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In a linguistic courses I studied while at university, we learned about the development of language and words and the importance of perception in understanding language, whether that be how the speaker is perceived by listeners or how the speaker perceive his/her-self when speaking.

We learned also that words may encounter shifts in their meaning. A word that might have historically held a positive meaning might eventually become associated with negative connotations. Such a word is Jehad/Jihad or however you may want to spell it.

Jehad comes from the root “جهد”, as a noun “جهد” or “Juhd” mean effort or strain, as a verb “جاهد” or “Jaahad” means to strive or strain. Jehad and Mujahid are derivations from the verb and they refer to the act of straining and striving, and the person who strives respectively.

Due to recent world events, or some would say a residue of the days of religious conflict between Islam and Christianity, the words Jehad and Mujahid came to mean terrorism and terrorist, it carries negative connotations nowadays not only in the west but in the Muslim world as well.

If not all the International community then at least a big part of it is fighting to disarm terrorists and defeat them. But it is equally important to “disarm” the words Jehad and Mujahid as well. By disarming the words we remove the honor the terrorists attach to themselves by claiming they’re doing Jehad. The young youths who are conned into blowing themselves up among their brothers and countrymen, among innocent people or people they don’t even know are told they’re doing Jehad too, they are fed a lot of BS that is reinforced by world views, local communities, perhaps, and the media calling them Jehadist or Mujahidin.

Lets not call a spade a Mujahid, let’s call terrorists by their names “Terrorists”.

Ok. So I ended up applying to 6 schools for master’s in international relations. Got accepted in 4 so far waiting for the other 2 to give their decisions which might make my decision even harder.

Right now, between the schools I got into I’m torn between going to University of Leeds or University of Birmingham. They both seem like good schools and both programs are good and unique in their own way. I guess I still have time to decide between the 2 and do more research about the schools and professors.