Stereotype of the word “Jihad” and its influence towards non-muslim community perception in Malaysia

The word "jihad" is often misrepresented in the media and is associated with terrorism and violence. While the majority of Muslims are familiar with the term "Jihad" and are aware of its significance, this is not the case for many non-Muslims, particularly in Malaysia. Therefore, this study aims to understand the stereotype associated with the word “jihad” and its influence on the perception of the non-Muslim community in Malaysia. The study uses a narrative review on Google Scholar from 2019 to 2023, taking into account the inclusive criteria of "jihad," "non-Muslim," and "perception" through content analysis. A total of 50 relevant articles were retrieved from which 23 were selected. This paper found that the misconception was mostly due to media representation that Muslims are mostly violent, terrorist and extremist. The study emphasises the importance of addressing this issue as well as explaining the causes of these misconceptions. This study employs a narrative review methodology to systematically assess the 'Jihad' stereotype and the influence it has towards the non-Muslim community's perceptions in Malaysia. It is important to spread knowledge about the concept of jihad across Muslim and non-Muslim communities to be able to comprehend each other effectively.