{"id":152384,"date":"2025-09-25T11:29:06","date_gmt":"2025-09-25T15:29:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/imam-us.org\/?page_id=152384"},"modified":"2025-09-25T12:28:15","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T16:28:15","slug":"what-is-jihad","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/imam-us.org\/islamic-awareness\/islam-101\/what-is-jihad","title":{"rendered":"What is Jihad?"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"section section--full-width section--hero section--acf-block section--acf-block-hero section--has-no-background text-center\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12 section__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"hero-title\">What is Jihad?<\/h1>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is Jihad?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Linguistically, <em>jihad<\/em> means exerting effort, strength, and energy in the most complete and extensive manner. This effort can be moral or intellectual\u2014such as mental exertion and emotional struggle\u2014or material, including physical labor, financial contribution, or social engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, God says: <em>\u201cThose who have believed, migrated, and striven hard in the way of God with their possessions and their lives have a greater rank with God, and it is they who will be the triumphant\u201d<\/em> (Quran 9:20). This verse highlights the merit and reward for those who endured the hardship of migration for the sake of God\u2014expending wealth, bearing difficulties, and facing emotional strain. Such efforts grant them the highest ranks with Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At an even higher level is the struggle against the lower self (<em>al-nafs al-amm\u0101rah bi-l-s\u016b\u02be<\/em>), which inclines toward evil. Satan constantly attempts to lure a person toward wrongdoing, making this an ongoing battlefield throughout life. God encourages believers to remain steadfast and willing to endure struggle in His path: <em>\u201cAs for those who strive in Us, We shall surely guide them to Our ways, and indeed God is with the virtuous\u201d<\/em> (Quran 29:69).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fighting enemies on the battlefield is also considered jihad. However, in Islam\u2019s scale of values, the jihad of combating one\u2019s lower self is considered greater than armed struggle. It is narrated that the Prophet (pbuh &amp; hp) welcomed a battalion returning from a military expedition, bearing visible signs of fatigue, hardship, and wounds. He said: <em>\u201cWelcome to a people who have completed the lesser jihad, and upon whom the greater jihad still remains.\u201d<\/em> They asked: <em>\u201cO Messenger of God, what is the greater jihad?\u201d<\/em> He replied: <em>\u201cThe jihad of the self.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Regrettably, some who understand Islam narrowly\u2014due to ignorance, circumstances, or adherence to regressive customs\u2014reduce its vast mercy, rationality, guidance, and moral teachings to a distorted notion of jihad, using it to justify violence, bloodshed, and destruction. From such misinterpretations have emerged groups like Wahhabism, the Taliban, ISIS, and others. Global media outlets and Islamophobic groups have often amplified these examples to portray Islam as a savage and bloodthirsty religion, contrary to its true teachings of peace, justice, and morality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--1\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/imam-us.org\/islamic-awareness\/islam-101\/how-does-islam-view-death\" style=\"border-radius:0px\">&lt;  How does Islam view Death?&nbsp;<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--2\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/imam-us.org\/islamic-awareness\/islam-101\/islam-and-the-human-rights\" style=\"border-radius:0px\">Islam and the Human Rights  &gt;<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is Jihad? Linguistically, jihad means exerting effort, strength, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27348,"featured_media":0,"parent":6368,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-152384","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What is Jihad? - IMAM-US.org<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/imam-us.org\/islamic-awareness\/islam-101\/what-is-jihad\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What is Jihad? - IMAM-US.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What is Jihad? 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