jihad

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

jihad
    n 1: a holy war waged by Muslims against infidels [syn: {jihad},
         {jehad}, {international jihad}]
    2: a holy struggle or striving by a Muslim for a moral or
       spiritual or political goal [syn: {jihad}, {jehad}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Jihad \Ji*had"\, Jehad \Je*had"\, n. [Ar. jih[=a]d.] (Moham.)
   A religious war against infidels or Mohammedan heretics;
   also, any bitter war or crusade for a principle or belief.

         [Their] courage in war . . . had not, like that of the
         Mohammedan dervishes of the Sudan, or of Mohammedans
         anywhere engaged in a jehad, a religious motive and the
         promise of future bliss behind it.       --James Bryce.
   [Webster 1913 Suppl.]