What is Jihad?

WHAT IS JIHAD? Jihad simply means making great efforts or striving for a particular purpose. Jihad is not synonymous with violence. It is a form of worship through which one earns Divine reward. J ihad is a fact of life. What is called ‘effort’ or ‘struggle’ in English is called ‘jihad’ in Arabic. Jihad is not some mysterious concept. Nor is it synonymous with violence. It simply means making great efforts or striving for a particular purpose. The root word of jihad is juhd, which connotes making much effort for something. According to the famous Arabic dictionary Lisan al-Arab, the word juhd means utmost effort. Juhd and related words appear in different forms to indicate this meaning. For instance, the phrase jahad al-laban means, ‘making efforts to take out all the butter’. In Arabic, one says bazala juhdahu, that is, ‘He exerted his utmost power or ability.’ Likewise, when we say jahada ar-rajulu fi kaza ay jadda fihi wa balagha, it means, ‘The man made every effort and tried his best for the cause.’ The terms jihad and mujahid (one who engages in jihad) precisely mean the same. (Lisan al-Arab, Vol. 3 p. 135) Striving hard for a particular purpose is something