jihads

Noun

jihad (countable and uncountable, plural jihads)

1. A holy war undertaken by Muslims.
   • Young Iraqis of both sects obeyed the imams' ruling last week by rushing to conscription offices in hot, dirty, dusty Bagdad to offer themselves or their money for the jihad.1938 August 22, “Holy War”, in Time
2. A personal spiritual struggle for self-improvement or against evil.
   • As a result, Amirull has renounced his radical beliefs in armed jihad and the use of violence. He now sees jihad as caring for his parents, improving himself, and contributing to society.2023 May 3, “Update on Terrorism-Related Case Under Internal Security Act”, in Internal Security Department (Singapore), archived from the original on 02 Apr 2025
3. (broadly) An aggressive campaign for an idea.
   • And now, the prophecy. One will come, the voice from the outer world, bringing the holy war, the jihad, which will cleanse the universe and bring us out of darkness.1984, 41:18 from the start, in Dune (Science Fiction), spoken by Reverend Mother Ramallo, →OCLC

See all 4 meanings of jihad