The term 'jihad' is derived from the root word 'jahad' which means to
strive, to be diligent. From that comes another specific verb 'jaahad'
which means specifically, to endeavour, to struggle, to strive, to contend
with, to fight against. 'Jihaad' (or as it is more commonly transliterated
as 'jihad') is from the latter verb.
There are two kinds of jihad, the major jihad and the minor jihad.
This is the struggle against one's inner self to subjugate and
control one's passions and carnal desires. The base or carnal self must be controlled by the conscience, and only when one succeeds in this struggle does one attain the perfect
self, the self at peace with itself. In respect of those who attain this state, Allah says:
"O the soul at peace, return to your Lord, pleased with His good pleasure
AND enter into the company of My true servants. And enter my Garden!"
This means to struggle for Islam. Not for extension of boundaries, not for
personal glory, not for the glory of any tribe, community or nation, but
for the defence of Islam and the protection of its values. Such a struggle
can take many forms, through the use of pen, through the use of tongue or
through the use of the sword. This last form is often referred to in the
"Those who believe do battle for the cause of God and those who disbelieve do battle for the cause of taghut. So fight the minions of the devil. Lo! the devil's strategy is always weak." ( Al-Quran)
In the Qur'an, one discovers that, in various manners, there is the command to wage war and carry out jihad. On the other hand, the propaganda that has been perpetrated in the past few centuries against Islam has been primarily aimed at the issue of war, conquests, and the advances made by Muslims. The scope of such evil propaganda has been sufficiently broad as to more or less have engraved its ma
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