OT: Defining words and how they are used

Reading a recent DOD article, and how some in command and US politics have some odd
ideas of words that if used wrong, some words in Islam can be misused and not
close to their meaning and get people angry..

(Choosing Words Carefully: Language to Help Fight Islamic Terrorism
[http://www.ndu.edu/csc/docs/Choosing%20Words%20Carefully--Language%20to%20Help%20Fight%20Islamic%20Terrorism%2024%20May%2006.pdf)

Jihadist is a class example.


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A case in point is the term "jihadist." Many leaders use the term jihadist or
jihadi as a synonym for Islamic extremist. Jihad has been commonly adapted in
English as meaning "holy war." But to Muslims it means much more. In their
article, Steusand and Tunnell said in Arabic - the language of the Koran -
jihad "literally means striving and generally occurs as part of the expression
'jihad fi sabil illah,' striving in the path of God."
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Which on its own is not a bad term, it is much like how Christian and Jews strive to
find the path or follow the path to God.

Is not Jihad close to the word Haj "pilgrimage"?

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Finally, the men urge Westerners to translate Allah into God. Using Allah to refer to
God would be like using Jehovah to refer to a Hebrew God. In fact, Muslims,
Christians and Jews all worship the God of Abraham. Using different names
exaggerates the divisions among the religions, the authors say.
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The concept is how to use words in your conlang correctly, so that people get no
misconceptions and misunderstanding..

One of the reasons for keeping the Quran in "Cassic Arabic" is to keep things pure
and no miunderstandings?

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