Disagreement

Submitted by Moorhead Kennedy (United States), Jan 4, 2003 at 12:12

When I was held hostage in Iran and being moved all over the country, among our places of detention were those run by the 'Jihad', the domestic peace corps. Before captivity, as an Embassy officer, I had visited some of their very worthwhile projects in remote villages.

The word really comes from 'expenditure of energy'. It has, of course, the warlike attributes cited in the article. It has other attributes, as evidenced in the tradition of the prophet, 'The best jihad is standing up to an unjust ruler'.

As far as the warlike attributes are concerned, those of Christian background might well recall the Crusades, the armed expansion of Christendom into the Middle East. Muslim leaders have picked up that term to describe Western aggression, just as terrorist groups have picked up 'jihad'. None of these... are very helpful.
Moorhead Kennedy

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