Modern Islamic scholars define jihad as spiritual striving, not holy war
Evidence
For the most part, modern-day literature on jihad focuses on the greater jihad: the struggle to be a loyal servant of God, the struggle for the good of Muslim society and against corruption and decadence, etc. At the same time, almost all of these writings emphasize that there is a wider argument. They point out the linguistic derivation of the term “jihad” from jahada, which means “to exert oneself” or “to strive” and that this has a much friendlier connotation than the word qital, which means “to fight.” The latter necessarily implies killing or bloodshed, whereas jihad does not. 60 For this reason, “holy war” is not considered to be an accurate definition by modern-day scholars. — Asena Karipek, Portrayals of Jihad, 69
Categorization
- DEFINE: Clarifies the etymology of jihad from jahada and its contrast with qital.
- XREF: Connects to the broader Islamophobia literature on how media mistranslates Islamic terms. — connects to: The Qur’an references jihad in several places. It carries different meanings based on context. For example, some verses deal with jihad in warfare. Extremist and terrorist Muslims often use these verses to justify aggressive holy war against non-Muslims. They freely declare jihad and justify attacks and murders of all who do not join their campaign. For example, according to a 2016 study conducted by the Carter Center, a non-governmental organization devoted to advancing human rights and alleviating human suffering established by Jimmy Carter in 1982, two of the verses most utilized by ISIS to justify violent jihad are from Surah Tawbah.; When we think of jihad, what comes to mind? Holy war? ISIS? Violence? Terrorism? These are very common conceptions of jihad due to Western media portrayals of the term. When we turn on the news, we frequently see instances of terrorism in the name of Islam (primarily violence caused by the Islamic State of Iraq & Syria, or ‘ISIS’). In fact, many Americans believe that Islamic jihad connotes violence, hatred of non-Muslims, and ‘holy war.’ Dictionary.com defines jihad as ‘a holy war undertaken as a sacred duty by Muslims’ and ‘any vigorous, emotional crusade for an idea or principle.’ The United States Department of Justice has even used ‘holy war’ as a definition of jihad in cases where an individual was indicted for an act of terrorism. Portrayals of jihad by American media lead to Americans’ misunderstanding of this term, thereby contributing to the construction of Islamophobia in America.; There is no universally accepted definition of jihad and nor has there ever been throughout history. There is not even one definition currently accepted by all Muslims. Rather, the doctrine of jihad is the product of the interpretations of various individuals and authorities and how they have applied the principles of sacred texts in various historical and political contexts. (+9 more)
Broader Connections
- Jihad means struggle and carries a contested internal and external history
#corroborates(0.80) — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 285 - Jihad, which has come to be perceived as ‘holy war’ in American media and by many Americans, is a hot topic of debate throughout the world but especially in the West.
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