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Greater jihad

Greater jihad is the personal, inner struggle to be a good Muslim and to improve spiritually. It is a constant duty and is seen as an act of worship.

Greater jihad involves striving to:

• follow the Five Pillars
• forgive others
• work for social justice
• study the �ϳܰ�’a��
• help those in need
• avoid negative traits, for example greed and laziness
• avoid temptations such as alcohol

The following quote shows that greater jihad is a personal struggle, and that a believer is individually responsible for being a good Muslim: No bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. (�ϳܰ�’a�� 35:18)

Lesser jihad

Lesser jihad is about defending Islam from threat. While the majority of Muslims see their religion as one of peace, sometimes Muslims have found it necessary to take up arms against enemies when they or other Muslims have been persecuted. The �ϳܰ�’a�� says:

While the �ϳܰ�’a�� allows violence to defend Islam, it warns against going beyond the limits of what is necessary for this defence: Fight in the way of Allah those who fight against you but do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not like transgressors. (�ϳܰ�’a�� 2:190)

Any form of war must be approved by a religious leader, fought in self-defence, and not used to either convert people to Islam or gain land.

Strict rules exist about how lesser jihad can be carried out. For instance:

1. It must be in defence of Allah.
2. No harm must be done.
3. Peace must be restored.
4. Mercy must be shown.

Islam teaches that lesser jihad can never be used to justify terrorist attacks.

Jihad for Muslims in Britain

Muslims in Britain are members of a minority religion, so there may be more challenges for them in terms of greater jihad than there are for Muslims living in countries where most people are Muslims. For instance, it may be difficult to pray five times each day around other activities such as school, sports clubs and other commitments. It may also be tricky to resist food during Ramadan when everyone else is enjoying their lunch.

In addition, some people may have been misled by media stories referring to jihad in terms of terrorist acts. This means that Muslims in Britain may face prejudice based on misunderstandings of what jihad means.