--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greater jihad is proclaiming war on…" description: "\"The greater jihad is proclaiming war on our ego's destructive and negative emotions and thoughts... which prevent us from attaining perfection.\" — Feth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/fethullah-gulen-7833_ego_the-greater-jihad-is-proclaiming-war-on_1011702.jpg" --- # The greater jihad is proclaiming war on our ego's… ![“The greater jihad is proclaiming war on our ego's destructive and negative emotions and thoughts... which prevent us from attaining perfection.” quote by Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/fethullah-gulen-7833_ego_the-greater-jihad-is-proclaiming-war-on_1011702.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/fethullah-gulen-7833_ego_the-greater-jihad-is-proclaiming-war-on_1011702.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/fethullah-gulen-7833_ego_the-greater-jihad-is-proclaiming-war-on_1011702.jpg) > “The greater jihad is proclaiming war on our ego's destructive and negative emotions and thoughts... which prevent us from attaining perfection.” [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The true struggle is an internal battle against ego‑driven negativity, which blocks personal perfection. **In simple terms:** Fighting inner ego to reach perfection. Key Takeaway Cultivate humility and self‑control. Themes spirituality self‑improvement ego perfection inner conflict Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - meditation - journaling - therapy - support groups Key Concepts mindfulness psychology ethical development Questions to Reflect On - What negative thoughts dominate your mind? - How can you transform ego into service? A Different Perspective Inner battles may be ongoing and require sustained effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions/) [Jihad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jihad/) [Negative emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative-emotions/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [To fight against the infidels is Jihad; but to fight against your evil self is greater Jihad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abu-bakr/to-fight-against-the-infidels-is-jihad-but-to-fight-against-your-evil/) [Abu Bakr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abu-bakr/) > [“Jihad,” in Arabic, means “the struggle.” There are two types in Islam, the greater and the lesser. Both are seen as noble. The greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-lindhout/jihad-in-arabic-means-the-struggle-there-are-two-types-in-islam-the/) [Amanda Lindhout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-lindhout/) > [“You have returned from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad (jihad alakbar).” His followers asked him what that greater jihad was. “The struggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristiane-backer/you-have-returned-from-the-lesser-jihad-to-the-greater-jihad-jihad/) [Kristiane Backer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristiane-backer/) > [With the egoic consciousness having become so dysfunctional, and now having at our disposal all these enormous technologies and scientific advances, if nothing changes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/with-the-egoic-consciousness-having-become-so-dysfunctional-and-now/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Man ( the human ego) is not so much destroying the planet as it is destroying itself. The planet will Be Here regardless of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leland-lewis/man-the-human-ego-is-not-so-much-destroying-the-planet-as-it-is/) [Leland Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leland-lewis/) > [There's a world of difference between a strong ego, which is essential, and a large ego-which can be destructive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-iacocca/there-s-a-world-of-difference-between-a-strong-ego-which-is-essential/) [Lee Iacocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-iacocca/) > [The lesser jihad is our active fulfillment of Islam's commands and duties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/the-lesser-jihad-is-our-active-fulfillment-of-islam-s-commands-and/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [Probably no one of us has the True Religion. But all of us together - if we are allowed to be free - are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/probably-no-one-of-us-has-the-true-religion-but-all-of-us-together-if/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [This too is a jihad. Yet we Americans find ourselves in the dangerous position of going to war not against a state but against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/this-too-is-a-jihad-yet-we-americans-find-ourselves-in-the-dangerous/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [Bin Laden was, though, a product of a monumental miscalculation by western security agencies. Throughout the 80s he was armed by the CIA and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-cook/bin-laden-was-though-a-product-of-a-monumental-miscalculation-by/) [Robin Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-cook/) > [“It can certainly be misleading to take the attributes of a movement, or the anxieties and contradictions of a moment, and to personalize or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-can-certainly-be-misleading-to-take-the-attributes-of-a-movement/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Whatever the reason, American Muslims appear far less inclined to support the global jihad than their European counterparts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/whatever-the-reason-american-muslims-appear-far-less-inclined-to/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [The Jihad is not just a way of testing yourself but also means using violence to spread Islam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassam-tibi/the-jihad-is-not-just-a-way-of-testing-yourself-but-also-means-using/) [Bassam Tibi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassam-tibi/) > [Almost immediately, I remember right when Tikrit even fell, a few days after Baghdad fell, there was talks of insurgency, there was talks of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farnaz-fassihi/almost-immediately-i-remember-right-when-tikrit-even-fell-a-few-days/) Farnaz Fassihi > [We in US need active intelligence: people being on the streets, people being able to stop and ask questions of individuals that they suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/we-in-us-need-active-intelligence-people-being-on-the-streets-people/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) ## More by Fethullah Gulen > [Telling or encouraging people to vote for a party would be an insult to peoples' intellect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/telling-or-encouraging-people-to-vote-for-a-party-would-be-an-insult/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [Profiling any segment of society and viewing them as a threat is a sign of intolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/profiling-any-segment-of-society-and-viewing-them-as-a-threat-is-a/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [The Muslim world suffers from internal divisions, antidemocratic practices, and the violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/the-muslim-world-suffers-from-internal-divisions-antidemocratic/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [I cannot accept concepts such as Gulenism or Gulenist. I was only a writer and an official preacher among people. I can have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/i-cannot-accept-concepts-such-as-gulenism-or-gulenist-i-was-only-a/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [I have repeatedly declared that it is impossible for a true Muslim to be a terrorist, nor can a terrorist be regarded as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/i-have-repeatedly-declared-that-it-is-impossible-for-a-true-muslim-to/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [No citizen or social group can be completely isolated from politics, because policy decisions and actions affect their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/no-citizen-or-social-group-can-be-completely-isolated-from-politics/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [Only those who overflow with love will build the happy and enlightened world of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/only-those-who-overflow-with-love-will-build-the-happy-and/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [Love is one of the most subtle blessings that the All-Merciful One has bestowed upon humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/love-is-one-of-the-most-subtle-blessings-that-the-all-merciful-one/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [Even if, at the helm of the country there are people who would like to replace me and suppress me and oppress me at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/even-if-at-the-helm-of-the-country-there-are-people-who-would-like-to/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [Islam's basic principles of belief, worship, morality, and behavior are not affected by changing times. Islam does not propose a certain unchangeable form of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/islam-s-basic-principles-of-belief-worship-morality-and-behavior-are/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [Terrorism is one of the cardinal sins that the Koran threatens with hellfire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/terrorism-is-one-of-the-cardinal-sins-that-the-koran-threatens-with/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [My only role in the opening of the schools has been to suggest and encourage opening them. But it is impossible for there to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/my-only-role-in-the-opening-of-the-schools-has-been-to-suggest-and/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [The lesser jihad is our active fulfillment of Islam's commands and duties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/the-lesser-jihad-is-our-active-fulfillment-of-islam-s-commands-and/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [“Criticizing and objecting to everything means an attempt to destruction. If you do not like something, try to make something better than it. Being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/criticizing-and-objecting-to-everything-means-an-attempt-to/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [Entrepreneurs and volunteers inspired by Hizmet's values have invested in modern education and community service in more than 150 countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/entrepreneurs-and-volunteers-inspired-by-hizmet-s-values-have/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) [Explore all 87 Fethullah Gulen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) ## More Ego quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [I love playing ego and insecurity combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/i-love-playing-ego-and-insecurity-combined/) [Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/) > [“sometimes when everything seems at its worst when all conspires and gnaws and the hours, days, weeks years seem wasted – stretched there upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/sometimes-when-everything-seems-at-its-worst-when-all-conspires-and/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I'm a straight shooter, and most of the time my ego doesn't interrupt my relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-macht/i-m-a-straight-shooter-and-most-of-the-time-my-ego-doesn-t-interrupt/) [Gabriel Macht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-macht/) > [Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/thinking-or-more-precisely-identification-with-thinking-gives-rise-to/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“There are two kinds of people: goal-oriented and ego-oriented. Goal-oriented people work together and get things gone. Ego-oriented people don’t work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charbel-tadros/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-goal-oriented-and-ego-oriented-goal/) [Charbel Tadros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charbel-tadros/) > [Heart surgeons do not have the world's smallest egos: when you ask them to name the world's three leading practitioners, they never can remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/heart-surgeons-do-not-have-the-world-s-smallest-egos-when-you-ask/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [I hate acting when I see it. I don't want to feel it, I don't want to see it, I want to be taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-hauer/i-hate-acting-when-i-see-it-i-don-t-want-to-feel-it-i-don-t-want-to/) [Rutger Hauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-hauer/) > [It's a constant man-ego-check going on in the streets, in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/it-s-a-constant-man-ego-check-going-on-in-the-streets-in-this-world/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [“... a man doesn't like to have his ego popped, especially when he prides himself on his sagacity, and then to be proved wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/a-man-doesn-t-like-to-have-his-ego-popped-especially-when-he-prides/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [Our real nature is not our imaginary, limited ego. Our true nature is vast, all-comprehensive, and intangible as empty space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anagarika-govinda/our-real-nature-is-not-our-imaginary-limited-ego-our-true-nature-is/) [Anagarika Govinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anagarika-govinda/) > [The man of wisdom is devoid of ego even though he may appear to use it. His vacant or fasting mind is neither doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramesh-s-balsekar/the-man-of-wisdom-is-devoid-of-ego-even-though-he-may-appear-to-use/) [Ramesh S Balsekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramesh-s-balsekar/) > [Show me success without ego!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivana-trump/show-me-success-without-ego/) [Ivana Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivana-trump/) [Browse all 3,462 Ego quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The greater jihad is proclaiming war on our ego's destructive and negative emotions and thoughts... which prevent us from attaining perfection.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fethullah Gulen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/the-greater-jihad-is-proclaiming-war-on-our-ego-s-destructive-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ego" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/the-greater-jihad-is-proclaiming-war-on-our-ego-s-destructive-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/fethullah-gulen-7833_ego_the-greater-jihad-is-proclaiming-war-on_1011702.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/fethullah-gulen-7833_ego_the-greater-jihad-is-proclaiming-war-on_1011702.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/fethullah-gulen-7833_ego_the-greater-jihad-is-proclaiming-war-on_1011702.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The greater jihad is proclaiming war on our ego's destructive and negative emotions and thoughts... which…” — Fethullah Gulen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Fethullah Gulen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The greater jihad is proclaiming war...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/the-greater-jihad-is-proclaiming-war-on-our-ego-s-destructive-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/the-greater-jihad-is-proclaiming-war-on-our-ego-s-destructive-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```