control ambitions of men. Scripts are not for dealing with real life but for acting in movies. Do Muslims want to keep acting as bad characters in a bad movie? Or do they want to learn how the Spirit has moved out of the Books and into everyday life. God's real Book is Life. Why not get one today?

[nilan3000]

Quote by: arielmessenger The veil has to be lifted at some point for Muslim minds to adjust to reality

If you mean that muslims cannot adjust to reality without disregarding some of the principles of islam, you better be able to justify it.

What you just said is applicable to ALL god-based religions in one way or another, so dont single one religion out of it just because your lunacy does not fit well with them. Proof before accusation please.

And YES, it is a biased statement if you look down on someone without being able to prove that they are inferior. But then again 'proof' isnt exactly your strength is it?

[Athena]

Quote by: The_Genius Friend: Hey dude, let's go to a strip club and get drunk. The_Genius: Let me think... Friend: and now? The_Genius: I cannot participate in those things. You should go without me. The_Genius had to think and make a decision. Taking the right decision of abstaining from going to the club + getting drunk and not doing what Allah has forbidden him to do was also a form of Jihad. In this case, Genius has won the Jihad. Basically Jihad is one of those Arabic words which has no accurate English meaning. In simple words, Jihiad means striving for spiritual good while enduring military, economic, social or political oppression.

How is jihad different from crusade?