I'm actually utilizing the original, literal definition of
jihad:
struggle, strife (and in particular an internal spiritual struggle with oneself) in this instance, rather than it's now usual and now most popular (and some say incorrect) translation of
holy war.
Origin:
1865—70; < Ar jihād struggle, strife
"Jihad" in Arabic
The Arabic word "
jihad" is a noun. Its singular past tense verb is "
jahada" (masculine) or "
jahadat" (feminine). The singular active participle of "jihad" is "
mujahid" (masculine) or "
mujahida"(feminine). The root of the word "jihad" is "juhd" which means "effort." Another related word is "
ijtihad"which means "working hard or diligently."
Jihad is simply the process of "exerting the best efforts," involving some form of "struggle" and "resistance," to achieve a particular goal. In other words, jihad is the struggle against, or resistance to, something for the sake of a goal. The meaning of the word is independent of the nature of the invested efforts or the sought goal.
Contrary to common belief, the word "jihad" does not necessarily imply any violent effort, let alone "war" and such instances of extreme violence. It is a general term that can mean violent as well as peaceful actions, depending on the context in which it is used, as we shall indeed see later. Similarly, "jihad" as a generic word can be used even when the sought goals are not Islamic, i.e. in non-religious contexts.
The Qur'an uses the verb of "jihad" in its generic meaning of "exerting the best efforts against something".
http://www.quranicstudies.com/louay-fatoohi/jihad/the-meaning-of-jihad.html