Jihad: Finding your Inner Self for Allah

             Jihad, the symbolic struggle to become a better person for God, is the easiest to do in LA. The word jihad means “to strive”. Originally, it meant physical struggle with religious significance; fighting to protect yourself from people who would do you harm or to right a terrible wrong. Early Muslims considered expanding their territory a form of jihad, though the Qur’an forbids force conversions. Muhammed told to honor agreements with foes, to not remove or destroy dead bodies, to not harm women, children, old people, and civilians, and not to destroys property, crops, sacred objects, or places of worship. We try to make ourselves better people for Allah, overcoming temptations and correcting injustices. We need to respond well to both personal difficulties and bigger issues. Once, after a battle, Muhammed declared that the men had performed the “lesser jihad” the external struggle. The “greater jihad” was the fight with the evil inside of us. All of us have this internal evil--the one that tells us to ignore people in need, to walk past injustices, or to judge people before you meet them. You can fight these temptations by meditation, prayer, or even just a silent moment in your day. Cities go fast and don’t stop for spiritual thinking, but you can always find a moment to spare in a busy schedule. Jihad is one of the most universally accepted Muslim belief; meditation, like yoga, is useful for all spiritual purposes. Strive to please God is a reward within itself.