Continuing the “What is …” series, the next topic up for coverage is are two non-pagan religious terms: Jihad/Crusade. The reason that this topic was chosen for today’s post is based from an e-mail response that came to me today from a U.S. Senator. Due to our current political climate in America, I will not disclose that communication at this time. I do however think that it would be a good idea to inform people on what a Jihad and a Crusade are.
The term Jihad is an Arabic word that means to struggle or strive. At the words inception it did not originally mean holy war. One can equate a reason to strive or a way to struggle against those who go against Islam as being jihad. The term now is synonymous with what some term as a Muslim holy war.
The term Crusade comes from the French word croisade which means to be marked by the cross. Again we have a word that started off meaning one thing and has been expanded into another meaning. Crusade has been seen as a Christian holy war since the inception of the Crusades back in the 11th century.
It is important to note that those who would use the Jihad term do not always mean it to be taken as a holy war term and that those who use the term Crusade are using the term in the context of a holy war.
