All about Jihad and Holy War in Islam by Dr. Tariq Ramadan
877-Why-Islam presents Dr. Tariq Ramadan's answer about Jihad. Jihad is often mistranslated as 'holy war' -- a term that actually has no equivalent in the Quran. Jihad literally means 'striving' and refers to any struggle a person engages in for a righteous cause. Muhammad (peace be upon him) explained that a fundamental form of jihad is the internal struggle an individual tackles in order to reform one's self.
Perhaps the greatest misunderstanding about Islam today is that it is an inherently violent religion whose followers condone acts of terrorism. In reality, terrorism and indiscriminate violence completely contradict the teachings of Islam. Islam is a religion of mercy and ethics. It encourages people to beautify their relationship with God and with those around them through good character and deeds.
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