Concept in Definition ABC

The term Jihad is equivalent to Jihad in Arabic and is usually translated as war or holy war. To understand this concept, it must be placed in the coordinates of Islam, the religion professed by some 1000 million inhabitants on the planet. The Quran is the book sacred to Islam and represents the truth revealed from Allah to the Prophet Muhammad in the 5th century AD. C. The concept of Jihad appears in the media communication as a synonym for terrorism, but in reality we are facing a more complex idea.

The meaning of Jihad in Islam

When the Prophet Muhammad returned to the city of Medina after a battle he told his followers that he was returning from the lesser Jihad to go to the greater Jihad, that is, he had fought to defend the true faith in order to live a life as he wants To. Thus, jihad has a double meaning: it is fighting and killing to defend oneself against the infidels (minor jihad) and, in parallel, it means living in accordance with the sharia, the

law Islamic (which would be associated with the greater jihad). Both senses have something in common, since they involve a vital effort and an ethical commitment. The lesser jihad is associated with the struggle and the greater one supposes a full life (it must be remembered that the Koran speaks of the jihad of heart, which would be like a struggle in a spiritual sense).

Jihad in the warlike sense is the obligation defense of all Muslims against any aggression. The Koran specifies certain limitations on the action of killing in defense of the faith: it is forbidden to kill the elderly, women and children and even the killing of herds is prohibited, except when they are intended to feed the army enemy.

Jihad in any of its meanings is a mandate for every good Muslim and is a way to protect his beliefs from any enemy. This obligation has a reward and if someone dies from jihad he becomes a martyr (a shahid). In this way, the minor jihad has a fighting component and can lead to military action. If we speak of the Greater Jihad, we mean good deeds, such as the obligation to give alms or help the community. In either case, martyrs have a privileged place in Paradise (both those who die in combat and those who dedicate their lives to what the Koran dictates).

Jihad is more important for Shiite Muslims than for Sunnis, since they consider that when there are no weapons available, the body itself can become a weapon; a belief which is known through suicide bombers.

Controversy over Jihad

Some specialists in the Qur'an emphasize the idea of ​​pacifism of the holy book. Others understand that jihad as a Holy War is legitimate. These conflicting interpretations have created religious conflicts within the Islamic community itself and, At the same time, they have sparked a series of radical movements that conceive the Western world as a threat that justifies the use of the violence.

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