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Sunday 1 February 2009

Jihad

Starting this week, Year 13 will be studying the controversial topic of Jihad.

This topic requires a great deal of sensitivity on the part of all students and for each of us to put aside media portrayals of Jihad and any preconceived ideas we may have formed to date.

By the end of the topic, students will have a fuller understanding of what The Holy Quran refers to as the Lesser Jihad and Greater Jihad.

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Having watched the media clip, comment on your understanding of the terms 'Lesser Jihad' and 'Greater Jihad.'

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a good way of teaching the true meaning of Jihad. Am duly impressed!

Anonymous said...

Greater Jihad is a struggle within the individual. It focuses on the idea of sorting your own problems out, before trying to sort out the problems in the world. It also relates to the idea of following the five pillars, following the straight path and resisting temptation such as alcohol. Greater Jihad has to be achieved before lesser Jihad can be attempted.

Lesser Jihad is a fight to defend the religion against people who are trying to undermine it. This can also occur when innocent Muslims are being killed or persecuted. Lesser Jihad can often be fuelled by an individuals desire to go to paradise, as well as wanting to remove evil from society.

Felicity.

Anonymous said...

There are sometimes a misunderstanding regarding Jihad, however as confirmed in the video, lesser Jihad is the struggle to remove evil from society, it is the struggle of the muslim community rather than the individual.
However, Greater Jihad is the struggle of each indivudual muslim to perform the five pillars properly and follow the Shari'ah of Islam exactly.

Abu-Talha Majid 13 SEV

Anonymous said...

Greater Jihad refers to the struggle within an individuals soul and trying to remove the evil thoughts within. It is also about finding the peace within yourself first before you go and try to spread peace elsewhere.

Lesser Jihad refers to fighting against the non-believers that attack your religion, so you defend it in the name of Allah and not due to aggression because Allah doesn't approve of individuals fighting for the sake of their own pride

Overall the concept of Jihad has been distorted and taken out of context because extremists use Islam as a means of changing political agendas in order to enforce their ways, which ultimately leads to terrorism and further aggression which Allah doesn't approve of.

Tahira Kauser

Anonymous said...

Greater Jihad is the struggle facing the individual, and trying to complete peace within yourself before you can start sorting out the problems in the world.
Lesser Jihad is fighting against what you believe in, with those who don't believe themselves, in defence. This cannot be done untill greater jihad has been completed.

Lucy