My Understanding of Jihad

Inner jihad is the greater jihad -- for the man who conquers his will has won a greater battle than a warrior who has conquered a hundred enemies.

Outer jihad then is the lesser jihad since at the root of Islam is peace. And thus he who has conquered himself conducts himself accordingly.

Indeed, jihad has nothing to do with conflict and war - its use with regard to violence in the Middle East is like ad hominem attacks on mostly harmless homeless people.

It is hyperbole.

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According to Fiqh Made Easy, the four types of jihad are:

1. Jihad against the soul: Struggling against the soul to yearn for the Religion, act upon those teachings, and call others to them. (Paraphrased)
   
2. Jihad against Shaytan: Struggling against Satan without doubts or desires.
   
3. Jihad against the disbelievers and hypocrites: this is done with the tongue, hand, heart and wealth.
   
4. Jihad against heretics, liars, and evilfolk: This is best done with the hand, if not the hand then the tongue, if that's not possible then the heart.

— http://www.scribd.com/doc/8488561/Fiqh-Made-Easy According to the Canadian Society of Muslims, fiqh has three components:

1. Fiqh Akbar / Fiqh Awwal - consists of Aqaid (faith and belief)
   
2. Fiqh Ausath / Fiqh Duwwam - consists of all mundane as well as spiritual acts.
   
3. Fiqh Asghar / al-Akhir - consists of worship (Ibadat) and other devotional practices

— http://muslim-canada.org/sitedex.htm