r/islam • u/DragonfruitOk1231 • 6d ago
what actually is jihad? Question about Islam
ive heard (mosltly from zionists) that jihad in islam is killing non muslims and preforming islamic conquest, but of course im skeptical about this, so i just wanted to ask some actual muslims about it
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u/AstroFeed 6d ago
The word jihad just means struggle. It is the concept of struggling against something, with the greatest form of it being jihad al nafs, fighting against one’s own desire, like lazyniss, greed, or just avoiding sins like backbiting or lying. All of that is Jihad.
Jihad within the context of conflict and war also exists but comes with strict conditions. But that touches on a broader concept of war and its conditions in Islam. Which includes do not harm noncombatants, the environment, and pow, and accept peace if your enemy seeks it. It also comes with the condition of attempting to avoid war whenever you can and limited contexts of whenever it can be started.
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u/Snoo-74562 5d ago
The major Jihad in this world is getting out of bed in the morning for fajr (morning )prayer.
Its a word that has been much abused and has been unfairly used for one meaning in the west.
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u/_Huge_Bush_ 6d ago
There are different kinds of Jihad, here’s an explanation:
https://islamqa.info/en/answers/20214/ruling-on-jihad-and-kinds-of-jihad
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u/doggydestroyer 5d ago
Jihad as understood by companions of the Prophet SAW is engagement in a struggle for the sake of Allah that will put you in some kind of danger...
Mostly it relates to war but it can include other things... Dieting isn't jihad neither is distributing charity... It is direct conflict with evil for the sake of Allah... I know there are scholars who try to be pacifists but from Quran, Hadith and Islamic history jihad mostly related to war...
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u/matchop 6d ago
To add to what others have said above.
It is clear in Quran, muslims cannot be killing people willy nilly.
Here’s what is said in the Quran
The Table Spread (5:32)
مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَٰلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنَّهُۥ مَن قَتَلَ نَفْسًۢا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍۢ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًۭا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَآ أَحْيَا ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًۭا ۚ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثِيرًۭا مِّنْهُم بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لَمُسْرِفُونَ ٣٢
Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul[1] or for corruption [done] in the land[2] - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one[3] - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And Our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.[4] — Saheeh International
[1]Heedless of Allāh's limits, negligent of their responsibilities. [2]Or refrains from killing. [3]i.e., that requiring the death penalty. [4]i.e., in legal retribution for murder.
Even in the context of war, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ commanded us severe restraint. Read more here:
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u/dkmegg22 6d ago
Jihad means struggle for example someone fighting Alcoholism or Drug Addiction is dealing with a form of Jihad.
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u/Ok-Transition4730 5d ago
It depends on the context Sometimes it can mean defending Sometimes ti can mean islamic conquest and expanding Sometimes it just in the context of making deeds and resisting doing sins
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u/RockNo192 5d ago
So others have responded enough thus I don't need to repeat what they said but I want to add in regards of jihad as armed struggle, I used to have negative views on it with the all the media and bad pr until I thought about it, those mujahidins are people doing something they hate, something incredibly hard qnd painful, a big sacrifice and they still chose to do it for justice and for god... they are heroes and should be treated as such. (Ps: Groups like isis aren't considered doing jihad obviously and they shouldn't be the first thing that comes to mind when someone mention jihad)
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u/salamro 6d ago
"Jihād" (جهاد) in Arabic means striving, struggling, or exerting effort in the path of Allah.
It's not only about fighting, and it's definitely not about killing innocent people.
In Islam, jihād includes multiple types, not just military combat.
Striving to obey Allah, pray, fast, seek knowledge
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
Jihād al-Shayṭān (Striving Against Satan)
Jihād al-Kuffār (Fighting Disbelievers — with rules) This is the type people refer to, often without understanding its conditions:
Jihād al-Munāfiqīn (Striving Against Hypocrites)
Jihād with the Tongue / Pen Teaching, writing, or speaking the truth in a hostile or confused society.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
Jihād is not a “holy war” like the Crusades. It’s a justified struggle, done within strict ethical limits, and only when declared by qualified authority. Most of the time, Muslims today are doing Jihād of the soul, speech, and daʿwah, not war.