The word Jihad comes from the root word jahada, which means to struggle. At the individual level, jihad primarily refers to the inner struggle of being a person of virtue and submission to God in all aspects of life.At the collective level, jihad can take various forms, such as:1. Intellectual Jihad, which comprises of the struggle to convey the message of God to humankind and to combat social evils through knowledge, wisdom and dignified discourse. As the Glorious Qur%u2019an says:"Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah, works righteousness, and says, "I am of those who bow in Islam%u201D? [Al-Qur%u2019an 41:33].2. Economic Jihad, which comprises of economic measures, and spending from one%u2019s means to improve the living conditions of the poor and the downtrodden.3. Physical Jihad, which involves collective armed self-defense, as well as retribution against tyranny, exploitation, and oppression.Thus the concept of Jihad is vast and comprehensive. Admittedly, it%u2019s the last category of Jihad that is a cause for concern to many, and which we shall explore in detail.
