'''''Jihad''''' is an [[Islam|Islamic]] ic concept meaning "to exert utmost effort, to strive, struggle". The term has many meanings to the [[Muslim]], both inward and outward; however, it is mainly used in the West to describe a "holy war" that fundamentalist Muslims fight against non-Muslims or Muslims of other Islamic sects. The word "Jihad" is a transliteration of the [[Arabic]] word "جهاد".
Jihad as "struggle" is divided into two types, the greater Jihad and the lesser Jihad. The greater Jihad is the internal struggle against [[sin]] and temptation and to make one's self a better Muslim. The lesser Jihad is the physical conflict against those who threaten the Muslim way of life. Many non-fundamentalist followers of Islam do not condone the use of jihad as a manner of securing converts.
== A City of Virtue ==
It is quite true that, in the age of militant Islamic terrorism, it is not very helpful to tell millions of peaceful Muslims that their religion is inherently violent, evil, and oppressive. <ref>[http://reason.com/archives/2007/05/16/theocons-of-the-world-unite/1 Theocons of the World Unite]</ref> Moderate Muslims aspire for a society – a city of virtue -- that virtue—that will treat all people with dignity and respect.
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Today, the relationship between Islam and the rest is getting increasingly worse. Muslim militants are sowing seeds of poison and hatred between Muslims and the rest of humanity by committing egregious acts of violence in the name of Islam. In this precarious environment, it is important that everyone finds and nurtures the many wonderful examples of moderate Muslims one can still find. <ref name="mod">[http://www.ijtihad.org/moderatemuslims.htm Who are Moderate Muslims?]</ref>
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On January 099, 2010, a group of Canadian and U.S. Islamic leaders on Friday issued a ''[[fatwa]]'', or religious edict, declaring that an attack by extremists on the two countries would constitute an attack on the 10 million Muslims living in North America.<ref name="fatwa">[http://www.islamophobia.org/news.php Fatwa]</ref>
==See Alsoalso==
* [[Jihadism]]
** [[Charlie Hebdo]]
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[[Category : Islam]][[Category : Religion and Politics]][[Category : Terrorism]]
[[Category:Terrorist Organizations]]
[[Category:Threats]]
[[Category:Oppression]]
[[Category:Anti-American]]