--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many American Muslims are peaceful and…" description: "\"Many American Muslims are peaceful and define jihad primarily as an internal struggle to improve.\" — Marvin Olasky" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/marvin-olasky-18081_internal-struggle_many-american-muslims-are-peaceful-and-d_735270.jpg" --- # Many American Muslims are peaceful and define jihad… ![“Many American Muslims are peaceful and define jihad primarily as an internal struggle to improve.” quote by Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/marvin-olasky-18081_internal-struggle_many-american-muslims-are-peaceful-and-d_735270.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/marvin-olasky-18081_internal-struggle_many-american-muslims-are-peaceful-and-d_735270.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/marvin-olasky-18081_internal-struggle_many-american-muslims-are-peaceful-and-d_735270.jpg) > “Many American Muslims are peaceful and define jihad primarily as an internal struggle to improve.” [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Many American Muslims view jihad as an inner, personal struggle for self‑improvement rather than violence. **In simple terms:** Jihad is often seen as personal growth, not conflict. Key Takeaway Respect diverse interpretations of religious concepts. Themes faith peace interpretation identity Mood thoughtful informative Type essay social commentary When to use this quote - interfaith dialogue - community service - education - policy making Key Concepts religious doctrine social integration peacebuilding Questions to Reflect On - How does internal struggle differ across cultures? - What role does community play in shaping belief? A Different Perspective Not all Muslims share this view. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Internal struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internal-struggle/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Jihad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jihad/) [Peaceful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peaceful/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [We need to reflect the true identity of Muslims, how peaceful they are and really be able to talk to the Western media about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesham-qandil/we-need-to-reflect-the-true-identity-of-muslims-how-peaceful-they-are/) [Hesham Qandil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesham-qandil/) > [To be sure, most immigrants are good and most Muslims are peaceful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayleigh-mcenany/to-be-sure-most-immigrants-are-good-and-most-muslims-are-peaceful/) [Kayleigh McEnany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayleigh-mcenany/) > [Do we need to tighten restrictions on people coming into the country? I think there's a good argument for that, but a kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/do-we-need-to-tighten-restrictions-on-people-coming-into-the-country/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [“As an African myself, I cannot tell how much proud and excited I am to see our nation having the first African-American president. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aladdin-elaasar/as-an-african-myself-i-cannot-tell-how-much-proud-and-excited-i-am-to/) Aladdin Elaasar > [American Muslims are already within the system. We should stop isolating ourselves by thinking we are powerless. The youngest generations of Americans have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/american-muslims-are-already-within-the-system-we-should-stop/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [There is a cottage industry of these Muslim bashers who are training law enforcement personnel, military personnel... and you are breeding a generation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibrahim-hooper/there-is-a-cottage-industry-of-these-muslim-bashers-who-are-training/) [Ibrahim Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibrahim-hooper/) > [One should be weary of drawing too many inferences from a single poll. You can find wildly disparate results with two different polls. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/one-should-be-weary-of-drawing-too-many-inferences-from-a-single-poll/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [You don't insult American Muslims and religiously profile them the way that has been suggested by Ted Cruz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/you-don-t-insult-american-muslims-and-religiously-profile-them-the/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [In spite of the polls, the fact is that American Muslims are very happy and they thrive in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/in-spite-of-the-polls-the-fact-is-that-american-muslims-are-very/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [Shouldn't the American leadership be addressing what is happening in America, with its domestic policies on racism, discrimination, illegal monitoring, solitary confinement, torture, Guantanamo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/shouldn-t-the-american-leadership-be-addressing-what-is-happening-in/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [American Muslims - young American Muslims in particular - are starting to understand that unless they are willing to stand up for all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/american-muslims-young-american-muslims-in-particular-are-starting-to/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [We need American Muslims to be part of our eyes and ears on our front lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-need-american-muslims-to-be-part-of-our-eyes-and-ears-on-our-front/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“Political observers point out that our country has a long, raucous history of witch hunts. “In times of economic distress, people tend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arsalan-iftikhar/political-observers-point-out-that-our-country-has-a-long-raucous/) [Arsalan Iftikhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arsalan-iftikhar/) > [I want the American Muslims to tell the leaders what they are telling me all the time. I want this internal debate to happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/i-want-the-american-muslims-to-tell-the-leaders-what-they-are-telling/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) ## More by Marvin Olasky > [Baseball needs to put the steroids era behind it by having and enforcing tough rules against all kinds of artificial advantages, so that spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/baseball-needs-to-put-the-steroids-era-behind-it-by-having-and/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [But to understand what it means to be strong and courageous, Christians should look to the person of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/but-to-understand-what-it-means-to-be-strong-and-courageous/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [Political journalists love graduate student intelligence, the ability to make clever allusions in seminars, and in 1999-2000 they hassled George W. Bush for not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/political-journalists-love-graduate-student-intelligence-the-ability/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [More people need to understand the games secular liberals play. Here's one rule-of-thumb: No matter how bad a story sounds - particularly if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/more-people-need-to-understand-the-games-secular-liberals-play-here-s/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [Those who believe in the importance of serving others should lead the way by fighting against the temptation we all have, and maybe especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/those-who-believe-in-the-importance-of-serving-others-should-lead-the/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [Philanthropic humility is necessary if a giver is to do more good than harm, but it is not sufficient - philanthropic prudence is also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/philanthropic-humility-is-necessary-if-a-giver-is-to-do-more-good/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [ \[The disestablishment of religion\] may not have been such a good idea. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/the-disestablishment-of-religion-may-not-have-been-such-a-good-idea/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [And yet, those who speak loudly and call anyone who disagrees with them a wimp often do a disservice to the cause they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/and-yet-those-who-speak-loudly-and-call-anyone-who-disagrees-with/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [Most organizations should be pro-active, but philanthropists concerned with poverty should deliberately be reactive, learning from the efforts of ordinary folks who tired of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/most-organizations-should-be-pro-active-but-philanthropists-concerned/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [I still favor alternatives to governmental race-based preferences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/i-still-favor-alternatives-to-governmental-race-based-preferences/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [I grew up Jewish, became an atheist and a Marxist, and 28 years ago, at age 26, became a Christian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/i-grew-up-jewish-became-an-atheist-and-a-marxist-and-28-years-ago-at/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [For nearly a decade Democrats have sought a religious wedge issue that could separate big chunks of white evangelical voters from their Republican home.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/for-nearly-a-decade-democrats-have-sought-a-religious-wedge-issue/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [The data, however, do indicate that Christians who see Jews through a 17th-century lens, believing that most are thoroughly religious, are thoroughly wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/the-data-however-do-indicate-that-christians-who-see-jews-through-a/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [Materialist philosophies that treat human beings as machines or animals possess the high ground in our culture - academia, the most powerful media and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/materialist-philosophies-that-treat-human-beings-as-machines-or/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [We do not increase compassion by expanding it to cover anything. Instead, we kill a good word by making it mean too much, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/we-do-not-increase-compassion-by-expanding-it-to-cover-anything/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) [Explore all 35 Marvin Olasky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) ## More Internal struggle quotes > [And I could see his internal struggle become an all out war. "It wouldn't have made a difference. Not with Adrian involved," he said……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/and-i-could-see-his-internal-struggle-become-an-all-out-war-it-wouldn/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Well, I think certain roles are chosen for us. The moment I read Pete Campbell I thought: I can do this, this is mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-kartheiser/well-i-think-certain-roles-are-chosen-for-us-the-moment-i-read-pete/) [Vincent Kartheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-kartheiser/) > [Where solar energy is concerned - and wind energy and battery storage and electric vehicles and efficiency technologies - that is what we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/where-solar-energy-is-concerned-and-wind-energy-and-battery-storage/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [When you struggle with weight, it's not an internal struggle... it's literally an external struggle, and everyone sees it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-mathews/when-you-struggle-with-weight-it-s-not-an-internal-struggle-it-s/) [Ross Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-mathews/) > [“Mark Rosewater wrote: Science fiction, at is core, is about exploring what if. It is literature investigating humanity’s potential. Fantasy, at its core, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-corkill/mark-rosewater-wrote-science-fiction-at-is-core-is-about-exploring/) James M. Corkill > [When I had those injuries in college, I had all of these conversations with coaches about protecting myself. It was a constant internal struggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taysom-hill/when-i-had-those-injuries-in-college-i-had-all-of-these-conversations/) [Taysom Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taysom-hill/) > [“It seemed that Dudley was struggling with concepts too difficult to put into words. After several moments of apparently painful internal struggle he said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/it-seemed-that-dudley-was-struggling-with-concepts-too-difficult-to/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [“that the strength lied inside everyone and being a hero is more of an internal struggle, it is the way we deal with situations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arun-prabhu-aradhya/that-the-strength-lied-inside-everyone-and-being-a-hero-is-more-of-an/) [Arun Prabhu- aradhya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arun-prabhu-aradhya/) > [Now they stumbled in the shackles of humanity, lived in a fear that never died, fretted by a law they could not understand; their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/now-they-stumbled-in-the-shackles-of-humanity-lived-in-a-fear-that/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [Growing up, I had an internal struggle with my body because I was really chubby. My sisters were younger, and they were all skinny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-milian/growing-up-i-had-an-internal-struggle-with-my-body-because-i-was/) [Christina Milian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-milian/) > [So Kratos is always angry, and he spent a considerable amount of time after 'God of War' trying to be away from people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-barlog/so-kratos-is-always-angry-and-he-spent-a-considerable-amount-of-time/) [Cory Barlog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-barlog/) > [“No. I'm trying to think like a human, trying to decide if it's selfish to kiss you. If it's not in your best interest.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/no-i-m-trying-to-think-like-a-human-trying-to-decide-if-it-s-selfish/) [Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/) > [“But I want more' I whisper. 'More?' he looks down at me puzzled, his eyes darkening. I nod and swallow. Now he knows. 'More,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james/but-i-want-more-i-whisper-more-he-looks-down-at-me-puzzled-his-eyes/) [E.L. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-james/) > [“I want you to tell me something,” I whisper. “What?” “Don’t get mad.” “What is it, Ana?” “You do care.” His eyes widen, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james/i-want-you-to-tell-me-something-i-whisper-what-don-t-get-mad-what-is/) [E.L. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-james/) > [“Aren’t you the one who keeps telling everyone it’s their first duty to help Harry?” said Ron. “In that magazine of yours?” Xenophilius glanced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/aren-t-you-the-one-who-keeps-telling-everyone-it-s-their-first-duty/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) [Browse all 30 Internal struggle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internal-struggle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Many American Muslims are peaceful and define jihad primarily as an internal struggle to improve.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marvin Olasky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/many-american-muslims-are-peaceful-and-define-jihad-primarily-as-an/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Internal struggle" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/many-american-muslims-are-peaceful-and-define-jihad-primarily-as-an/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/marvin-olasky-18081_internal-struggle_many-american-muslims-are-peaceful-and-d_735270.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/marvin-olasky-18081_internal-struggle_many-american-muslims-are-peaceful-and-d_735270.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/marvin-olasky-18081_internal-struggle_many-american-muslims-are-peaceful-and-d_735270.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Many American Muslims are peaceful and define jihad primarily as an internal struggle to improve.” — Marvin Olasky", "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": "Marvin Olasky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Many American Muslims are peaceful and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/many-american-muslims-are-peaceful-and-define-jihad-primarily-as-an/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/many-american-muslims-are-peaceful-and-define-jihad-primarily-as-an/#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 } } ] } ```