
E22 - Redefining Jihad in Contemporary Islam
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About this listen
In Episode 22, we tackle one of the most misunderstood and misused concepts in modern discourse—jihad. Drawing from Zafarullah Khan’s Islam in the Contemporary World: A New Narrative, this episode explores how the term has been distorted over time, often reduced to violent conflict when, in fact, its core meaning encompasses a much broader and nobler struggle. Khan distinguishes between jihad—the struggle against ignorance, injustice, and poverty—and qital, or armed combat, which Islamic jurisprudence strictly limits to state authority. He argues that the misuse of jihad by individuals and non-state actors has not only caused immense harm but also violated foundational Islamic principles. We unpack the necessity of reclaiming jihad as an ethical, spiritual, and societal effort to improve human life—and why this redefinition is vital for Muslims navigating the complexities of modern life.