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Good Morning.

One of the most misunderstood contemporary terms is 鈥楯ihad.鈥櫬� It is used regularly in media reporting and almost always connected with violence and bloodshed.聽 This is troubling as the term within the Islamic tradition means 鈥榯o toil, to exert oneself, to strive and to struggle against difficulties. R膩zi, one of the leading commentators on the Qur鈥樐乶, argues 鈥榯hat there is nothing in the word to indicate that this striving is to be effected by the sword.鈥櫬� On returning from a battle, the Prophet informed his companions that they were returning from the lesser Jihad to the greater Jihad.聽 Perplexed, the companions asked, what was the greater Jihad? The Prophet replied, it was the human beings struggle against selfish desires.聽 The Prophetic traditions explain more fully the richness of the Islamic understanding of Jihad.聽

鈥淎 man asked: 鈥淪hould I join the Jih膩d?鈥� The Prophet replied 鈥淒o you have parents?鈥� The man said yes. The Prophet replied: 鈥淭hen perform Jih膩d by serving them!鈥�

鈥淲hat kind of Jih膩d is better?鈥� The Prophet replied 鈥淎 word of truth spoken in front of an oppressive ruler.鈥澛�

Sufi literature is rich with stories of how Sufis have overcome their lower selves to achieve human excellence.聽 One of the key ethical teachings of Sufis is the idea of husn-e-zann, that is having a good opinion of others.聽 We can only live by such a teaching if we have first encountered our selves and understood our faults and shortcomings.

May we always seek out the good in others. Amin.