The President of Pakistan Society of Criminology, Mr. Fasihuddin (PSP) was invited by Prof. Emilio C. Vanio of the American University at Washington DC, USA to give a talk on ‘The Real Meaning of Jihad’ on Nov. 16, 2011. The audience were mostly students and staff of the American University. Fasihuddin (PSP) explained that due to the current global security situation, dictates of the war on terror, increased interest in the true teachings of Islam as a religion and the mis-use and mis-interpretation of some basic Islamic concepts by a few have compelled the law-enforcement officials to have a look into the real meaning of Jihad (Struggle) Qital (war) and their difference from terrorism, violence, extremism and militancy. The vested interest use a pure Islamic concept and obligation for their ulterior motives in a twisted form, out of context and with malicious connotations. Also the western media and self-styled scholars in the west who have no indepth understanding of the Islamic precincts but very authoritatively write about Islam, Islamic Jurisprudence and muslim history with their own self-coined worlds like ‘militant Islam’, ‘radical Islam’, ‘political Islam’, etc. According to Fasihuddin (PSP), all these are mis-nomers and propaganda-based nomenclature which these ‘superficial writers’ and ‘journalists’, who are generally addict to sensationalism, propagate for attention-grabing and provoking interest into their own writings. Islam is only a religion and there are no kinds of Islam like militant or radical or political Islam, similarly as we have no militant Christianity, political Buddishism or radical Hinduism. The actions or misdeeds of a few muslims or corrupt muslim rulers and elites should not be attributed to the refined and magnificent teachings of a great religion like Islam. The muslims have never attributed the actions or atrocities of the colonial western rulers to their true religion, Christianity, so why then only Islam is the target? Fasihuddin (PSP) in detail described the differences in various schools of thoughts between Jihad the real meaning of which is to exert oneself and strive against any kind of temptation and Qital (war), the aim of which is to do away with Fitna (religious persecution) and not to do forcible conversion or grab land or businesses and markets but is waged only for the Greatness of Allah (God) and His Happiness, no worldly or political agenda. Fasihuddin (PSP) quoted the various opinions of different scholars, right from those of militant organizations to Maulana Maudoddi, Maulana Wahiddudin Khan, Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri, Maulana Javed Ahmad Ghamdi, Sir Sayed Ahmad Khan, Justice Ameer Ali, Maluvi Chiragh Ali, Ghulam Ahmad Pervez and Ghulam Ahmad Qadiyani (the latter two are considered as dissenting groups from the main orthodox school of Islam). The views of various orientalists and western scholars were also presented for comparison. The session was a thought-provoking one and its clips may be available on the website of the American University, Washington DC. USA.