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View synonyms for jihad
jihad
or je·had
[ ji-hahd ]
noun
- spiritual striving against moral failings, undertaken as a religious duty by Muslims.
- armed struggle in defense of Islam: in traditional Muslim law, bound by a number of rules, conditions, and restrictions on when and where it is acceptable.
- any vigorous, emotional crusade for an idea or principle.
jihad
/ dʒɪˈhæd /
noun
- Islam a holy war against infidels undertaken by Muslims in defence of the Islamic faith
- Islam the personal struggle of the individual believer against evil and persecution
- rare.a crusade in support of a cause
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Usage Note
The term jihad, literally meaning struggle, has always had multiple meanings within Muslim discourse. It has been interpreted to mean an individual spiritual struggle toward righteousness, and to mean a collective struggle for self-defense. This second meaning was picked up by both the international media and Islamic fundamentalists, and the word is now often understood to mean a holy war against nonbelievers, despite the lack of support for this meaning in the religious scholarship of mainstream Islam.
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Notes
Modern-day terrorists often claim that they are carrying out acts of destruction, such as the attacks on the World Trade Center towers, as part of a jihad.
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Word History and Origins
Origin of jihad1
First recorded in 1865–70; from Arabic jihād “struggle, strife”
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Word History and Origins
Origin of jihad1
C19: from Arabic jihād a conflict
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Example Sentences
“We are just displaced, but we are still in positions to attack wherever we want,” said Jihad Yar Wazir.
From The Daily Beast
This past summer, Colleen LaRose, known by her self-anointed handle ‘Jihad Jane’, was sentenced to ten years in prison.
From The Daily Beast
Fighters from Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other groups did not fall back.
From The Daily Beast
He contends that another Islamic Jihad member watched the events from an adjacent house.
From The Daily Beast
The Israelis estimate the total number of Islamic Jihad fighters in Gaza to be roughly 5,200, while Hamas numbers about 16,000.
From The Daily Beast
Jihad is incumbent on all Moslems if against infidel aggression.
From Project Gutenberg
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