A lecture for anyone seeking the correct understanding of the utterly misunderstood concept of jihad. Zaid Shakir, addressing a college audience at Northwestern University, takes a comprehensive look at this noble and important concept in Islam. He first analyzes the word itself: its linguistic meaning, its derivatives and its meaning as described in the Holy Qur'an. He then looks at the practical aspects of jihad (or struggle) in the daily life of Muslims: the struggle of purifying the soul, the struggle of physically fighting in the way of Islam, the struggle with non-antagonist non-Muslims, and the struggle with the devil. He explores many relevant topics along the way such as terrorism, situations that justify the use of violence, the various tools one can utilize in struggling against the self, the concept of love and compassion with non-Muslims, and the struggles within our families. He concludes with a commentary on the role of Muslims in non-Muslim lands. This talk is recommended for both Muslims and non-Muslims and is ideal for schools, libraries and Muslim student organizations. Other topics discussed: the destruction of the Buddha statues in Afghanistan by the Taliban, the Muslim response to pacifism, jihad in defense of non-Muslims, and the need to establish institutions that can assist in eliminating root causes of violence. (Duration: 1 hour, 25 min)