JIHAD. An Arabic word which means " a con tending " or a striving. Muhammed commanded his followers to fight against unbelievers, and to win them over to Islam or to exterminate them. The Jihad thus became a sacred duty. It is defined by a learned Muslim doctor as " the calling on unbelievers to receive the true religion and fighting those who do not receive it." At first Muhammad simply delivered his message, and sought to win adherents by means of discussion and argu ment. But after his flight to Madina " he gave out that God had allowed him and his followers to defend them selves against the infidels, and, at length, pretended that he had Divine leave even to attack them and destroy idolatry and set up the true Faith by the sword " (Klein). The duty of fighting is emphasised in parts of the Kur'fin. " And when the sacred months are passed, kill those who join other gods with God wherever ye shall find them; and seize them, besiege them, and lay wait for them with every kind of ambush : but if they shall con vert, and observe prayer, and pay the obligatory alms. then let them go their way, for God is Gracious, Merci ful " (Sara, ix. 5). " Let those then fight on the path
of God, who barter this present life for that which is to come; for whoever fighteth on God's path, whether he be slain or conquer, we will in the end give him a great reward " (iv. 79). " Say to the infidels : If they desist (from their unbelief), what is now past shall be forgiven them; but if they return (to it), they have already before them the doom of the ancients! Fight then against them till strife be at an end, and the religion be all of it God's. If they desist, verily God beholdeth what they do: But if they turn their back. know ye that God Is your protector : Excellent protector! excellent helper! " (viii. 3941). The infidels are first to be called upon to embrace Islam. If they do so, no war is neces sary. If they refuse to submit or to pay tribute; or if, having submitted, they refuse to continue to pay tribute; or if, whether Muslims or not, they rebel against the 14 Imam (q.v.), the Jihad must take its course. Cp. ZIMM1S, and see F. A. Klein.