Jihad is one of the most loaded and misunderstood terms in the news today. Contrary to popular understanding, the term does not mean "holy war," nor does it simply refer to the inner spiritual struggle. Cook unravels its tangled historical, intellectual, and political meanings, citing from scriptural, legal, and newly translated texts to give readers a taste of the often ambiguous information that is used to construct Islamic doctrine. He looks at the life and teaching of the Prophet Muhammad and at the ramifications of the great Islamic conquests in 634 to 732 A.D. He sheds light on legal developments relevant to fighting and warfare, and places the internal, spiritual jihad within the larger context of Islamic religion. He has also included a special appendix of relevant documents including materials related to the September 11 attacks and published manifestoes issued by Osama bin Laden and Palestinian suicide-martyrs.--From publisher description.

Qurʼan and conquest -- The "greater Jihad" and the "lesser Jihad" -- The crystallization of Jihad theory : crusade and counter-crusade -- Jihad during the nineteenth century : renewal and resistance -- Radical Islam and contemporary Jihad theory -- Globalist radical Islam and martyrdom operations.

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