No it is not a spiritual struggle. Jihad or holy war was a Muslim invention, though of course the Moslems were not the only warriors in the name of a 'god' to devastate, plunder, rape, and squat on superior civilisations. The Hittites had their Baal or Thunder-God, the Greeks Zeus, the Romans Jupiter, and the Mongols Chinghis' personal deity the Sky-God. The Moslems were however, the first and only poli-cracy to war under the divine protection of a male moon deity.

The word 'war' appears 22 times in Muhammad's manifesto. There are 3 themes around war within Koranic ideology: 1. A Moslem can never kill another Moslem. 2. Allah or Mohammed's alter-ego demands that you war against non-Muslims if and when the leaders of the cult determine that war is necessary and just and 3. Allah will reward Moslem's with victory over the hated Kufar or UnBelievers, if Moslems wage war on his behalf following his or Islam's rituals. We can see these three themes repeated throughout the 22 verses which discuss 'war' within the Koran. Examples are:

1) Don't kill another Moslem

4:92 “Never should a believer kill a believer; but (If it so happens) by mistake, (Compensation is due): If one (so) kills a believer, it is ordained that he should free a believing slave, and pay compensation to the deceased's family, unless they remit it freely. If the deceased belonged to a people at war with you, and he was a believer, the freeing of a believing slave (Is enough). If he belonged to a people with whom ye have treaty of Mutual alliance, compensation should be paid to his family, and a believing slave be freed. For those who find this beyond their means, (is prescribed) a fast for two months running: by way of repentance to Allah. for Allah hath all knowledge and all wisdom.”  (  ???? ??????  , An-Nisa, Chapter #4, Verse #92)

Note: Islamic 'law' is rather barbaric, premised on an eye-for-an-eye philosophy. Kill a fellow-believer and the family of the deceased has a direct claim on you. Notice also that only slaves 'who believe' are to be set free as part of the compensation to be paid. Islamophiles are quick to point out that some slaves within Islam are indeed set free, but these were converts. Keep in mind that some 10 million White Europeans and 11-15 Black Africans were enslaved by Islam.

2) Moslems must war against, and kill the Kufar

48:16 “Say to the desert Arabs who lagged behind: "Ye shall be summoned (to fight) against a people given to vehement war: then shall ye fight, or they shall submit. Then if ye show obedience, Allah will grant you a goodly reward, but if ye turn back as ye did before, He will punish you with a grievous Penalty."  (  ???? ?????  , Al-Fath, Chapter #48, Verse #16)

5:33 “The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter;”  (  ???? ???????  , Al-Maeda, Chapter #5, Verse #33)

8:16 “If any do turn his back to them on such a day - unless it be in a stratagem of war, or to retreat to a troop (of his own)- he draws on himself the wrath of Allah, and his abode is Hell,- an evil refuge (indeed)!”  (  ???? ???????  , Al-Anfal, Chapter #8, Verse #16)

8:60 “Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of Allah and your enemies, and others besides, whom ye may not know, but whom Allah doth know. Whatever ye shall spend in the cause of Allah, shall be repaid unto you, and ye shall not be treated unjustly.”  (  ???? ???????  , Al-Anfal, Chapter #8, Verse #60)

9:5 “But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, an seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practise regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” (  ???? ??????  , At-Taubah, Chapter #9, Verse #5)

3) Allah blesses Moslem armies

8:57 “If ye gain the mastery over them in war, disperse, with them, those who follow them, that they may remember.” (  ???? ???????  , Al-Anfal, Chapter #8, Verse #57)

Note: This verse means that slaves can be taken, or populations sent into exile and dispersed or of course, both as was witnessed with the Jews at the Khaybar Oasis.

8:69 “But (now) enjoy what ye took in war, lawful and good: but fear Allah. for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” (  ???? ???????  , Al-Anfal, Chapter #8, Verse #69)

Note: Slaves, booty, rape, pilfering – all sanctioned and made 'holy' by the Allah thing.

33:50 “O Prophet! We have made lawful to thee thy wives to whom thou hast paid their dowers; and those whom thy right hand possesses out of the prisoners of war whom Allah has assigned to thee; and daughters of thy paternal uncles and aunts, and daughters of thy maternal uncles and aunts, who migrated (from Makka) with thee; and any believing woman who dedicates her soul to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to wed her;- this only for thee, and not for the Believers (at large); We know what We have appointed for them as to their wives and the captives whom their right hands possess;- in order that there should be no difficulty for thee. And Allah is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (  ???? ???????  , Al-Ahzab, Chapter #33, Verse #50)

Note: Muhammad gets special treatment from the Allah-thing. Apparently Muhammad would get the choicest spoils, including women, obtained through Jihad.

And on it goes. No other theology in human history is so open about advocating destruction and war against its 'enemies'. The only comparable pagan-fascism which is close to Islam in this regard is of course Nazism. A useful exercise is to compare these intolerant poli-cracies for similarities – for a lot do exist. Nazism made the mistake of not conflating its pagan-Norse and absurd Aryan-racialist theories with a 'religion'. Considering that Hitler studied some aspects of Islamic supremacist imperialism, this is rather odd. He was after all a keen admirer of the Meccan cult.