JIHAD, OR THE HOLY WAR

Jihad has been wrongly translated to 'the holy war', that's why many people believe that Jihad only means fighting. The literal meaning of Jihad is striving, and jihad in Islam is to exert oneself in the way of Allah. War is not jihad, but it may become jihad 'under certain circumstances'.

Jihad can be suppressing one's desire to do a bad deed eg lying. It can also be giving money in charity. Working hard to earn one's living by rightful means is also jihad. Jihad is a struggle to do good and to avoid evil.

A war is termed as jihad if it is fought in self-defence with the consent of the Prophet (PBUH), or his successor, only when a non-muslim army attacks muslims. All the battles that were fought when Prophet (PBUH) was alive were in self-defence, against the non-muslims and those are considered as jihad.

All the battles and wars that muslims fight, can not be termed as jihad. This jihad is obligatory on all men who are healthy and who are not very old.

Therefore, it is not right to believe that Islam encourages muslims to wage a war against non-muslims. Islam considers a human life very precious. Killing someone innocent is not acceptable in Islam and is one of the greatest sins.

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