What Is Really the Meaning of Al-Jihad?

Muslims generally classify Jihad into two forms, Jihad Al-Akbar, the Greater Jihad, is said to be the struggle against ones soul (nafs), while Jihad Al-Asgar, the lesser Jihad, is external and is in reference to physical effort, ie. fighting. Traditional Muslim scholars explained there are five kinds of Jihad fi Sabilillah (Jihad in the Cause of Allah): Jihad of the heart/soul ( Jihad bin Nafs/Qalb) , Jihad by the tongue (Jihad bil Lisan), Jihad by the pen/knowledge (Jihad bil Qalam/Ilm), Jihad by the hand (Jihad bil Yad), and Jihad by the sword (Jihad bis saif). [1] …