Mujahideen

Mujahideen or mujahidin (Arabic: مُجَاهِدِين, romanized: mujāhidīn), is the plural form of mujahid (Arabic: مُجَاهِد, romanized: mujāhid, lit. 'strugglers or strivers, doers of jihād'), an Arabic term that broadly refers to people who engage in jihad (lit. 'struggle or striving [for justice, right conduct, Godly rule, etc.]'), interpreted in a jurisprudence of Islam as the fight on behalf of God, religion or the community (ummah). The widespread use of the word in English began with reference to the guerrilla-type militant groups led by the Islamist Afghan fighters in the Soviet–Afghan War (see Afghan mujahideen). The term now extends to other jihadist groups in various countries.