Oct 8 Weekly Insight from Spirituality U.: What is a Jihad? (You Might be Surprised)

What is a Jihad? (You Might be Surprised)

(The October 8 Weekly Insight from Spirituality U. at Interfaith Paths to Peace)

Most of us probably know the word Jihad (pronounced zhee-hod) with regard to terrorist attacks made by Islamic fanatics calling for a “holy war”. Certainly Jihad can mean “holy war” but not in the way terrorists use it. No real Muslim would endorse an attack aimed at defenseless women and children. On the other hand, Islam does call for military action in defense of the faith and its followers—when they are under attack.

Yet the word Jihad has a number of meanings. In one use it certainly does refer to “outer struggles” to defend Islam and its adherents. But in another (preferred by many mainstream Muslims) Jihad signifies an inner struggle, especially against our own personal sinfulness.

There is a famous story about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his advice about Jihad. A group of early Muslims were celebrating their military victory over enemies who greatly outnumbered them. The Prophet cautioned them not to celebrate too much because the greater Jihad lay before them: the Jihad against their own faults and weaknesses.

According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) still another meaning of Jihad is the struggle to build a just and caring society, one that reflects the deepest positive values expressed in the Qur’an. In fact, there can be many types of Jihad in a variety of areas, including education, personal morality, and interfaith cooperation.

But let’s return for a moment to the idea of Jihad as holy war. We would do well to remind ourselves that a close examination of history reveals what disasters holy wars can be. The Crusades certainly count among the darkest actions in the history of Christianity. Even WWII (the so called, “Good War) left millions of civilians dead as a result of the indiscriminate bombing raids undertaken by both sides in the conflict.

Finally, we should all be careful about how we use the word Jihad. In the current debate about the shutdown of the Federal government, one Democratic Congressman excoriated his Republican colleagues for undertaking a Jihad, or holy war, against the American people over Obamacare. That use of the word clearly deserves to be condemned. It serves as a reminder that we all need to embark on an “inner Jihad” of curbing our tongues when we are angry.

For more information about the idea of Jihad, visit: http://islam.about.com/od/jihad/f/jihad.htm