The other meanings are...

The other meanings are: strain, exertion, effort, diligence, fighting to defend one's life, land and religion. Jihad has commonly been mis-translated or misrepresented to the world to mean "holy war". In the absence of the Prophet, such a war does not exist in Islam, nor will Islam allow its followers to be involved in this so-called "holy war".

Unfortunately, the past few years have witnessed the rising of a number of extremist movements that justify the shedding of the blood not only of non-Muslims but even of Muslims who do not agree with their ideologies. Those who are hostile to Islam have utilized the acts of terrorism committed by these groups, mostly identified as Takfiri groups, groups that label all others as "kafirs", apostates, to tarnish Islam's image.

They use Islam as a pretext for their criminal acts just as the crusaders had done during the Middle Ages when even some crusaders shed the blood of their own Christian brethren. Jihad is not a war to force the Islamic faith on others, as many ignorant people think or portray. Contrariwise, there is an explicit verse in the Qur'an that says the following: "There is no compulsion in religion" (Chapter Al-Baqarah, 2: 256).

Jihad is not only a defensive war but a struggle, through peaceful means, against any unjust regime or any injustice, period. If such a regime exists—and there are many which do exist—such an effort has to be exerted against the leaders, the decision-makers, not against the people. Islam strongly prohibits terrorism, kidnapping, hijacking and depriving one of his freedom, even if this "one" is an animal or a bird.

One statement made by the Prophet of Islam (ص) says, "A woman entered hell because of a cat which she confined, neither feeding it nor letting it eat of what is available on the ground." As for some "Muslim" political figures, leaders and rulers who waged wars against non-Muslims in the pretext of "spreading Islam", they were further from Islam than the earth is from the sun and did what they did for political, economic or selfish reasons. They were ignorant of the true message of Islam.

Unfortunately, there are many such "Muslims" in our time and in all times and climes. Jinaya or Jinayah جنايه: serious crime, felony Jinn or Jin, Ginn جن: These are spiritual beings, “genies”, that inhabit the world and, like humans, are required to follow the commandments of their Creator. They are held accountable for their deeds.