In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
JIHAD IN ISLAM
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord and the Cherisher of the Universe.
May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the holy prophet, Muhammad
(PBUH), his household, companions and the followers of the right guidance
till the Day of Judgement. Allah, the Exalted, says in the Qur'an:
"O you who believe! Shall I lead you to a bargain that will save you from
a grievous Penalty? That you believe in Allah and His Apostle and that you
strive (your utmost) in the Cause of Allah 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." Q61:10-12.
"And if Allah had not checked one set of people by means of another the
earth would indeed be full of mischief but Allah is full of bounty to all
the worlds."Q2:251
"And why should you not fight in the cause of Allah and of those who being
weak are ill-treated (and oppressed)? Men, women and children whose cry
is: "Our Lord! rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors; and
raise for us from Thee one who will protect; and raise for us from Thee
one who will help!""Q4:75
"Fighting is prescribed for you and you dislike it. But it is possible
that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you love a thing
which is bad for you. But Allah knows and you know not."Q2:216.
"O you who believe! if you will aid (the cause of) Allah He will aid you
and plant your feet firmly."Q47:7
The Arabic word Jihad means striving in the cause of Allah. Many have
misunderstood Jihad to mean the act of spreading or imposing Islam on
people by force. This is unfortunate. Islam teaches that there is no
compulsion in religion (Q2:256). The western orientalists and their stooge
have misinterpreted Jihad to the extent that some Muslims hate to hear or
associate with the word. The fact is Jihad is a very important aspect of
Islam that cannot the neglected otherwise Muslims will be humiliated as we
are witnessing now. There are three types of Jihad namely:
(1) Jihad of the heart (intentions or feelings). This is to condemn
evil by hating it in our hearts and striving to suppress the evil
suggestions of satan in our own hearts.
(2) Jihad of the tongue. This is to condemn evil by preaching against
it or using any available means of communication to denounce evil and
promote righteousness and justice.
(3) Jihad of the hand. This is using the hand or weapons to fight
against evil, oppression and aggression. This is the highest Jihad and has
to be organized and declared by Islamic or Muslim authority. However, if a
man dies while protecting the honor of his wife or daughter from rapists
or his property from armed robbers, he is a martyr. On this Allah, the
Exalted says, "Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you but do not
transgress limits; for Allah loves not transgressors. And fight them on
until there is no more tumult or oppression and there prevail justice and
faith in Allah; but if they cease let there be no hostility except to
those who practice oppression.". Q2:190&192.
Jihad is the roof that protects the pillars of Islam. If the roof of a
house is removed the house will soon collapse or at least, the house will
degrade and become worthless. It is very unfortunate that Muslims have
neglected Jihad. Even the so-called Muslim countries that claimed they are
practicing the Shariah are lacking in Jihad. The Muslim country that
boasts of having the two Holy mosques could not even protect itself from
external aggression without the assistance of non-Muslims. This is a big
shame. Allah, the Exalted, says, "Do you make the giving of drink to
pilgrims or the maintenance of the Sacred Mosque equal to (the pious
service of) those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and strive with
might and main in the cause of Allah? They are not comparable in the
sight of Allah: and Allah guides not those who do wrong. Those who believe
and suffer exile and strive with might and main in Allah's cause with
their goods and their persons have the highest rank in the sight of Allah:
They are the people who will achieve (salvation)." Q9:19-20.
Many Muslims are cowards, they do not want to be labeled as extremists,
fanatics, terrorists, fundamentalists, etc. They fear these names so much
that they cannot even defend their beliefs in the public, subuhanallah.
Allah says that Muslims are a single community and the Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) likened the Muslim community to the body of a man, if any part of
the body is in pain, it will affect all other parts of the body. Allah and
His Messenger (PBUH) emphasized the need for Muslims to help one another
and strive in the cause of Allah. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, "Whoever
does not feel concerned about the affairs of the Muslims is not one of
them". But nowadays, Muslims do not care for one another, every Muslim
enjoys his/her wealth and does not care about the welfare of others. Many
Muslims are very reluctant to help other Muslims or strive in the cause of
Allah. Allah warns:
"O you who believe! What is the matter with you that when you are asked to
go forth in the cause of Allah you cling heavily to the earth? Do you
prefer the life of this world to the hereafter? But little is the comfort
of this life as compared with the hereafter. Unless you go forth He will
punish you with a grievous penalty and put others in your place; but Him
you would not harm in the least. For Allah has power over all things."
Q9:38-9.
Let us ponder over the following ahadith:
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said; " It is expected that the nations will call
other nations to share them against you (Muslims) as the eaters call each
other to eat from the food in front of them in a large wooden plate" A
person asked, "Will that happen because of our small number on that day?"
The Prophet said, "No. Your number will be great, but you will be rubbish
like the rubbish of flood-water. And certainly Allah will remove from the
hearts of enemies the fear from you and surely Allah will throw Wahn in
your hearts." A person asked, "What is Wahn, O Messenger of Allah? The
Prophet said, " Wahn is to love this world and to hate death".
Prophet (PBUH) also said: " If you (1) practiced selling of goods to a
person for a certain price and then buy them back from him for a far less
price, (2) and followed the tail of the cows (i.e. indulged in agriculture
(or business) and become contended with it, (3) and deserted the Jihad in
Allah's cause, Allah will COVER YOU WITH HUMILIATION AND IT WILL NOT BE
REMOVED TILL YOU RETURN TO YOUR RELIGION". (Abu Dawood).
After Muslims have left Jihad and brotherhood that Prophet established,
Muslims nations have also been on the receiving end of all sorts of
injustice. If we study what is happening around us, one will wonder at the
hypocrisy of the United Nations and the Police of the world, USA. Allah
says; "Thus have We made of you an Ummah (community) justly balanced that
you might be witnesses over the nations and the Apostle a witness over
yourselves" Q2:143. And when Muslims can no longer live to expectation,
other nations took over this responsibility. When the people of Estimor and
other communities were agitating for independence, UN assisted them. But
when a Muslim community struggle for independence or when a Muslim country
is been bombarded by military artillery for no just reason, no one will
talk not even other Muslims countries because, according to the western
propaganda, Muslims are fundamentalists, extremists, fanatics, terrorists,
etc. that do not deserve respect or worth living.
I was amazed when I read an article on the protest against a film that
portrays Jesus (PBUH) as a gay in the UK. The Muslims group that joined
the Roman Catholics in the protest was categorically called an extremist
group. As for the Roman Catholics, they are not extremists but doing the
right thing. What is all this? Where is the justice and fairness in the
world? During the massacre in Kosovo I wrote, "before it was in Bosnia,
now it is Kosovo and only Allah knows the next victim". If Muslim
countries do not wake-up and do all they can to stop the massacre of
civilians in Chechnya now, they should wait for their own turn. Allah
says, "Say (Muhammad): If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your
wives, 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 Allah or His apostle or the striving in his cause; then wait
until Allah brings about His decision (punishment, humiliation): and Allah
guides not the rebellious." Q9:24. Allah informs us of the reality about
our relationship in this world: "That Day (Judgement Day) shall a man flee
from his own brother. And from his mother and his father. And from his
wife and his children. Each one of them that Day will have enough concern
(of his own) to make him indifferent to the others." Q80:34-7.
Jihad is part of Islam, Muslims should wake-up and be prepared for Jihad
according to laid down rules in the Qur'an and the sunnah of prophet
Muhammad (PBUH). If we do not do this, we should be ready to be killed
like a chicken. Muslim brothers and sisters, we should remember Muslims in
Chechnya in our prayers. We know we are weak, we cannot do anything but
we can pray:
"Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls: if Thou forgive us not and
bestow not upon us Thy mercy we shall certainly be the losers." Q7:23
"Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) now after Thou has
guided us but grant us mercy from Your own Presence; for You are the
Bestower of bounties without measure." Q3:8.
"Our Lord! Pour out constancy on us and make our steps firm; help us
against those that reject faith (oppressors and aggressors)." Q2:250
May Allah help all the oppressed people in the world.
Peace be on you.
Surajudeeen.
King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals,
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
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