No Islamic concept has generated as much disagreement and as many questions as jihad, a concept that is now in common use in Western media and literature. What exactly does jihad mean? Jihad has been often equated with arbitrary violence, holy war, and ISIS’ fight against infidels and the West. Many Americans in fact link jihad with terrorism. By focusing on the narrow concept of jihad used by terrorists, however, the American media has inadvertently reinforced the link between terrorism and Islam within the American consciousness, and contributed to the negative perception of Islam held by the American public. The purpose of this course is to deconstruct the concept of Jihad as it has been appropriated by Western media and radical Islamists, both of whom have propagated the myth that Islam and the West are at war. Students will be exposed to the various meanings, nuances, theories, and manifestations of jihad from the Prophet Muhammad’s time, through the age of the Caliphate, and into the present. We will begin the course by analyzing the use of jihad in the Qur’an and Sunna and will then trace its evolution through classical Islamic theories of war. Additionally, we will explore the legal debates over the implementation of jihad and the ethics of war in Islam. Students will be exposed to some of the major thinkers and theologians who have shaped the meanings of jihad, from Ibn Taymiyah to Mawdudi and Qutb. Finally, we will consider the use of the concept of jihad by movements such as ISIS and discuss why and how its current use by radical Islamists and suicide bombers diverges from its definitions by Muslims under the Caliphate. By the end of this course, students will be familiar with the historical origins of the concept of jihad, various debates surrounding its definitions and implementation, and the differences between holy war, just war, and jihad in different political, cultural and historical contexts.