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THE MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE OF JIHAD

We all know that religion is a particular or absolute devotion and worship to God (the higher power). Every religion is meant to be peaceful and encourages its followers to be good. However, throughout human history, factors which bring about conflict and war are those related to politics, economy, society, arms race, colonialism and so on. Similarly, millions have to live and suffer in misery because of religious misunderstandings, disputes and conflicts. A great example of such misinterpretation in the day and age is the most widely discussed issues in the Muslim community is the negative image of Islam in the global media, an issue that was cause for concern even before 9/11. Nevertheless, “in this light it is wholly understandable that, in the aftermath of the brutal attacks of September 11, many in the west and in the Muslim world are appalled by the fact that the mass-murderer perpetrated on that day is being hailed by some Muslims as an act of Jihad”1. While appeals to the media for accuracy and fairness continue, newspaper headlines regularly print the words “Islam” and “Muslim” next to words like “fanatic,” “fundamentalist,” “militant,” “terrorist” and “violence.” Uses of the term “Jihad” in television programs and films are also illustrative. Therefore, this problematic subject leads to a subsequent question; what really is Jihad? After all, there is a great deal of confusion in the West regarding the meaning of Jihad and the role it is playing in shaping the Muslim world. Indeed, it has acquired a pejorative connotation in the minds of many Westerners. The purpose of this discussion is to present an accurate understanding of the concept of Jihad.

1. Joseph Lumbard , In Islam, Fundamentalism and the Betrayal of Tradition (Bloomington, IN.: World Wisdom Books, 2009), 119

Jihad is frequently confused with the

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