Jihad is an Arabic word which literally means "striving" or "struggling", especially with a praiseworthy aim.

What is the real meaning of jihad?

The literal meaning of Jihad is struggle or effort, and it means much more than holy war. Muslims use the word Jihad to describe three different kinds of struggle: A believer's internal struggle to live out the Muslim faith as well as possible. ... Holy war: the struggle to defend Islam, with force if necessary.

What is the purpose of jihad?

The primary aim of jihad as warfare is not the conversion of non-Muslims to Islam by force, but rather the expansion and defense of the Islamic state. In theory, jihad was to continue until "all mankind either embraced Islam or submitted to the authority of the Muslim state."