What is Jihad?

Joyousperson said:

What is gay?
99% of people at present will most likely answer 'homosexual' [esp. man].
Definition of gay | Dictionary.com
Somewhere 30 years ago and prior, the term 'gay' was commonly referred to as "light-hearted and carefree" till it was habituated to be commonly known as 'homosexual' [esp. man].​

The same thing happened with the term 'jihad' in Arabic linguistic and etymology hundred of years ago where its literal meaning 'striving' was hijacked to something else, i.e. armed struggle.

Jihad [JHD] etymologically means striving or struggling.
However when one look at the current Arabic dictionaries, the first meaning is 'warring and striving against unbelievers', thus its default meaning.

If we are to analyze all the verses with the root J-H-D [50+] in the 6236 verses of the Quran, 23 [as below] are related to striving and fighting against unbelievers in an aggressive mode. (nb: verses are truncated)

8:72 struggled with their wealth and their lives in
9:20 believed and emigrated and struggled in the
9:88 with him struggled with their wealth and their
49:15 they were not in doubt and they struggled with
9:44 they struggle with their wealth and their lives.
9:81 of God and they disliked struggling with their
61:11 in God and His Messenger and struggle in the
9:41 Move forward light and heavy, and struggle
4:95 God gave advantage to the ones who struggle
2:218 those who emigrated and struggled in the way [sabil]
8:74 who believed and emigrated and struggled in
8:75 afterwards, and emigrated and struggled
9:16 be left before God knows those who struggled
9:19 in God and the Last Day and struggled in the
9:73 O Prophet! Struggle with the ones who are
25:52 the ones who are ungrateful and struggle
66:9 O Prophet! Struggle against the ones who are
9:24 than God and His Messenger and struggling in
60:1 If you had been going forth struggling in My
47:31 you until We know the ones who struggle​

The first 11 relate to jihad in terms of striving with money and one's life in the cause of Allah.
This is obviously related to warring and armed struggle against unbelievers and to kill them where the opportunity arise. As for jihad with 'lives' that is where Allah promotes suicide bombing [an approved war tactic].

Many Muslims and apologists will insist the term 'jihad' in the Quran refer to the inner struggle against various temptations. There are only a few verses related to personal struggle for oneself for various reasons.

Why the Arabic dictionaries interpret the meaning of 'jihad' as the defaulted to the ethos of Islam, i.e. the hatred and war against non-believers. This common meaning is establish as the default meaning under the influence of the 55% or 3400++ verses that are contemptuous against disbelievers.

Thus when we see and hear of the term 'jihad' in relation to Islam, the default meaning means to war against and the killings of disbelievers.
If any other meaning of 'jihad' are to be used, they would have to be qualified to the specific context, if not, then it is the default meaning.

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Joyousperson said:

The term 'jihad' etymologically is 'struggle' 'striving' and the likes.
But for the purpose of Islam, we need to consider the context and emphasis the term 'jihad' is used in the Quran. Note my points in my prior last post.

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Joyousperson said:

Jihad, literally mean struggle in general, thus applicable to whatever actions and efforts toward a purpose.

In the context of the whole of the ideology of Islam;
Islam in its core is represented by 6236 verses of the Quran which is the direct words of Allah revealed to Muhammad via angel Gabriel.

There are only 40 [corrected] verses with the term 'jihad' [roots J.H.D] in the Quran.
23 of the 40 verses relate to striving and warring against non-Muslims as threats to the religion.
11 of these verses relate to striving with money and lives to war against non-Muslims. This is where motivation for war and suicide bombings come in.

There are ONLY 3 verses where 'jihad' is related to internal personal struggle.

Yes, jihad relate to both internal and external struggle, but one can infer objectively, jihad related to warring against non-Muslims [23/40] has a heavier weightage against jihad relating to internal struggle [3/40].

As such over the 1400 years to the present, and with salvation at stake, the term 'jihad' has naturally gravitated to mean 'holy war against non-Muslims' as the default meaning. This is confirmed in the Arabic dictionaries.

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Joyousperson said:

They are birds of feathers.
Hitler was inspired by the genocides of the Jews by Muhammad in the early battles.
Banu Qurayza - Wikipedia

Photo showing Hitler meeting with the Mufit of Jerusalem:
Video footage shows Jerusalem Grand Mufti doing Nazi salute with Hitler



Hitler hatred for the Jews was due to his accusation of the Jews had shortchanged him in some business dealings.

Muhammad hatred of the Jew is basically his accusation the Jews changed/deleted verses in the original Torah which had prophesized his coming as a Mesiah.

2:59. But those [Jews ] who did wrong changed [BDL: fabaddala] the Word which had been told them for another saying, and We sent down upon the evil-doers wrath from Heaven for their evil doing.

Quran 5:82. Thou wilt find the most vehement [zealous] of mankind in hostility [3DW; ada'wah] to those [Muslims] who believe - (to be) the Jews and the idolaters. ...

4:160. Because of the wrongdoing of the Jews We forbade them [Jews] good things which were (before) made lawful unto them, and because of their [Jews] much hindering [SDD; saddun] from Allah's way
​

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