Concept of jihad and its nature in Islam

Abstract

This paper argues that the word Jihad is commonly translated into English as „the holy war‟ and for a long while now the word has been interpreted so that it has become synonymous with a mania of religion. But the word Jihad does not mean „holy war.‟ The concept of „holy war‟ does not occur in the term Jihād, which in Arabic would be al-ħarb al-muqaddasah تسدقملا برحلا. Thus the Arabic word „Jihad' has neither the connotation of ''holy'' nor that of ''war''. Islam simply put an end to the wars of aggression and permitted only defensive war under certain conditions after all effort to keep the peace has failed and enemy impose was on the Muslim State. Such defensive war is permitted in order to restore the condition of peace, but not to disturb the peace. Islam does not advocate “the law of the jungle and does not give Muslims any right to take life of others. Jihad is not terrorism; terrorism is under no circumstances permissible in Islam. But It is apparent that the understanding of Jihad as a concept is dismally blurred and employed by the extremists, and the only way to dispel the false notions of Jihad put forth by the extremists, who are massively funded by external sources, is an equally strong effort put forth by Muslim governments in re-education of their populations, in particular the youth, with a correct understanding of this term.