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What does 'Jihad' really mean?


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After years of using the word "jihadist" to describe terrorists who carry out attacks against civilians and the U.S. military, the Bush administration has finally realized that doing so actually pays those groups a compliment in the eyes of some Muslims.

Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Bush administration has relied on terms like "jihadist" and "Islamic extremists." But jihad has very positive connotations in the Islamic world. It is akin to religious duty: when someone wants to better themselves, they embark on a jihad. Whether it's to quit smoking, pray more, and in some cases, fight off anyone preventing them from practicing their religion.

"Just like you wouldn't call Josef Stalin a hero of the revolution, you don't want to call Osama bin Laden a jihadist. He loves it," says Duncan MacInnes, a spokesman for the State Department's Counterterrorism Communication Center.

I must say, I was a bit railroaded one time into thinking it was a bad thing. But after reading much about the faith and the extreme faith I came to realise that it wasn't meant to be a WAR or VIOLENCE, but a struggle, thats another meaning for Jihad.

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30 responses // What does 'Jihad' really mean?

  • Thank you, WorldPeaceTV, for this article! I don't like how Jihad is made out to be such a negative term. It is a beautiful name and word. I hope from this article others will do like yourself and understand the correct meaning.
    PaliNadia
  • Not only that, but a jihad is meant in self-defense of the religion, not as an attack.

    It's not like our word crusade, which people often mistake as meaning the same thing. It means reclaiming a part of your life that has been undermined and is offensive to God.

    But really, I don't think Bush cares for a second about what he says or does. It's pretty clear that he doesn't give two shits about the "war on terror." Especially not when it comes to bringing the Muslim world on our side or fostering understanding among Americans.

    For christ's sake, the man called the war in Iraq a "great crusade." How fucking retarded is it to call your war a "great crusade" to the very people who were butchered by arguably the most ignorant war in human history? Not to mention that they're still upset about it! Just total idiocy.
    Saladin
  • I guess they could not figure out the word for Assholes so they just used Jihadist.
    Tgarius
  • The ignorance of the bush administration is fueled by an idiot leader who can't speak his native language English.

    As long as we are to deal with this moron in the oval office, stupidity will be the government's only talent.
    siuol
  • http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Shal...
    Thanks for the lesson WPTV!
    I hope that we have more good and peaceful lessons to understand watch other better is great. It is so easy to take a word and use it the wrong way!
    Shalom Salam Peace!!!
    CarolynGillis
  • Thank you WPTV. A language and cultural lesson in the same stroke. It's amazing to me that we can be so ignorant of other cultures unless we can gain from them. Maybe if we tried to understand them, who knows we could actually avoid the next war.
    bluestranger
  • Yes, that's it.. we just don't understand them, my eyes now are open...
    Tgarius
    2 responses to this
  • Dude, I've been saying this for years. Jihad isn't blowing up the World Trade Center. Jihad is the struggle within one's self to be a better person/be a better Muslim. It's been blown too far out of proportion.
    recommended by  Vierotchka
    Adumbration
  • Huh. I didn't know that.
    Dmitri_Molotov
  • From where did you get this falsified interpretation?

    Jihad is one of the five pillars of the Islam.
    What it means is that everyone should strive to be a muslim (jihad = to strive). And what it USUALLY means is that if someone doesnt want to strive he should be forced to.

    Thats what it means
    Flying_Camel
    3 responses to this
  • One word may have many interpretations, as we see.
    I like having word from the Israeli front from Flying Camel to hear another perspective.
    This is a highly debatable topic all around. It pains me that I have to be in a rush all the time and can't join in more...sorry. It makes me put in posts that are not thought out and that is a bad thing to do when people's lives are at risk. I will try to just pop in from time to time and not post much..gotta attend to my responsibilities first. Sorry, I deleted a post or two because of this.
    CarolynGillis
    1 response to this
  • I think it's important to realize that a terrorist can be a jihadist, but not all jihadists are necessarily terrorists.

    The popular Western perception of Islam is extremely distorted. I recommend anything by Edward Said if you are interested in this issue. He has a few speeches on Y0utube that are pretty interesting.
    recommended by  huntre, Vierotchka
    flyingkick
  • paste the address for anything from the web
    Jihad has also been applied to offensive, aggressive warfare, as exemplified by Muhammad's own policies and the entire subsequent history of the spread of Islam. From the first generation of Islam, jihad ideology inspired the conquest of non-Muslim populations, forcing them to submit to Muslim rule or accept outright conversion.

    From Wikipedia.
    IAMHIPHOP
  • a "jihadist" is an individual shooting at you , and whom you'd prefer to be dead more than yourself .
    malathion
    2 responses to this
  • You are absolutely wrong, Flying_Camel - jihad is NOT one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The Five Pillars of Islam are Shahadah (profession of faith), Salah (ritual prayer), Zakah (alms tax), Sawm (fasting during Ramadan), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).
    recommended by  huntre
    Vierotchka
  • for anyone who is genuinely interested in knowing the meaning of this word..

    "jihad", as many have already referred to on this page, more or less refers to "struggle"..

    there are, however, different ways in which one can struggle.. some people undergo a spiritual struggle with their inner demons.. some struggle with the daily toil of earning an honest living.. others physically struggle with an identifiable, tangible threat.. whether it be on the battlefield with an enemy, or a disabling medical condition..

    the greater message in all of this is to improve oneself.. to aim higher in whatever you do.. to struggle past the temptations of material and sensual gratification to achieve goals of a higher purpose..

    this concept involves motivating oneself to a higher level.. ie.. to "struggle" to become a more disciplined person.. this is a broad interpretation of "jihad"..

    its a belief with very loose parallels in bushido, xia, chivalry, and any other religious or cultural approach to life which encourages one to overcome personal limitations or desires in order to attain a higher goal or provide a greater good..

    of course, there are many who misinterpret what "good" would be.. many more use their ends to justify the means and directly or indirectly contradict the very principles which they claim to be adhering to (those who kill innocent people).. and obviously there are people who use the term "jihad" both as a label to elevate their own cause (bin laden).. or as a scare tactic to demonize your opponents (bush)..

    its very easy to miss the point in all of this.. once you recognize the true essence of the word "jihad", it should come as no surprise that its meaning has been hijacked over the years.. its quite a powerful concept..

    peace..
    recommended by  Vierotchka
    chapter12
  • thanks for sharing this . I learn something new everyday.. gonna read more after my little guy goes to bed.. have agreat evening
    Bren589
  • Thank you everyone for your input, I learned even more! I hope some of the others have also learned.
    peace
    WorldPeaceTV
  • Thanks for posting this, WorldPeaceTV! Good info!
    Hawkmang
  • This is why my mother always said not to use a word that
    I didn't understand the meaning of..
    inapickle
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuX2Ma-GqUk
    Is this Jihad?
    IAMHIPHOP
  • no.. this is not jihad.. its a propaganda video aimed at kids..

    if you truly need someone to point that out for you then you are a waste of everyone's time..

    and if you already knew this, then you are just as guilty of the same propaganda..
    chapter12

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