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Part of the series on Islam History of Islam

Beliefs and practices

Oneness of God Profession of Faith Prayer · Fasting Pilgrimage · Charity

Major figures

Muhammad · Ali · Abu Bakr Companions of Muhammad Ahl Al-Bayt · Fatimah Prophets of Islam · Mahdi

Texts & law

Qur'an · Hadith · Sira Fiqh · Sharia

Major divisions

Sunni · Shi'a · Sufism Divisions of Islam

Sociopolitical aspects

Cities · Architecture Art · Calendar Islamic religious leaders Women in Islam Political Islam · Jihad

See also

Vocabulary of Islam Criticism of Islam Index of articles on Islam

Jihad (jihād جهاد) is an Islamic term, from the Arabic root jhd ("to exert utmost effort, to strive, struggle"), which connotes a wide range of meanings: anything from an inward spiritual struggle to attain perfect faith to a political or military struggle to further the Islamic cause. The term is frequently mistranslated to mean "holy war" in English, although jihad can apply to warfare. Mainstream Muslims consider jihad to be the most misunderstood aspect of their religion by non-Muslims. The meaning of "Islamic cause" is of course open to interpretation. The Islamic religious legitimacy of the goals or methods of various Islamist movements who adopt the terminology of jihad is often brought into question, usually by moderate and liberal Muslims.

A person who engages in any form of jihad is called a "mujahid", meaning "striver" or "struggler"

Jihad is a complicated concept in Islamic doctrine. The Arabic word "jihad" means "to struggle" or "to strive." Inasmuch as jihad is a struggle, it is a struggle against all that is perceived as evil in the cause of that which is perceived as good, a cosmic and epic struggle spanning time and all dimensions of human thought and action, and transcending the physical universe. Muslims often do not refer merely to "jihad" but to jihad fi Sabilillah (in the cause of God).

Traditional Muslim scholars explained there are five kinds of jihad fi sabilillah (struggle in the cause of God): jihad of the heart/soul ( jihad bin nafs/qalb) , jihad by the tongue (jihad bil lisan), jihad by the pen/knowledge (jihad bil qalam/ilm), jihad by the hand (jihad bil yad), and jihad by the sword (jihad bis saif). [1] "Jihad of the heart/soul" is an inner struggle of good against evil in the mind, through concepts such as tawhid. Jihad by the tongue is a struggle of good against evil waged by writing and speech, such as in the form of dawah (proslytizing), khutbahs (sermons), and political or military propaganda. Jihad by the pen and knowledge is a struggle for good against evil through scholarly study of Islam, ijtihad (legal reasoning), and through sciences (such as military and medical sciences). Jihad by the hand refers to a struggle of good against evil waged by actions or with one's wealth, such as going on the Hajj pilgrimage (seen as the best jihad for women), taking care of elderly parents, providing funding for jihad, political activity for furthering Islam as a political movement, stopping evil by force, or espionage. Jihad by the sword refers to qital fi sabilillah (armed fighting in the way of God, or holy war).

"Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" - Green Day

I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk alone

I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
and I'm the only one and I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk a...

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone

Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah,
Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah

I'm walking down the line
That divides me somewhere in my mind
On the border line
Of the edge and where I walk alone

Read between the lines
What's fucked up and everything's alright
Check my vital signs
To know I'm still alive and I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk a...

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone

Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah
Ah-ah, Ah-ah

I walk alone
I walk a...

I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk a...

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone...