In search of martyrdom the Ghazìs go ¹

To fight Faith's battles: do they then not know

That martyred lovers higher rank, as slain

By hand of Friend, and not by hand of foe?

Jihad for Allah's sake

Muhammad Saeed al-Qahtani

This is one of the most important aspects of alliance and dissociation in Islam, it separates truth from falsehood, it separates the forces of Allah from those of Satan.

The fundamental meaning of the word 'Jihad' in Arabic is hardship or struggle. In religious terminology this means to struggle against the disbelievers . It can also imply struggle against Satan, against corruption and against the darkness of one's own soul. The darkness of one's soul is dispelled by the light of religious knowledge, by learning and then to apply what one has learnt to one's own life, and after this, by teaching it to others. The struggle against Shaytan is in the fight against doubt, when it casts its shadow over the heart and entices one to join the glittering illusion of the treacherous, rejected Pretender.

So, the struggle against the disbelievers is to be conducted with body and soul, wealth, tongue and heart; with one's force and might against the powers of darkness and oppression. The struggle against corruption is a physical challenge raised in the face of falsehood; but if one cannot do this, be in open denunciation of it; but if one cannot even do this, let there be a willingness to struggle within one's heart .

We have already discussed the nature of the powers of Shaytan and the forces of Allah; how the divisions between them are fundamental, and how they shall remain until the coming of the Hour. This is because the two have goals which are diametrically opposed and mutually exclusive. There is no common ground between them. The forces of Allah will strive for the establishment of the Shar'iah in its totality. The forces of evil will never tolerate this and will spare no expense to prevent it, so long as they are able.

We also discussed dissociation saying that the highest expression of it is Jihad for the sake of Allah, because it is the only way to sever the truth from falsehood, to sever the Party of Allah and the party of Shaytan.

Going back to the conduct of the Prophet's life, we find that Jihad became normality soon after his migration. This stands as proof of the importance of Jihad and of the establishment of this faith. It is in the total consecration of one's being to the struggle for Allah's cause, in response to the call to defend this faith.

Obviously, the Faith of Truth must call all humanity to the singular divinity of Allah, to the total devotion in all forms of worship to Him alone. Indeed, the raising of this call was the reason behind the sending of all the Messengers, and the revelation of all the Scriptures. But whoever stands against this and rejects it must become the one against whom we struggle.

Allah says (which means),

"And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism), and the religion will be for Allah alone" (Al-Anfal 8:39)

And we have already discussed the Prophet's adeeth in which he said, "When you meet your enemies, the polytheists, invite them to three things and if they make a positive response to you, accept it and restrain yourselves from doing any harm to them…"

The primary concern of Islam is to call people to what is best; it would be better for them, in the best possible way, to acknowledge truth, but if they refuse we are obliged to fight them. Whenever the freedom of Muslims to call others to embrace Islam is impinged by any despot or Taghoot, then he must be brought down so that knowledge of Islam may reach the people, and thus, the principle of; "There is no compulsion in religion" is applied. That is, should a Muslim ruler come to rule over a particular country, he would not be permitted to press its people to accept Islam as their religion. Their obligation is simply to accept his Islamic political authority. If they choose to become Muslims then their rights are the same as those of any other Muslim and if they choose to keep the religion of their fathers then they must pay Jizyah (head tax) or accept that they are in a state of war.

This brings us to the aims of Jihad which are: 1. The Disbelievers should be fought to assure everyone's right to choose between truth and falsehood. 2. The Disbelievers should be fought to assure the right of the Muslims to call others to Islam. 3. The Disbelievers should be fought to establish the rule and authority of Islam on Earth. This is the supreme liberation of humanity, for it frees them from the worship of human beings; it liberates them from the dark forces of ignorance and from the tyranny of superstition. Here we have no person, no class, no organization to legislate and regulate the affairs of nations, to subjugate humanity with the ruse of legality.

But human beings have one Lord whom they all share and who determines for them the Laws by which they must all abide. It is Allah to whom they should all turn in obedience and in awe, in faith and in devotion.

Jihad is an act of worship, its is one of the supreme forms of devotion to Allah. "If all humanity were believers then Jihad would be of no use. Alliance for the sake of Allah and enmity for His sake; love for Him and hatred for what He hates would be meaningless. There would be no war upon His enemies, no service to render in guiding people to what is good and dissuading them from iniquity, there would be no virtue in patience nor in steadfastness before the caprice of the spirit, and no goodness in first rendering one's affection to Allah rather than to human beings" .

Ibn Taymiyyah said, "There is nothing that can compare with it (Jihad) in terms of merit or reward because everyone benefits from it, both materially and spiritually. It is the expression of all forms of worship, both of the heart and hand. It is inspired by love for Allah, and sincere devotion, by reliance upon Him, and by the spirit of sacrifice both personal and financial. It is patience and hardship; worship in word and in deed, there is nothing that can surpass its blessings. Whoever takes its path, whether a single individual or an entire nation, is assured of success; either to be brought to success and victory, or to receive martyrdom and paradise."

There is much in the sources about this subject. Here are a few of the verses which speak of it in the Qur'an.

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"Think not of those who are slain in God's way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord; They rejoice in the bounty provided by God: And with regard to those left behind, who have not yet joined them (in their bliss), the (Martyrs) glory in the fact that on them is no fear, nor have they (cause to) grieve." (Aal Imran 3:169-170)

And

"Only those are Believers who have believed in God and His Apostle, and have never since doubted, but have striven with their belongings and their persons in the Cause of God: Such are the sincere ones, Were We then weary with the first Creation, that they should be in confused doubt about a new Creation?" (Hujarat 49:15)

Jihad is also a profitable exchange to be made with Allah, as He says:

"O you who believe! Shall I lead you to a bargain that will save you from a grievous Penalty? That you believe in God and His Apostle, and that you strive (your utmost) in the Cause of God, with your property and your persons: That will be best for you, if you but knew! He will forgive you your sins, and admit you to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, and to beautiful mansions in Gardens of Eternity: that is indeed the Supreme Achievement. And another (favour will He bestow,) which you do love,- help from God and a speedy victory. So give the Glad Tidings to the Believers." (As-Saff 61:10-13)

Also in the Sunnah, there are many reports of the merits of Jihad, such as the Prophet's saying:

"Allah has raised up those who struggled in His path by one hundred degrees, and the distance between two of these is like the distance between the heavens and the earth".

And He said:

"Anyone who gets both his feet covered with dust in Allah's Cause will not be touched by the (Hell) fire".

Al-Bukhari reported that a man came to the Messenger of Allah and said,

"Instruct me as to such a deed as equals Jihad (in reward)." He replied, "I do not find such a deed." Then he added, "Can you, while a Muslim fighter is in the battlefield, enter your mosque to perform prayers without cease and fast and never break your fast?" Then the man said, "But who can do that?"

Abu Dawud reported:

"Of my nation is Jihad in the Cause of Allah."

Jihad is the highest expression of Islam, as the Prophet said,

"The heart of the matter is Islam, its pillar is Salah and its highest achievement is Jihad."

And He said,

"A single endeavour in Allah's cause in the afternoon is better than all the world and whatever is in it."

At the other end of this we have the humiliation of those who abandon Jihad. They are those whom Allah has qualified as hypocritical and sick of heart. Allah says,

"Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your kindred; the wealth that you have gained; the commerce in which you fear a decline: or the dwellings in which you delight - are dearer to you than God, or His Apostle, or the striving in His cause;- then wait until God brings about His decision: and God guides not the rebellious." (At-Tawbah 9:24)

And He also says,

"Those who believe say, "Why is not a surah sent down (for us)?" But when a surah of basic or categorical meaning is revealed, and fighting is mentioned therein, you will see those in whose hearts is a disease looking at thee with a look of one in swoon at the approach of death. But more fitting for them (hypocrites, is to listen and to obey Allah). Were it to obey and say what is just, and when a matter is resolved on, it were best for them if they were true to God. Then, is it to be expected of you, if you were put in authority, that you will do mischief in the land, and break your ties of kith and kin? Such are the men whom God has cursed for He has made them deaf and blinded their sight." (Muhammad 47:20-23)

Jihad is necessary not only for the spread of Islam, but is the way that Allah selects the best and the purest of heart among humanity. As Allah says,

"Did you think that you would enter Heaven without God testing those of you who fought hard (In His Cause) and remained steadfast?" (Aal Imran 3:142)

And He also says,

"Or think you that you shall be abandoned, as though God did not know those among you who strive with might and main, and take none for friends and protectors except God, His Apostle, and the (community of) Believers? But God is well- acquainted with (all) that you do." (At-Tawbah 9:16) "

Jihad in the cause of Allah is the way in which we call others to Allah, it was not a peculiar response to conditions in the first days of Islam, but rather an inseparable part of the call to truth. If it were only a response to conditions of the times, it would not have been so deeply rooted in the Qur'an and Sunnah of the Prophet .

Allah knows the Tawaagheet* despise the very mention of Jihad. Allah knows that they will always fight it because it is not their path, nor their law, not only yesterday, but today and tomorrow aw well. It will be the same in every time and every place. Allah knows that evil is braggart and can never be just, it can never let the good thrive even if it resorts to peaceful methods because the prosperity of the good causes a threat to evil. The assertion that truth exists is itself a threat to the existence of falsehood. We recognize the enemy in whatever is wrong. We must know that falsehood can only defend itself by struggling against the truth, by throttling it with its bare hands. These are the facts of the matter; it is not a matter of peculiar circumstance, but rather the way of the world.

This can only lead to the necessity of Jihad in all its forms. Anything conceived of in the mind may finally take form and appear in the real world. The only response to militant evil is an equally militant good. Falsehood fortified must be met with truth ironclad. If this was otherwise then all this would only be foolishness unbefitting the believers.

Rather we should devote our lives and our resources the way Allah has required the believers to do.

"Let those (believers) who sell the life of this world for the Hereafter fight in the Cause of Allah, and whoso fights in the Cause of Allah and is killed or gets victory, We shall bestow on him a great reward." (An-Nisa 4:74)

Muslim armies spread across the world spreading knowledge of Islam and instilling faith in the hearts of people, they crushed the power of Taaghut wherever they found it so that everyone would be free to worship the One God.

In the early days we find the supreme example of people who went out in the quest of death for the very love of life. Life which they would enjoy on earth amid the fruits of victory in the service of the faith, or life with Allah.

"Think not of those who are slain in God's way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord; They rejoice in the bounty provided by God" (Aal Imran 3:169)

There were some, like the Prophet's Companion Umair Ibn al-Hammam al-Ansari, for whom the distance between this world and paradise seemed all too great. When he heard the Prophet at the Battle of Badr call out "Onward to Paradise, as wide as the heavens and the earth!" he said, "But Messenger of Allah, is Paradise really as vast as the heavens and the earth?" "Of course", the Prophet said. "Excellent. Excellent!" he said. "Why do you say that?" the Prophet asked. "Nothing but the hope that I will be one of its people, Messenger of Allah". The Prophet told Umair, "You will surely be one of them". He sat and ate from a bag of dates, which he had with him, then he said "If I were to live until I had eaten all these dates of mine, it would be a long life". He tossed them away and threw himself into battle, fighting the enemy until he was killed.

Then the story of Handalah Ibn Abu Aamir who, on hearing the call to war before the Battle of Uhud, rushed out of his house, not even taking the time to have a shower as he was newly married, but hurried to fray lest he miss the battle. When he was killed the Prophet said, "Then Angels are bathing your friend, go and ask his wife". When they asked his wife she said, "He went out as soon as he heard the call to war, not taking the time to cleanse himself of ceremonial impurity." Then the Prophet said, "This is why the Angels bathed him."

These are but two of many heroes who were filled with faith, who reached the pinnacle of life and were given a glimpse of Paradise and its bounty from where they stood, seeing it as if with their own eyes they flew to it in determined flight as birds return to their roost.

This is the meaning of Jihad and these are the believers who make it their road. Whoever follows them does so because they struggle in the Cause of Allah. But, as for those who do not, they struggle for the sake of Taghoot:

"Those who believe fight in the Cause of Allah and those who disbelieve fight in the cause of Taghoot (Satan)" (An-Nisa 4:76)

However, that which the dispirited Muslims today refer to as Jihad is nothing more than deception. They call for a truce with the minions of Shaytan: they call for pacts of unity and alliances with them, and submission to them. They dilute the texts of the Qur'an and the Sunnah to satisfy the doubts of the atheists. They even demand equality for any baseless philosophical speculation which denies divine writ. They are self-defeated, humiliated, subjugated; they do not know nor recognize the truth which is before them; there is nothing of Islam in them but the sound of their names. Their obsession and concern is for blind imitation; their habit is following everybody.

However, things would be less worse had they not tried to conceal their cowardice and humiliation and twist the text of the Qur'an and Sunnah. They say that Jihad is only for defense. This lie must be exposed, and we must never relent in denouncing those who make such claims, regardless of who they are, regardless of their popularity or their fame. The religion of Allah is Truth, and Truth never follows tradition nor fashion. There is no need to speak about this here at length. It has been discussed already in earlier chapters and our scholars, both from the past and present, have spared not effort in exposing this strange belief, throughout the course of history. Those who are interested will find rich discussion of it in the sources. Clearly faith can offer us no rewards until we return to the Qur'an and Sunnah, and to an understanding of the creed that the Prophet himself taught his Companions.

We must acquire knowledge of the lives of the founders of our nation, and take to heart the real meaning of the words, "There is no God worthy of worship, except Allah". We must understand the nature of worship; the nature of religion; the nature of Jihad for the Sake of Allah, not for the sake of any country, people, race, class, or selfishness. Muslims today should realize the meaning of this, rise above themselves and feel superior with their Islamic creed. They must take account of the errors of those who are misled and the lies of those who would deceive them. They must turn at every crossing to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet and know that they are helpless without the Grace of Allah; that Allah is their Protector and that the ruse of Satan is the very essence of frailty.

 ^{1 -} Those who engage in the ghazw, or religious war (Jihad) - The verse is from Abu Said Ibn Abi'l-Khayr (AD 967 - 1049) - From "A Literary History of Persia", volume 2, by Edward G. Browne - Cambidge University Press- 1969.

 Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon Him