Centuries-old Arabic term translated literally as "holy war" or "endeavor." In recent years, Muslim fighters, especially in the Arab-Israeli conflict, have used the term almost solely to mean "holy war," often waged through terrorist attacks on civilians. PLO chairman Yasir Arafat caused a stir when he called for a "jihad to liberate Jerusalem," even after renouncing the use of violence against Israel. Arafat later said he was using the term to refer to a peaceful religious campaign for Israel's capital.

Arabic word meaning "striving in the way of God." This striving can take a number of forms, the most common of which is the daily inner struggle to be a better person. Armed jihad is permitted in defense of Islam.

striving (mentally, to be a better Muslim, or physically, on behalf of the Muslim community); holy war

Striving, effort, struggle; striving spiritually or physically against evil; colloquial religious war. more

(or Yihad) = Holy War, in the sense of both a personal war against the own vices and a fight against pagans or enemies of Islam.

striving; effort directed toward inner religious perfectin and toward "holy war" on behalf of Islam against unbelievers.

Striving for Islam, whether by peaceful or violent means ( NOT holy war!)

The essential meaning of jihad is the spiritual, psychological and physical effort exerted by Muslims to be closer to God and thus achieve a just and harmonious society. Jihad literally means "striving" or "struggle" and is shorthand for Jihad fi Sabeel Allah (struggle for God's cause). Another level of jihad is popularly known as "holy war". What is condoned is defensive warfare; Islam does not justify aggressive war.

Arabic for "Holy war", that is, a war based on the clash of ideologies.

(literally "struggle" or "striving"). Although this word is often translated as "holy war," it has a broader meaning than warfare on the battlefield. Any act of striving to please Allah may be described as jihad.

Often mistranslated to mean "holy war." In Arabic, it means "effort" and usually means an effort for God. Preaching is a form of jihad. Engaging in war for the sake of God would be an extreme form of jihad, mainstream Muslims believe, and could be undertaken only with the understanding that soldiers would die, not innocent women and children.

Personal individual struggle against evil in the way of Allah. It can also be collective defense of the Muslim community.

The word has several meanings. For many Muslims, it means an internal spiritual struggle, striving to do God's will on earth. Other meanings include holy war, which many mainstream Muslim scholars say is used in defense of one's soul, property and nation. Islamists say it is necessary to launch a jihad or holy war against one's enemies - the infidels - as a religious duty.

(lit. "to struggle, exert oneself fully, give one’s best effort") Military action with the object of the expansion of the house of Islam or the realm of peace where Islam rules (Dar al-Islam). The interpretation of jihad as an internal struggle comes from Sufi mysticism and remains a minority position within Islam, even, at times, considered un-Islamic.

(Uee-hahd) Arabic: holy war. Both Christians and Muslims alike have historically embraced the idea of a "just war ." (Islamic Jihad; the Crusades)

war in accordance with the Islamic law against unbelievers, also, the inner struggle against base impulses.

Striving in the cause of Allah.

effort, struggle, desire to persevere in order to please God.

an Arabic term meaning "striving" or "effort" in the service of God, which was applied to political conquest on behalf of Islam. Thus a jihad is a holy war.

struggle; the "greater jihad" is the mental and moral struggle for self-improvement, the "lesser jihad" is physical struggle against an enemy (.e., "holy war")

(Legal) Fighting to make the word of Allah supreme; (Lit.) To exert the utmost in ones cause;

Muslim term for either internal struggle against sin or a holy war against infidels.

Arabic word meaning holy war; true Muslims must oppose unbelievers or those who threaten the existence of the Islamic community

Arabic term meaning holy war. It is regarded by Muslims as a meritorious work that ensures entry into Paradise. The word is derived from jahada which means to strive for something.

a holy war waged by Muslims against infidels

a holy struggle or striving by a Muslim for a moral or spiritual or political goal

a holy war that is only called for if muslim women and children are threatened

a holy war which Islam allows merely to fight against those who reject its teachings

a Islamic term that could be applied to a fast for bodily cleansing

an expression Westerners take to mean an Islamic declared "Holy War

a personal war with one's self

a struggle, not a war

a war against combatants, not women and children

is a holy war (striving or fighting in the way of Allah) by the order of the Imam.

Lit. Struggle. Denotes the struggle in the cause of God, whether it is directed at betterment of one’s morals, reformation of one’s character, or struggle in a wider social circle to curb evil and help promote good, peacefully and through beautiful exhortation, the use of force is the last resort when tyranny and injustice prevail, depriving man of human dignity, freedom of thought, belief, and expression.

A holy war on behalf of the Muslim religion.

the obligation which is incumbent on Muslims to engage in "struggle" or "exertion" in behalf of Islam, to bring the entire world into the "Household of Islam."

An Arabic word that means to strive, struggle or exert oneself in the quest for Islamic faith. It is sometimes used by Westerners to mean a holy war, particularly against non-Muslims, but Islamic scholars say the primary meaning involves a person's inner struggle for faith.

An Arabic word meaning "to struggle" or "to exhaust one's effort." The "effort" can mean preaching Islam and living virtuously in accordance with God's commands. But it can also apply to actual fighting to defend Muslims. Even military jihad, however, is supposed to be fought with respect for the rules of war.

Holy war, participation and resultant death in which assures a faithful Muslim the reward of Paradise.

Literally, striving (for the sake of Allah); fighting (so-called Holy War) for the sake of establishing truth and justice in an unbalanced situation. From the verb jahada: to endeavor, strive, do one's utmost, expend energy. Mujahid is a warrior, fighter.

In the military sense, a war fought to spread Muslim rule.

The religious struggle or war against nonbelievers in Islam.

A strive to achieve something hard. Usually applied in Holy War, a war waged to ensure security of Muslim territories, individuals or properties under Muslim protection. It is also applied in seeking knowledge, seeking provisions for family etc. The biggest application is in the purification of the heart and knowledge of the self.

Struggle or fight or effort.

Exertion of effort to advance Islam. Often equated with holy war, a national struggle, but also refers to a personal struggle to advance Islam within one’s own soul—and everything in between. The Quran says a warrior who dies in jihad goes straight to paradise.

The original meaning of the word "jihad" is "a life spent in the service of God (Allah)". It's one of the Seven Steps of Islam, but is considered optional. Because the Moslems first noticed by Europeans were those who served Allah by warring against the infidel, Westerners have adopted the word as a term for fanatical holy war (as waged by people who think that dying for the cause is a passport directly to Heaven, do not pass Hell, do not collect $200). Note that Jyhad [sic] was the original name of the Wizards of the Coast CCG based on White Wolf World of Darkness. A new edition of this CCG has been issued as Vampire: The Eternal Struggle. [AdS,BB,CR,SMB

means struggling one's utmost to be a better person in the sight of Allah, and to establish Islamic way of life.

Jihad literally means 'to strive' or 'to exert to the utmost.' In Islamic parlance it signifies all forms of striving, including armed struggle.

To strive hard for a better way of life or to fight to defend one's life, property, freedom, and religion. It can also refer to attempt to free other people from oppression and tyranny. Islam strongly opposes Kidnapping, Terrorism, or hijacking against civilian targets, even at the time of war.

holy war or struggle

the word jihad, in terms of the acquisition of a desirable and commendable objective, carries a number of meanings. Jihad is striving against the evils of the self, and it is also the struggle waged for the propagation of Islam and the integrity of Ummah. For example, to launch jihad through tongue and pen for the improvement and development of the Islamic society; an armed struggle against the exploitive forces is also jihad but this is ‘minor jihad' while a perpetual struggle against the evil wishes of one's self is ‘major jihad'. Jihad is one of the cardinal articles of Islam.

Literally means 'to struggle' or 'strive'. Muslims use the word jihad to describe three different kinds of struggle: a believer's internal struggle to live out the Muslim faith as well as possible; the struggle to build a good Muslim society; and the struggle to defend Islam, with force if necessary. Often mistranslated as 'Holy War'.

striving and fighting to see that the Wod of Allah is uppermost.

A holy war but often has a more metaphorical meaning of inner struggle. Karbala The holy shrine city in Iraq for Shi'a Muslims where Husayn was martyred.

Literally, striving. Any earnest striving in the way of God, involving personal effort, material resources, or arms for righteousness against evil, wrongdoing, and oppression. If it involves armed struggle, it must be for the defense of the Muslim community or a just war to protect even non-Muslims from evil, oppression, and tyranny.

Literally, struggle: refers to the Muslim "holy war" to spread Islam.

(Arabic) "Struggle;" usually applied to an Islamic war. The Ottoman Turks waged "Jihad" against Constantinople and other parts of Europe. According to Muslim sources, " Jihad is not a war to force the faith on others, as many people think of it. It should never be interpreted as a way of compulsion of the belief on others, since there is an explicit verse in the Qur'an that says:"There is no compulsion in religion" Al-Qur'an: Al-Baqarah (2:256). Jihad is not a defensive war only, but a war against any unjust regime. If such a regime exists, a war is to be waged against the leaders, but not against the people of that country. People should be freed from the unjust regimes and influences so that they can freely choose to believe in Allah." (see Islamic glossary at www.cwis.usc.edu/dept/MSA/reference/glossary.html)

India/Middle East/North Africa A Muslim religious struggle or crusade.

Contrary to popular opinion in the West, this does not mean "holy war". A literal translation is "struggle". The struggle to establish justice and righteousness may or may not involve military action. Just as Westerners talk about their "crusade against poverty", so Muslims can use jihad in the same sense. There is also the "greater jihad", which is entirely against the caprices of the soul; the jihad in the world is the "lesser jihad"

According to Islamic doctrine, the permanent struggle to establish the law of God on earth, often interpreted to mean "holy war."

Literally means to struggle or strive, and is often incorrectly interpreted as 'holy war'. In an Islamic sense, Jihad is the struggle to propagate or preserve Islam. There are four main forms of jihad: Jihad an-Nafs: struggling against one's own evil traits in order to become a better person. Jihad as-Shaytan: struggling against the temptations of Satan. Jihad al-Kufar: struggling against the enemies of Islam, either by speech, wealth or force. There are strict laws governing the physical form of Jihad (for example, not to be the aggressor, not harming unarmed civilians, their property or livestock, and accepting the enemies call for peace immediately). Unfortunately, these are largely ignored today by those claiming to be fighting for Islam (i.e. Al-Qaida and other terrorist groups), thus giving Islam's opponents more ammunition with which to attack it. Jihad ahlu ath-Thulm: struggling against injustice and evil, including those who corrupt Islam with heretic ideas (for example, those who reject the hadith & sunnah). The true meaning of Jihad is better explained in an essay written by sister Safia.

To strive, struggle and exert effort, in Arabic. In the Quran, jihad is connected with the imperative to command good and forbid evil, especially with reference to the struggle of believers against persecution and idolatry.

literally, "striving" or "struggle," although it is often used in the theo-political context of a "holy war." It must be either defensive or to right a wrongdoing. Its truer meaning is subjective and psychological, not objective and political; thus it is said that the "lesser jihad" is the external war with an agressor, while the "greater jihad" is the internal war with oneself, i.e., to be a better Muslim.

Islamic holy war. (p. 288)

Jihad, sometimes spelled Jawwad, Jahad, Jehad, Jihaad, Jiaad, Djehad, or Cihad, ( ) 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.John Esposito(2005), Islam: The Straight Path, pp.93 Within the realms of Islamic jurisprudence, jihad usually refers to military exertion against non-Muslim combatants."Djihād", Encyclopaedia of Islam OnlinePeters, Rudolph (1977). Jihad in Medieval and Modern Islam. Brill Academic Publishers.

Jihad is a 1986 documentary film produced and directed by Jeff B. Harmon about the Soviet war in Afghanistan as seen through the eyes of Haji Latif, 'The Lion of Kandahar’, and his group of Islamic holy warriors.