Holy War and lesser Jihad
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how Holy War is understood in Islam and describe the strict conditions for lesser jihad.
Key learning points
- War in Islam is only permitted in self-defence and must follow strict moral rules, like protecting civilians.
- Lesser jihad means armed struggle to protect Islam, but only under specific conditions and right authority.
- Islam does not teach holy war; the term Harb al-Muqadis is not found in the Qur’an, Hadith or Shariah.
- The Prophet Muhammad fought to defend the Muslim community, not to spread Islam by force.
- Extremists misuse terms like jihad, but their actions go against Islamic teachings on justice and mercy.
Keywords
Harb al-Muqadis - Arabic for ‘Holy War’
Holy War - a war fought to defend a religion or to force others to follow a different religion
Lesser jihad - the struggle to remove evil from the world, it can be used to refer to a military struggle
Common misconception
Islam teaches or endorses the idea of Holy War as a religious duty.
The term Harb al-Muqadis does not appear in the Qur’an, Hadith or Shariah and is not part of classical Islamic teaching. Islam allows fighting only under strict moral conditions and not as a holy duty.
Teacher tip
Use real-world examples or current events carefully to show how terms like holy war can be misused. Encourage students to distinguish between authentic religious teachings and political or extremist distortions. Reinforce the importance of examining religious sources directly.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
5 Questions
Q1.What is the main aim of Just War theory?
Q2.Lesser jihad includes moral rules such as just cause and protection of ...
Q3.What is a common belief shared by both Sunni and Shia Muslims?
Q4.Islam teaches that war is only allowed as a resort under strict conditions.
Q5.Which value is important in both Islamic teaching and Just War theory?
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Match each key word to its meaning:
Arabic for ‘Holy War’
a war fought to defend a religion or to follow a different religion
the struggle to remove evil from the world in reference to war
Q2.What does the Qur’an say about those who start wars?
Q3.Lesser jihad refers to armed struggle to protect Islam, but only under specific conditions and right ...
Q4.Which of these is a condition for warfare in Islam?
Q5.How do extremists misuse the term jihad?
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Holy War and lesser Jihad, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Holy War and lesser Jihad, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 religious education lessons from the Peace and conflict unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.