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View synonyms for
jihad
or ·
[ 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
/ ɪˈæ /
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 ᾱ “struggle, strife”
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Word History and Origins
Origin of jihad1
C19: from Arabic ᾱ a conflict
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Example Sentences
Examples have not been reviewed.
Since then, mosques in both Deraa and Damascus have reportedly called for jihad against Israeli forces.
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"They just kill the people, and steal their livestock. is happening is not jihad and so I do not like it," he said.
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Extended bloody conflict turned Afghanistan into a cauldron of instability that eventually gave birth to al-Qaeda and a global jihad.
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The group also faced criticism for allegedly colluding with foreign powers to undermine "the jihad" in Syria.
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From the start, he prioritised winning Syrian support, distancing himself from IS's brutality and emphasising a more pragmatic approach to jihad.
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