Custom «The Concept and Practice of Jihad and the Exploitation of Weaknesses in Terrorist Organizations» Essay Paper

Custom «The Concept and Practice of Jihad and the Exploitation of Weaknesses in Terrorist Organizations» Essay Paper essay

Introduction

Being an Islamic religious term, the word “jihad” has a long history and quite a complex set of meanings. It is familiar to everyone in the abstract meaning of 'the holy war'. However, some contemporary Muslim scholars tend to emphasize the peaceful nature of the concept. This paper reveals the connotations of the term “jihad” on the basis of analysis of its historical development. It also studies its exploitation as a possible weakness of terrorist organizations. The issues raised in the paper include the meaning of jihad, its evolution, types, and aspects of its declaration.A conclusion is made that the use of jihad by terrorist organizations is a sin in the context of Islam, and this fact must be used by anti-terrorist movements worldwide.

Jihad and Its Meaning

The meaning of jihad, which is “the holy war”, is familiar to everyone. Such definition became widespread as a result of the Crusades (Cook, 2005, p. 1). A lot of contemporary Muslim scholars, on the other hand, tend to emphasize the peaceful side of the time and its peaceful purpose – spiritual struggle. The contradiction lies in the fact that the concept of jihad is based on the subjective perception of the individual, the leader. The term 'jihad' was historically developed and influenced by the context of time and place.

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