Below
are some interpretations of the Verses and Ahâdîth of the Messenger of
Allâh - SallaLlahu alahye wa sallam - enumerating the virtues of Jihâd
in the path of Allâh, the Majestic:
Verily, Allâh has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be the Paradise. They fight in Allâh's Cause, so they kill (others) and are killed. It is a promise in truth which is binding on Him in the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and the Qur'ân. And who is truer to His Covenant than Allâh? Then rejoice in the bargain which you have concluded. That is the supreme success. [Taubah: 111].
Allâh the Majestic also said:
O you who believe! Shall I guide you to a commerce that will save you from a painful torment. That you believe in Allâh and His Messenger, 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! (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 [Paradise], that is indeed the great success. [As-Saff: 10-12]
On the authority of Abu Hurairah - may Allâh be pleased with him - who said I heard the Messenger of Allâh - SallaLlahu alahye wa sallam - say:
'The similitude of the person who strives in the path of Allâh - and only Allâh knows he that strives in His path - is like a fasting person and a standing person in prayers (at night). Allâh has vouched for the person who strives in His path that He either causes him to die and enter the Jannah or that he comes back home safe with rewards or booty [Al-Bukhârî: 2787].
Also on the authority of Abû Hurairah - may Allâh be pleased with him - who said that the Messenger of Allâh - SallaLlahu alahye wa sallam - said:
'Whoever believes in Allâh and His Messenger, observes the prayers, and fasts in Ramadan, it becomes a duty on Allâh to make him enter Jannah whether he fights in Allâh's path or sits in the land where he was born.'
The Companions then said:
'O Messenger of Allâh, won't we spread this good news to the people?'
The Messenger of Allâh - SallaLlahu alahye wa sallam - replied:
'Indeed there are one hundred levels in the Jannah which Allâh has prepared for the mujahedeen in His Path; the distance between two levels is like the distance between the heaven and the earth.' [Al-Bukhârî: 2790].
On the authority of Abdullah bn Mas'uud - may Allâh be pleased with him - who said: I asked the Messenger of Allâh - SallaLlahu alahye wa sallam: 'Which of the deeds is the best?'
He replied: Prayers said at their proper times.'
I said: 'Then which deed?'
He replied: 'Goodness to the parents.'
I asked again: 'Which other deed?' He replied: 'Jihâd in the path of Allâh.'
Then the Messenger of Allâh - SallaLlahu alahye wa sallam - remained silent.
(Ibn Mas'uud said - may Allâh be pleased with him:) 'If I had asked him to go on, he would do so.' [Al-Bukhârî: 2782].
On the authority of Abdullah bn Amr bn Al-Aas - may Allâh be pleased with both - that the Messenger of Allâh - SallaLlahu alahye wa sallam - said:
'All sins are forgiven the martyr except (his) debt.' [Muslim: 1886]
The Prophet - SallaLlahu alahye wa sallam - also warned the Muslims against forsaking Jihâd: On the authority of Abdullah bn Umar - may Allâh be pleased with both - who said: I heard the Messenger of Allâh - SallaLlahu alahye wa sallam - say:
'When you engage in heenah trades (that is, doubtful trades), and you hold unto the tails of cattle, and you are pleased with farming, while you forsake Jihâd in the path of Allâh, Allâh will cause ignominy upon you, He will not remove it until you return to your Deen.' [Abu Dâwud: 3462; Ash-Shaykh Al-Albâni - may Allâh bestow mercy on him - graded it authentic in As-Sahîhah: 11 and Sahîh Jâmi: 423].
Noteworthy from the last hadith is that the way-out from the mess the Muslims have fallen world over is by returning to Islam in all facets - , creed, call, methodology, mannerism, knowledge-quest, etc. If Jihâd must be carried out, it must be borne out of knowledge not sentiments and emotions.
Verily, Allâh has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be the Paradise. They fight in Allâh's Cause, so they kill (others) and are killed. It is a promise in truth which is binding on Him in the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and the Qur'ân. And who is truer to His Covenant than Allâh? Then rejoice in the bargain which you have concluded. That is the supreme success. [Taubah: 111].
Allâh the Majestic also said:
O you who believe! Shall I guide you to a commerce that will save you from a painful torment. That you believe in Allâh and His Messenger, 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! (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 [Paradise], that is indeed the great success. [As-Saff: 10-12]
On the authority of Abu Hurairah - may Allâh be pleased with him - who said I heard the Messenger of Allâh - SallaLlahu alahye wa sallam - say:
'The similitude of the person who strives in the path of Allâh - and only Allâh knows he that strives in His path - is like a fasting person and a standing person in prayers (at night). Allâh has vouched for the person who strives in His path that He either causes him to die and enter the Jannah or that he comes back home safe with rewards or booty [Al-Bukhârî: 2787].
Also on the authority of Abû Hurairah - may Allâh be pleased with him - who said that the Messenger of Allâh - SallaLlahu alahye wa sallam - said:
'Whoever believes in Allâh and His Messenger, observes the prayers, and fasts in Ramadan, it becomes a duty on Allâh to make him enter Jannah whether he fights in Allâh's path or sits in the land where he was born.'
The Companions then said:
'O Messenger of Allâh, won't we spread this good news to the people?'
The Messenger of Allâh - SallaLlahu alahye wa sallam - replied:
'Indeed there are one hundred levels in the Jannah which Allâh has prepared for the mujahedeen in His Path; the distance between two levels is like the distance between the heaven and the earth.' [Al-Bukhârî: 2790].
On the authority of Abdullah bn Mas'uud - may Allâh be pleased with him - who said: I asked the Messenger of Allâh - SallaLlahu alahye wa sallam: 'Which of the deeds is the best?'
He replied: Prayers said at their proper times.'
I said: 'Then which deed?'
He replied: 'Goodness to the parents.'
I asked again: 'Which other deed?' He replied: 'Jihâd in the path of Allâh.'
Then the Messenger of Allâh - SallaLlahu alahye wa sallam - remained silent.
(Ibn Mas'uud said - may Allâh be pleased with him:) 'If I had asked him to go on, he would do so.' [Al-Bukhârî: 2782].
On the authority of Abdullah bn Amr bn Al-Aas - may Allâh be pleased with both - that the Messenger of Allâh - SallaLlahu alahye wa sallam - said:
'All sins are forgiven the martyr except (his) debt.' [Muslim: 1886]
The Prophet - SallaLlahu alahye wa sallam - also warned the Muslims against forsaking Jihâd: On the authority of Abdullah bn Umar - may Allâh be pleased with both - who said: I heard the Messenger of Allâh - SallaLlahu alahye wa sallam - say:
'When you engage in heenah trades (that is, doubtful trades), and you hold unto the tails of cattle, and you are pleased with farming, while you forsake Jihâd in the path of Allâh, Allâh will cause ignominy upon you, He will not remove it until you return to your Deen.' [Abu Dâwud: 3462; Ash-Shaykh Al-Albâni - may Allâh bestow mercy on him - graded it authentic in As-Sahîhah: 11 and Sahîh Jâmi: 423].
Noteworthy from the last hadith is that the way-out from the mess the Muslims have fallen world over is by returning to Islam in all facets - , creed, call, methodology, mannerism, knowledge-quest, etc. If Jihâd must be carried out, it must be borne out of knowledge not sentiments and emotions.
