Does Jihad mean holy war?
In Islam, there is no such thing as holy war. This terminology was generated in Europe during the Crusades and their war against Muslims. Islam recognizes Jews and Christians as the “People of the Book” because they all follow the Prophet Abraham, believing in Moses’ and Jesus’ teachings. For many centuries, Muslims have peacefully coexisted with Christians, Jews, and people of other faiths, maintaining social, business, political and economic treaties. Islam respects all humans and faiths as long as there is no religious oppression, forbidding Muslims from serving Allah, preventing others from learning about Islam, and not respecting treaties. For more information on the topic of Jihad see the brochure Jihad Explained or request brochure #18 from the III&E, the publisher of this article. Who is authorized to call for Jihad as a war? Jihad must be performed according to Islamic rules and regulations and only for the sake or in the service of Allah. The physical or military Jihad must b
Jihad means’ struggling’ or ‘striving’ and applies to any effort exerted by anyone, such as a pupil at university who struggles to get their degree and has struggled to get as far as they have in education. In the West, Jihad is generally translated as ‘holy war’, a usage the media has popularised. According to Islamic teachings, it is unholy to instigate or start war; however, some wars are inevitable and justifiable. If we translate the words ‘holy war’ back into Arabic, we find harbun muqaddasatu, or for ‘the holy war’, al-harbu al-muqaddasatu. If you search all the Quran and Hadith, you will never find the word Jihad meaning ‘holy war’.O you who believe! Choose neither your fathers nor your brethren for protectors if they love disbelief over belief; whoever of you takes them for protectors, such are wrongdoers. Say: if your fathers, and your children, and your brethren, and your spouses, and your tribe, and the wealth you have acquired, and business for which you fear shrinkage, an
