Perhaps one of the most controversial and misunderstood aspects of Islam is the concept of jihad. References to a “jihad against the West” coupled with phrases like “Islamic militancy” run freely through the media and in politics. Some groups of Muslims do misinterpret and politicize the idea of jihad, limiting its sense to an armed struggle against outsiders. However, the original Islamic meaning of this term referred to a complex internal and external struggle to practice faith in the midst of oppression.