Final answer:
According to the Quran, fair, defensive warfare is a jihad, which means 'Struggle or striving.' The concept of jihad is complex, often emphasizing moral and spiritual efforts to align one's life with God's guidance.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the Quran, fair, defensive warfare is a jihad, which means a) Struggle or striving. Jihad, derived from the Arabic language, conveys several meanings and is context-dependent. Predominantly, it refers to the individual and collective effort to live according to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad and to maintain a moral stance in the face of life's challenges.
In a broader social context, jihad entails efforts to ensure that personal and communal life aligns with God's guidance, which may involve proselytizing or projects to uplift the Muslim community, known as the ummah. Sometimes, this concept has been extended to include the right of defending oneself and the community against aggression, thereby making warfare under certain conditions a form of jihad. Nevertheless, this concept should not be oversimplified, as the vast majority of references to jihad in Islamic texts and practice emphasize moral and spiritual struggles over warfare.