Jihad, in the news, is often translated to mean "Holy War". But "Holy" and "war" are
both English words with Latin origins, so it probably doesn't mean exactly that. According
to Google Translate, the individual words exist separately in Arabic. So, what is Jihad?
Does it refer to a set of conflicts, like how the Crusades refer to a set of Christian
Holy Wars?
Nope, it does not. So, why do they need the extra word Jihad to describe a Holy War? Does
it even mean "Holy War" at all? The short answer is... no. What Jihad really means,
is "struggle."
It's a major religious duty, that many consider to be the unofficial 6th pillar of Islam - right
below self-control, giving to the poor, and visiting Mecca.
Technically, Jihad means "a struggle in the way of Allah." Fringe radical militant groups,
think that attacking the west is part of that struggle, but the majority of Muslims don't.
Most of them are actually opposed to using the word "Jihad" in that way, because it associates
the word with terrorism. So, what does Jihad mean to THEM?
Well, in Islam there are two types of Jihad: the Outer and the Inner. The outer is the
kind that defends Islam against outside aggression - like they did in the crusades. The Inner
represents the internal spiritual struggle to seek self-improvement in the way of Allah.
So basically, it's the struggle to be a better Muslim - both spiritually and in practice.
The following passage, which is from a highly-debated Islamic text called the Hadith, sums it up
nicely. In it, Muhammad says to a band of returning warriors,
"You have arrived with an excellent arrival, you have come from the Lesser Jihad to the
Greater Jihad—the striving of a servant (of Allah) against his (own) desires."
So despite the negative attention it gets, Jihad can refer to some really wonderful things.
Zakat, for example, the third Pillar of Islam -- is all about giving to the needy, and doing
good deeds for others.
There's even a website called myjihad.org that highlights good Jihads, and it's part
of an entire online movement, devoted to taking the word back from Islamic extremists.
Even Twitter has gotten in on it -- with the hashtag #MyJihad, where people tweet about
their good deeds or positive struggles to help better themselves and their communities.
Like this: #MyJihad is to balance work and family life
#MyJihad is to challenge society norms and work towards improving our culture
#MyJihad is to keep the air in my country clean
And finally, #MyJihad is trying to appreciate the Jihad
in a place where the Jihad is misunderstood..
So see, it's really not as scary a word as you might think. It doesn't mean holy war.
And if that hashtag is any indication, it has the power to change the world.
If you have any questions, all of the information from this episode can be found in the description
box. And remember - we make this show for you guys. So if there's a topic you want us
to cover, just let us know in the comments below. Otherwise, thank you for watching -- and
for more episodes, just click subscribe!