The word “Jihad” literally means “to strive” or “to struggle” in Arabic. In Islam, Jihad refers to the struggle against one’s own evil desires and inclinations, as well as striving to improve oneself and society. The greatest Jihad, according to Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be upon him), is the struggle against one’s own self (nafs). This includes fighting against laziness, greed, anger, pride, and all other negative traits. It means striving to be a better Muslim, to pray regularly, to be kind to others, to give charity, to seek knowledge, and to do good deeds. However, Jihad can also refer to fighting in wars or to protect the oppressed. Allah Says in The Noble Quran (interpretation of meaning), “Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loves not transgressors” (Quran 2:190). This Verse clearly shows that fighting is permitted in self-defense and Muslims are not allowed to be the transgressors. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be upon him) gave very strict rules of warfare, which include: do not kill women, children, or elderly people; do not destroy crops or trees; do not harm animals; do not attack those who do not fight you; and do not mutilate the dead (Al-Tafsir al-Munir 2\/183). These rules show that Islam values human life and dignity, even during times of war. The media often portrays Jihad as “holy war” or terrorism, but this is a complete misrepresentation of what Jihad truly means in Islam. Jihad is about striving to be a better person in a holistic sense, not about mindless violence or terrorism.<\/p>\r\n
And Allah Knows best.<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"