Shihad is an alternative rock and heavy metal band originally from Wellington, New Zealand, where they formed in 1988. In 1999 the band relocated to Melbourne, Australia, where three of the members currently reside.
The name "Shihad" was chosen after members of the band misheard " jihad" as "Shihad" in the 1984 David Lynch movie, Dune. Following the September 11 terrorist attacks the band decided to change their name due to the similarity between the band's name Shihad and the Arabic word jihad.