The
order for Jihad
The Noble Qur'an 2:190-193
190. And fight in the Way of Allâh those who fight
you, but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allâh likes
not the transgressors. [This Verse is the first one that
was revealed in connection with Jihâd, but it was
supplemented by another (V.9:36)].
191. And kill them wherever you find
them, and turn them out from where they have turned you
out. And Al-Fitnah is worse than killing. And fight not
with them at Al-Masjid-al-Harâm (the sanctuary at
Makkah), unless they (first) fight you there. But if they
attack you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the
disbelievers.
192. But if they cease, then Allâh
is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
193. And fight them until there is
no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of others along
with Allâh) and (all and every kind of) worship is
for Allâh (Alone). But if they cease, let there be
no transgression except against Az-Zâlimûn (the
polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc.)
The Noble
Qur'an 9:36
That is the right religion,
so wrong not yourselves therein, and fight against the Mushrikûn
(polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness
of Allâh) collectively, as they fight against you
collectively.
The Noble
Qur'an 8:72-74
72. Verily, those who believed, and emigrated and strove
hard and fought with their property and their lives in the
Cause of Allâh as well as those who gave (them) asylum
and help, - these are (all) allies to one another. And as
to those who believed but did not emigrate (to you O Muhammad
SAW), you owe no duty of protection to them until they emigrate,
but if they seek your help in religion, it is your duty
to help them except against a people with whom you have
a treaty of mutual alliance, and Allâh is the All-Seer
of what you do.
73. And those who disbelieve are
allies to one another, (and) if you (Muslims of the whole
world collectively) do not do so (i.e. become allies, as
one united block with one Khalifah - chief Muslim ruler
for the whole Muslim world to make victorious Allâh's
Religion of Islâmic Monotheism), there will be Fitnah
(wars, battles, polytheism, etc.) and oppression on earth,
and a great mischief and corruption (appearance of polytheism).
74. And those who believed, and emigrated
and strove hard in the Cause of Allâh (Al-Jihâd),
as well as those who gave (them) asylum and aid; - these
are the believers in truth, for them is forgiveness and
Rizqun Karîm (a generous provision i.e. Paradise).
Hadith
- Bukhari, Vol. 4, No. 41, Narrated
'Abdullaah bin Mas'uud
I asked Allah's Messenger , "O Allah's Messenger! What
is the best deed?" He replied, "To offer the prayers
at their early fixed stated times." I asked, "What
is next in goodness?" He replied, "To be good
and dutiful to your parents." I further asked, "What
is next in goodness?" He replied, "To participate
in Jihad in Allah's Cause." I did not ask Allah's Messenger
anymore and if I had asked him more, he would have told
me more.
The Noble
Qur'an 2:216
Jihâd (holy fighting in Allâh's Cause) is ordained
for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that
you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like
a thing which is bad for you. Allâh knows but you
do not know.
Hadith
- Al-Tirmidhi #3835,
Narrated AbuHurayrah
Allah's Messenger said, "If anyone meets Allah with
no mark of jihad, he will meet Allah with a flaw in him."
[Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it]
The Noble
Qur'an An-Nisaa' 4:75, 76
75. And what is wrong with you that you fight not in the
Cause of Allâh, and for those weak, illtreated
and oppressed among men, women, and children, whose cry
is: "Our Lord! Rescue us from this town whose people
are oppressors; and raise for us from You one who will protect,
and raise for us from You one who will help."
76. Those who believe, fight in the
Cause of Allâh, and those who disbelieve, fight in
the cause of Tâghût (Satan, etc.). So fight
you against the friends of Shaitân (Satan); Ever feeble
indeed is the plot of Shaitân (Satan).
The Good
Deed and Blessings of Jihad
The Noble
Qur'an 9:20
Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allâh - Islâmic
Monotheism) and emigrated and strove hard and fought in
Allâh's Cause with their wealth and their lives are
far higher in degree with Allâh. They are the successful.
Hadith - Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 52, Number 41,
Narrated Abdullah bin Masud
I asked Allah's Apostle, "O Allah's Apostle! What is
the best deed?" He replied, "To offer the prayers
at their early stated fixed times." I asked, "What
is next in goodness?" He replied, "To be good
and dutiful to your parents." I further asked, what
is next in goodness?" He replied, "To participate
in Jihad in Allah's Cause." I did not ask Allah's Apostle
anymore and if I had asked him more, he would have told
me more.
The Noble Qur'an As-Saff 61:10-14
10. O You who believe! Shall I guide you to a commerce that
will save you from a painful torment.
11. That you believe in Allâh
and His Messenger (Muhammad SAW), and that you strive hard
and fight in the Cause of Allâh with your wealth and
your lives, that will be better for you, if you but know!
12. (If you do so) He will forgive
you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers
flow, and pleasant dwelling in Gardens of 'Adn Eternity
['Adn (Edn) Paradise], that is indeed the great success.
13. And also (He will give you) another
(blessing) which you love, help from Allâh (against
your enemies) and a near victory. And give glad tidings
(O Muhammad SAW) to the believers.
14. O you who believe! Be you helpers
(in the Cause) of Allâh as said 'Iesa (Jesus), son
of Maryam (Mary), to AlHawârîeen (the disciples)
: "Who are my helpers (in the Cause) of Allâh?"
AlHawârîeen (the disciples) said: "We
are Allâh's helpers" (i.e. we will strive in
His Cause!). Then a group of the Children of Israel believed
and a group disbelieved. So We gave power to those who believed
against their enemies, and they became the uppermost.
Finding Strength
for the Battles
The Noble
Qur'an An-Nisaa' 4:104
And don't be weak in the pursuit of the enemy; if you are
suffering (hardships) then surely, they (too) are suffering
(hardships) as you are suffering, but you have a hope from
Allâh (for the reward, i.e. Paradise) that for which
they hope not, and Allâh is Ever AllKnowing,
AllWise.
See also: The Noble Qur'an 3:139;
3:160; 30:47; 8:15
The Martyr
Abu Dawood
2493, Narrated Abu Malik al-Ash'ari
AbuMalik heard the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him)
say: He who goes forth in Allah's path and dies or is killed
is a martyr, or has his neck broken through being thrown
by his horse or by his camel, or is stung by a poisonous
creature, or dies on his bed by any kind of death Allah
wishes is a martyr and will go to Paradise.
Hadith
- Qudsi 6
The first of people against whom judgment will be pronounced
on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who died a martyr.
He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His
favours and he will recognize them. [ The Almighty] will
say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I fought
for you until I died a martyr. He will say: You have lied
- you did but fight that it might be said [of you]: He is
courageous. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered
to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire.
[Another] will be a man who has studied [religious] knowledge
and has taught it and who used to recite the Quran. He will
be brought and Allah will make known to his His favours
and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: And
what did you do about them? He will say: I studied [religious]
knowledge and I taught it and I recited the Quran for Your
sake. He will say: You have lied - you did but study [religious]
knowledge that it might be said [of you]: He is learned.
And you recited the Quran that it might be said [of you]:
He is a reciter. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered
to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire.
[Another] will be a man whom Allah had made rich and to
whom He had given all kinds of wealth. He will be brought
and Allah will make known to his His favours and he will
recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: And what did you
do about them? He will say: I left no path [untrodden] in
which You like money to be spent without spending in it
for Your sake. He will say: You have lied - you did but
do so that it might be said [of you]: He is open-handed.
And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged
along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire.
What is the
Muslimah's role in Jihad?
Hadith
- Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 52, Number 43,
Narrated 'Aisha
(That she said), "O Allah's
Apostle! We consider Jihad as the best deed. Should we not
fight in Allah's cause?" He said, "The best Jihad
(for women) is Hajj-mabrur (i.e. Hajj which is done according
to the Prophet's tradition and is accepted by Allah)."
Following is an example of a woman given permission to participate
in jihad, but note her fatal outcome. Also note that her
role was that of accompanying her husband in HIS jihad.
So, it's not like she had a jihad task vastly seperate from
her husband, as though a woman would be sent to fight a
battle of jihad in one part of the country while her husband
was tied up in a separate jihad.
Hadith
- Sahih Bukhari, Narrated
Anas bin Malik
Um Haram said, "Once the Prophet slept in my house
near to me and got up smiling. I said, 'What makes you smile?'
He replied, 'Some of my followers who (i.e. in a dream)
were presented to me sailing on this green sea like kings
on thrones.' I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Invoke Allah to
make me one of them.' " So the Prophet invoked Allah
for her and went to sleep again. He did the same (i.e. got
up and told his dream) and Um Haram repeated her question
and he gave the same reply. She said, "Invoke Allah
to make me one of them."
He said, "You are among the
first batch." Later on it happened that she went out
in the company of her husband 'Ubada bin As-Samit who went
for Jihad and it was the first time the Muslims undertook
a naval expedition led by Mu'awiya. When the expedition
came to an end and they were returning to Sham, a riding
animal was presented to her to ride, but the animal let
her fall and thus she died.
Another example of women in jihad other than the jihad of
Hajj......
Hadith - Sahih Muslim,
Narrated Anas
On the day (of the battle) of Uhad when (some) people retreated
and left the Prophet, I saw 'Aisha bint Abu Bakr and Um
Sulaim, with their robes tucked up so that the bangles around
their ankles were visible hurrying with their water skins
(in another narration it is said, "carrying the water
skins on their backs"). Then they would pour the water
in the mouths of the people, and return to fill the water
skins again and came back again to pour water in the mouths
of the people.
These are proofs to show that a woman's
role in jihad is different from men, yet much needed, and
designed to keep her more distant from the direct line of
battle for her safety. A woman's jihad besides Hajj, is
to support the men of the community in their jihad. The
best way to do that, insha'Allah, like anything, is to ASK
how you can be of benefit, not to assume a role and hope
that's what's helpful
Another related point. Gender segregation
is very important in Islam. But please note, that when necessary,
such as times of battle, giving water to the soldiers, and
other jobs in our lives that put us near men out of necessity,
are part of jihad, insha'Allah, that is, IF we are doing
it solely for the sake of Allah, swt, and not just "for
the money" and its pleasures, to get recognition of
the men, to pass the boredom, to puff the ego, increase
our status in the eyes of people, or anything else. All
that work you do can be nullified if done for the wrong
reason, and Allah alone knows which deeds will actually
be accepted on Judgement Day.
It is important that women, including
single women, who desire to participate in jihad outside
the home, find ways to support the jihad of the males in
the community, separating herself from their conversations,
let them do the planning, the masjid building, etc., but
doing the work needed when she can, insha'Allah. Of course
she should start with her husband and children, then father
and other mahram men to support in their jihad. If she doesn't
know how to cook and the men meet in the masajid for regular
meetings, perhaps she and another sister should get together
and ask if they'd like meals sometimes, and if so, find
a way to do that.
Just like women like men to fix things
around the house, there are men who don't know how at the
beginning of the marriage and eventually teach themselves
out of necessity, to do so. So, not knowing HOW to do something,
like cooking for large groups of people, or whatever, doesn't
mean we shouldn't learn what is necessary and "get
to it", insha'Allah! Just like when a person says shahada
and doesn't know how to do salah, this doesn't give them
an excuse not to start learning how.
So, let's start learning how we can
do the things that support the brothers on the front line
in jihad, if this type of jihad beyond hajj is something,
thru dua to Allah, swt, we believe we should be doing, and
Allah the Majestic, the Most Great knows the conditions
of all persons. OIf you are physically unable, perhaps you
are financially able and willing to contribute through sadaqa
to jihad efforts.
Those who have the time and inclination,
please join Muttaqun Foundation for opportunities of jihad,
and this starts with spreading the daw'ah to the straying
Muslims first, to build up the Muslim communities so we
can best be prepared to bring in the new Muslims as they
are coming in, and they surely are coming in, masha'Allah.
It STARTS with the daw'ah in its many forms, but its "END"
or more appropriately, "down the road", comes
many tests and trials. Before you commit yourself to such
jihad, remember the sister above who fell off the riding
animal and died.
Nobody said the path would be easy;
wearing niqab alone can become jihad in an oppressive land.
This jihad spoken of can involve sacrifices, but most importantly
it involves OBEDIENCE. Allah, subhana wa tala, says He does
not need our sacrifice but desires our obedience. Obedience
in the salah, obedience and submission to the husband, obedience
in guarding our tongue.
And women can't do this path alone
without men, for surely women were created with the need
of the leadership and guidance of men on the Sunnah, as
they were created with the need for women to support and
encouragement to stay on the sirataal mustaqeem.
To the Muslims who have read thus
far, may Allah swt bless your sincerity with strength, and
your knowledge with the ability to apply that knowledge
wisely. Amin.
