Life is a Jihad

Extremists, radicals and fanatics believe that Jihad means having to give up one’s life for one’s beliefs while taking the lives of innocent bystanders in the process.

They obviously do not understand the true meaning of Jihad.

As a non-fanatic practicing Muslim, I have struggled with the disparities in Islam and its (mis)interpretations and I think I may just have identified the true meaning of Jihad, for me.

 The word Jihad comes from the word Jeehada which means ‘to struggle and to strive toward the will of Allah or God’. It is a noble term in Islam that translates into all types of struggles to come closer to God by bettering oneself and the society around you.

Jihad has been misinterpreted and misrepresented to mean, ‘Holy War’, to cause destruction and bloodshed in the name of religion, either to make believers out of non-believers or against the lifestyle of the `West`.

If you really think about it, Jihad occurs at each and every moment of all our lives, Muslim or not.

For some, it may be different struggles like living with illness, the challenges of disability, loss
of a loved one, living with mental physical or emotional abuse, addiction,  depression and old
age. For others, it could be living with peer pressure, corruption, poverty, hunger, crime, greed,
incompetence, perfectionism or opportunism.

We struggle in different ways and strive for different things from minute to minute and day to

day, only to leave empty handed, when we die.



Accepting the way things are and learning to cope with that present circumstance, despite the

difficulties and heart aches can be quite difficult.
To accept one’s present circumstance, while doing the very best to improve your condition is many times, one of life’s greatest struggle, especially when change or improvement may not possible.

Accepting things that we cannot change can be a difficult and challenging struggle.

In fact, accepting things as they are, is giving in to the will of God. Then, acceptance may well

be one of Life’s most challenging Jihads.

The greatest of all Jihads is the recognition of the fact that it is not what others do to and for you that is important, but what you do to and for them.

Each one of us is responsible for our own actions and reacting, responding, and behaving in a negative, hateful and unfriendly manner, only harms oneself. 

This can only be achieved by instilling thoughts and actions which encourage peace, love, unity, forgiveness, acceptance and tolerance.

So for now, I struggle and strive to always be at peace despite my surrounding unease, to continue to offer love and forgiveness even when I am surrounded with hate, to do something nice for someone every day, even when I am confronted with antagonism and spate, and most of all to seek and find contentment in life’s little accomplishments, being happy, satisfied and content with what I have, without the need for excess or aspirations of grandeur, while always spreading love and joy.

Join me on this quest.

Become a Noble Jihadi, where you will not have to resort to violence but instead, just change the way you live day to day to make this world the kind, forgiving, loving, peaceful and happy place it was and is, meant to be.