Jihad

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /d͡ʒɪˈhæd/

Definitions

1. A spiritual and moral effort in Islam that encompasses self-betterment, a commitment to uphold the faith, and sometimes the defense against perceived threats
2. An Islamic tenet that involves striving for personal growth and improvement as well as the protection of the community, which may include defensive actions
3. A concept in Islam representing the pursuit of personal development and adherence to faith while also potentially involving defensive measures to protect the community and its values

Etymology: The Arabic "jihād" comes from a root meaning to strive or exert oneself, and its core sense is effort rather than combat. In Islamic usage it has long covered a wide range of striving: the inner struggle against one's own failings, the daily commitment to live by the faith, and, in some contexts, the defence of the community against threats. The military sense that dominates English-language news is only one strand of a term whose primary meaning is much broader. English borrowed the word from Arabic, and the loan is recent enough that its spelling and pronunciation still show the original source rather than any long period of adaptation. Because it entered English through translation and reporting about Islamic religious life rather than through everyday speech, its meaning in English has often narrowed to the most newsworthy sense, which is a common pattern for borrowed religious terms.

Synonyms: struggle, battle, crusade