The common misunderstanding of jihad as indiscriminate, aggressive actions taken by Muslims against non-Muslims exists only in popular culture and has no basis in the Qur'an. The Qur'anic verses that I have cited dispel this erroneous, albeit widespread, view and show that it is against the letter and spirit of the Qur'anic teachings and message.

Armed jihad is not a blind tool to take revenge for aggression. Even when victimized, Muslims are told in the Qur'an that they cannot simply retaliate in whatever way they may feel inclined to. The Qur'an rejects uncompromisingly the concept of retaliating to injustice, wrongdoing, and aggression with the same. Allah has allowed Muslims to resort to armed jihad when their lives are threatened and when armed struggle is the only way to save lives. But He has described armed jihad in detail and attached many conditions to it, to ensure that it serves the just function that it was created for and make clear the difference between the use and abuse of armed jihad.

It is true that there are many evil acts that are committed under the name of jihad. However, only ignorance of the Qur'anic definition of jihad can make someone accept the misleading labeling of such acts as armed jihad. Ignorance was never an acceptable excuse in the past; it is certainly not in this age of information.

Another popular belief is that violence has been committed under the name of Islamic jihad substantially more than under the name of any other religion. This view is also wrong. This may either reflect ignorance of old and modern history and what is happening in various parts of the world today, or the application of double standards where Islam is judged one way and other religions are judged another.

Armed jihad exists for as long as its cause exists. Once that cause has disappeared, there can be no more armed jihad. Armed jihad is the war that Muslims get involved in to protect themselves against an aggressive, external enemy. As soon as that aggression has ceased, armed jihad ends.

This is a major difference between armed jihad and peaceful jihad. The latter is a permanent duty on the Muslim because it is a war against an enemy that never goes away, never resorts to peace, and never stops hostilities. This enemy lives inside each and every human being. Peaceful jihad is the war against this nastiest of all enemies: the lower self. This form of jihad also involves every peaceful action that aims to eliminate evil and spread good in the world at large.