‘Jihad’ is extracted from the source,
‘Jaahada’ and it measured upon the fourth verb structure, which means
interaction between two sides, al-Mufa’ala. Another example is ‘Al-Khisaam’
which means to quarrel and is extracted from its roots source – Khaasama. Also,
there is the example of ‘Jidaal’, which means to discuss or to argue and is
taken from the root source ‘Jaadala’.
In the tongue of the Arabs, al-Jihad
means, ‘exerting ability and effort to do an action or express opinions’.
In Al-Munjid, the words Jaahada,
Mujaahada and Jihadan means, ‘exerting
effort and ability to push the other away’. In the Tafseer of
al-Naysaboori it is clearly stated that ‘al-Jihad’ means to exert effort to
achieve the objective or what is intended.
After all of these related definitions
of the word ‘al-Jihad’ in the language, it is possible to give a clear
linguistic definition, which is: ‘al-Jihad
is the exerting of all effort and ability between two sides by the least.’
Based on the linguistic definition, the
exerted effort could be via material weapons or without a weapon, with money or
without money. Also it could be the struggle between two opposing desires
exerting effort (Jihad) to overcome the other. It could also be by words and
could be by refusing to do an action or to speak. An example of this is like
the one who disobeys his parents when they order him to disobey Allah (swt) and
the person becomes patient and perseveres when his parents insist in ordering
him. And it is like the one who abstains from committing a haram desire when
his nafs calls him to it. This is what is mentioned in Hashiyat Al-Jamal in
al-Jalalayn: “Jihad is to have patience on difficulties. It could be during war
and it could be inside the nafs.”
Based on this linguistic definition,
the opponent that the Muslim engages Jihad against could be his own nafs, or
the shaiytan, or the transgressor or the kuffar. Additionally, by this
definition, Jihad could also be that which is in the way of Allah (swt) ‘Fi SabeeLillah’’.
So the Jihad could be undertaken to please Allah (swt) or to please the
shaiytan, like the Jihad of the Kuffar against others. Al-Naysaboori, wrote, “It is exerting effort to achieve the
objective or what is intended regardless of the nature of the objective
intended by the one who is exerting the effort.” The Quran used the
word ‘Jihad’ in describing the activity of the kaafir fathers to make their
believing children reject true belief. Allah (swt) says:
“If they do Jihad to make commit association with
me…do not obey them” (Surah Luqman: 15)
In the Shari’ah, the word ‘al-Jihad’
was transferred from the general linguistic meaning to a special confined
(restricted) meaning in the Quran and the Sunnah. It is, “the exerting of the effort to fight in the
Way of Allah directly or by financial aid, or opinion and the like”
This special meaning of Jihad was given in Medina. In Mecca, the legislation
concerning Jihad was not revealed and that is why the subject of Jihad in the
Mecci surahs carries the general linguistic meaning. They are the three verses
(ayaat) in Surah al-Ankaboot:
“And if any struggle ‘Jaahid’ (with might and main), they do so for their own souls: for Allah is free of all needs from all creation.” (Surah al-Ankaboot: 6)
“But if they (either of them) struggle ‘Jaahada’ (to force) you to join with Me (in worship) anything of which you have no knowledge, obey them not. You have (all) to return to me, and I will tell you (the truth) of all that ye did.” (Surah al-Ankaboot: 8)
“And those who strive in Our cause ‘Jaahadu’- We will certainly guide them to our Paths: For verily Allah is with those who do right.” (Surah al-Ankaboot: 69)
Also in surah Luqman verse 15, the word
Jihad is used in the linguistic context. Regarding the verse in surah Al-Nahl
talking about Jihad, it mentioned ‘al-Hijra’, which means that this is a Madani
verse in a Mecci surah (chapter) – and this was mentioned by the al-Mufasiroon.
The verse is:
“But verily Your Lord- those who leave their homes after trials and persecutions,- and who thereafter struggle ‘Jaahadu’ and fight for the faith and patiently persevere,- Your Lord, after all this is oft-forgiving, Most Merciful”. (Surah an-Nahl: 110)
The subject of Jihad in Medina occurs
26 (twenty-six) times and the majority of them carry the clear meaning of
Fighting, ‘Qitaal’. From these verses are:
“Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt, and those who strive and fight in the cause of Allah with their goods and their persons. Allah has granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and persons than to those who sit (at home). To all (in Faith) has Allah promised good. But those who strive and fight has He distinguished above those who sit (at home) by a special reward.” (Surah an-Nisa: 95)
It is clear in this verse that al-Jihad
is in the meaning of going out to fight and that it is better than staying at
home. Also from the verses about Jihad in surah At-Tawba:
“Go forth, (whether equipped) lightly or heavily, and strive and struggle, with your goods and your persons, in the cause of Allah. That is best for you, if you (but) knew.” (Surah At-Tawba: 41)
The order of ‘Nafr’ (going out) means
that Jihad is fighting.
“But the Messenger, and those who believe with him, strive and fight with their wealth and their persons: for them are (all) good things: and it is they who will prosper.” (Surah At-Tawba: 88)
Also in surah As-Saff, after mentioning
fighting (Jihad) at the beginning, Allah (swt) says:
“Truly Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in
battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure.”
(Surah As-Saff: 4)
It is clear in the Madani verses that
the subject of Jihad is specifically related to fighting and what fighting
entails naturally from finance, weapons and the like. Also these verses
demonstrate aspects of the conditions that precede the action of fighting and
are conditional for its legality i.e. propagating the invitation for
non-Muslims to embrace Islam (as this is the original condition for fighting as
has been mentioned in ‘Mughni al-Muhtaj) and/or accept the Islamic authority
over them. From the Sunnah of Muhammad (Saw), Jihad has been mentioned also
with this shari’ah meaning i.e. fighting and what it entails.
On the authority of Abi Hurayrah, who
said: “People asked: “Oh
Rasoolallah, tell us about an action that is equal to the Jihad fi SabeeLillah?”
Muhammad (Saw) replied: “You will not
find it bearable.” They replied: “Tell
us oh Rasoolallah, maybe we can be able to withstand it.” Muhammad (Saw)
said: “The example of a mujahid Fi
SabeeLillah is like the fasting man, the one who stays up at its night and
prays and the one who is obedient to the verses of Allah, does not get tired of
fasting nor stops sadaqah until the mujahid returns back to his family.”
It is clear from the wording of the
hadith that the question was about the mujahid with the meaning of the fighter
in the Way of Allah (Fi SabeeLillah) specifically. The answer also indicated
the same meaning when Muhammad (Saw) said: “Until the mujahid returns back to his family” i.e. returns
back from the fighting. Also by the authority of Jaabir that the people asked
Muhammad (Saw): “Which Jihad is
better?” He (Saw) said: “The one
in which one’s horse is wounded and one’s blood is split in it.” On
the authority of ibn Abbas, he said that Muhammad (Saw) said: “When your brothers were killed in the battle
of Uhud, Allah put their souls inside green birds that wonder inside Jannah
landing on the rivers of Jannah and eats from its fruits. When they see how
they spend their time and they look at their food and drink and how great it
was, they say: ‘How we wish that our people know about how Allah rewarded us,
so that they may love Jihad and not refrain from it.’ So then Allah says to
them that ‘I will tell you people and your brothers on your behalf.’ So they
became happy with that news.” Allah (swt) sent this in surah
Al-Imran on the occasion of the Battle of Uhud:
“Think not of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord.” (Surah al-Imran: 169)
From all of these shari’ah texts, it is
clear that the Legislator transferred the word Jihad from its general
linguistic meaning to a special meaning, which is ‘al-Qitaal’ (fighting) and
whatever is linked to it directly and indirectly, as has been mentioned
earlier. Moreover, it relates to the words, which carry the same meaning of
al-Jihad like war. From this we can see that the shari’ah texts defined Jihad
as fighting (qitaal) in the Way of Allah (Fi SabeeLillah) and this can be found
in the books of fiqh, which dealt with the shari’ah meaning of Jihad and laws
related to it.
In Badi’ul Sanai’ of the Hanafi Mazhab,
it states the following: “Jihad in
the language is exerting effort. In the understanding of the Shara, it is
exerting effort and energy in fighting fi SabeeLillah by nafs, finance, tongue
or another.”
In Manhul Jaleel of the Maliki Mazhab,
al-Jihad is defined as: “fighting by
a Muslim against a kaafir (who does not have a treaty with the Muslims) to make
the word of Allah the highest…. or for a Muslim to arrive to do Jihad or to
enter the Kaafir’s land for fighting.” Ibn Arafa defined this.
According to the Shafi Mazhab in
Al-Iqna, Jihad is fighting ‘Fi SabeeLillah’. Al-Shirazi in Al-Muhazab said that
Jihad is ‘qitaal’.
In Al-Mughni according to the Hanbali
Mazhab, Ibn Qudama did not give any other definition. In the section ‘kitab
ul-Jihad’ whatever is related to war, whether it was fard ul-kifaya (collective
obligation) or fard ul-ayn (individual obligation) or whether it was in the
form of guarding the believers from the enemy and the guards ‘ribat’ at the
borders, all of this is connected to Jihad. He also said: “If the enemy arrives, Jihad becomes fard
ul-ayn on the murabitoon (border guards). If it becomes evident that the enemy
arrived, then they do not leave to meet them except by an order of the Ameer,
since the Ameer is the one who has the authority for issuing orders in the
matters of war.”
So it is clear that the meaning of
Jihad was transferred from the linguistic to the shari’ah meaning, such that it
was understood to mean fighting and nothing else. Such purity and clarity over
its meaning today is clearly vague, from what is heard from the lips of rulers
over the Islamic lands and even amongst the Muslim ummah itself, as a result of
the dominance and pollution of western political thought and reeling from a
defeatist mentality that seeks to be apologetic.
So what emerged and dominated the
opinion were those who sincerely but incorrectly took Jihad as the rule for all
matters whilst others reduced Jihad as a matter connected to defending the
‘nafs’ and identity i.e. defensive fighting as opposed to offensive fighting. Others
went further to say that Jihad is of the ‘nafs’ and overcoming desires only,
calling it the ‘Great Jihad’, further saying that it is better than the small
Jihad which is ‘qitaal’ (fighting). Such are those that have become lazy and
feeble, with their hearts filled with the fear of the enemy.
So the protection of the Deen, hatred
of the Kuffar and the love of Jihad has become replaced with the protection of
the nation-state (nationalism), pleasing the colonialists and the love of
excessive material gain. Since these incorrect concepts have become common
between Muslims and the clear definition of Jihad is absent from the minds, the
incentive and love to do Jihad, for many, has died (though the increased
hostility and aggression of the western nations in the Islamic lands has served
to re-kindle the correct desire).
It is, therefore, naturally important
to clarify this matter such that the Muslims are able to refute the erroneous
misunderstandings that exist, refute false claims and rekindle the love of
Jihad.
Greater/Smaller Jihad
Firstly, the common understanding of
Muslims is that Jihad is divided into two sections: Jihad ul-Akbar (the
‘Greater Jihad’), which is connected to Jihad ul-Nafs i.e. fighting the inner
desires and shaiytan etc… Jihad ul-Asghar (the ‘Smaller Jihad’), which is
fighting the kaafir enemy in battles and what is related to it.
Of the evidences that are quoted from
the Islamic texts, the main one is the hadith, where Muhammad (Saw) said: “We have arrived from the small Jihad to the
great Jihad”. So they asked: “What
is the great Jihad?” He (Saw) replied: “It is Jihad ul-Nafs (against the inner self).”
In another narration, Muhammad (Saw)
referred to the “…Jihad of the slave
against his desires.”
Though it is correct that there is a
Jihad against the nafs, like against shaytan, however, it is not greater in the
sight of Allah (swt) from the physical Jihad against the Kuffar and it (Jihad
ul-Nafs) does not cancel nor invalidate it.
This Jihad against the Kaafir enemies
is continuous until the Day of Judgment as is the Jihad against the nafs also
continuous until the Day of Judgement. But one should know that the evidences
of doing Jihad against the nafs are different to the evidences of Jihad against
the Kuffar.
Each has a situation different from the other (context) and it is not permitted to mix the two or to use the evidence of one for the other or to change one in place of the other. Rather there is a need for each, but in its correct context and each of them is a responsibility when put in their correct contexts.
This is why saying that ‘Jihad ul-nafs’
is better and greater in the sight of Allah (swt) is both very dangerous and an
outright mistake, which contradicts the understanding of Jihad in the Way of
Allah.
It is invalid from many angles:
1. Jihad has two meanings as mentioned
previously, a linguistic and a shari’ah meaning. Jihad of the nafs comes under
the linguistic meaning and not the shari’ah meaning.
2. The evidences used to say that Jihad
ul-nafs is greater than Jihad against the Kuffar cannot be used to prove this
and this is clear from the reality of the evidences that are used. This is because
a. The hadith is ‘mardood riwayatan’
b. The hadith is ‘mardood dirayatan’
With regards to its invalidation from narration that is because the hadith is weak ‘Da’eef’ as is clarified in Al-Ajmi Al-Saghir by Imam Suyuti. As for its invalidation by meaning that is because it is contradicting definite text, which makes Jihad Fi SabeeLillah obligatory and makes it the greatest of action.
This can be seen from three aspects:
a. The verses that mention the value of
the Jihad Fi SabeeLillah and that it is from the best actions like the verse:
“Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt, and those who strive and fight in the cause of Allah with their goods and their persons. Allah has granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and persons than to those who sit (at home). To all (in Faith) has Allah promised good. But those who strive and fight has He distinguished above those who sit (at home) by a special reward.” (Surah an-Nisa: 95)
b. The verses that praise Jihad and the
Mujahideen Fi SabeeLillah like the verse:
“But the Messenger, and those who believe with him, strive and fight
with their wealth and their persons: for them are (all) good things: and it is
they who will prosper.” (Surah At-Tawba: 88)
“Allah has purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Quran: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which you have concluded: that is the achievement supreme.” (Surah At-Tawba: 111)
c. The verses that condemn and promises
punishment to those who do not participate in Jihad, the ones left behind and
the lazy neglectful ones,
“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.” (Surah At-Tawba: 38)
In addition to this are the sayings of
Muhammad (Saw) that the best action to Allah is Jihad Fi SabeeLillah and the
fighting (qitaal) against the Kuffar: From the many narrations, Muhammad (Saw)
said: “Taking a journey in the Way
of Allah (Fi SabeeLillah) is better than the duniya and what is in it.”
“Those who guard (the borders) for one day in the
Way of Allah (Fi SabeeLillah) is better than the duniya and what is in it.”
“If anyone takes a position in the Way
of Allah (Fi SabeeLillah) it is better than his prayer ‘salah’ in his house for
70 years. Don’t you want Allah to forgive you your sins and enter you in the
Jannah? Invade, in the Way of Allah (Fi SabeeLillah).”
Therefore what has been mentioned in the text shows clearly that Jihad Fi SabeeLillah is one of the best actions and of the highest degree, which is clearly shown by the shari’ah indicators, ‘Qarain’, that connect praise, condemnation, reward and punishment to expose the fact that Jihad Fi SabeeLillah is greater and better than Jihad against the nafs. This is why the hadith is invalid in meaning ‘dirayatan’ because it contradicts the definite texts and therefore it is invalid ‘baatil’ to use as an evidence (i.e. to show that Jihad ul-nafs is a greater action).
Is Jihad defensive only?
As for the opinion that Jihad in Islam
is defensive and not offensive by using the evidence (and similar evidences):
“But if the enemies incline towards peace, do you (also) incline towards peace, and trust in Allah: for He is One that Hears and Knows (all things)” (Surah al-Anfal: 61)
“Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you,
but do not transgress limits; for Allah loves not transgressors.”
(Surah al-Bakarah: 190)
This is also incorrect and invalid for
its application upon this matter is incorrect for the following reasons:
1. The evidences of Jihad are general
‘mutlaq’ evidences and include all offensive and defensive actions e.g. waging
war to pre-empt an attack, to protect the borders, killing on the battlefield.
To restrict or specify the evidences only to defensive and not offensive Jihad,
requires a textual evidence to show that the Jihad is restricted to defensive
Jihad only. And there is no such text in the Quran or the Sunnah that restricts
or specifies this. Therefore, the evidences regarding Jihad remain general and
to be used for all types of war and all types of fighting with the enemy. So it
is invalid (baatil) to use the verse,
“But if the enemies incline towards peace, do you…”
(Surah al-Anfal: 61), to show that Jihad is only defensive.
That is also the case
with the rest of the evidences that are used by proponents of this erroneous
understanding. This and similar verses cannot be used to specify or restrict
the generality of the verses in surah at-Tawba because they were the last
verses revealed regarding Jihad and what came prior to these verses regarding
Jihad does not specify the verses which were revealed after them or came
afterwards. And the verse does not restrict the latter revealed verses either.
There has to be a text present to restrict or specify the general verse and
they also must be revealed after the initial, which are general or mutlaq or
even they (i.e. those verses which are restricted or specific) should be
mentioned together with the general verses so that the two situations can be
shown (i.e. to show the different situations upon which they apply). So Allah (swt)
says: وَإِن
جَنَحُواْ
لِلسَّلْمِ
, which is regarding the time of the peace. And He (swt) says:
“Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that
forbidden which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge
the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they
pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued”
(Surah at-Tawbah: 29) which is at the time of war and fighting.
So peace and fighting
are two situations, which remain un-abrogated, i.e. neither abrogates the
other.
2. In addition to this, the saying and
actions of Muhammad (Saw) show that Jihad definitely is to start (offensive)
fighting the kuffar to make the Words of Allah the highest and to propagate
(da’wa) the call of Islam. Muhammad (Saw) said:
“I have been ordered
to fight the people until they bear witness that, ‘there is no god but Allah
and Muhammad is His Messenger’ and they establish the prayer and the zakat. And
if they do this, then from me is protected their blood and their wealth except
by the right granted by Allah.”
As for his (Saw)
actions, they are full of actions that show Jihad is to start the fighting. So
when he went out to Badr to take the caravan belonging to the Quraysh, this was
going out to fight, this is offensive – as Muhammad (Saw) initiated the action
before the Quraysh.
Likewise, when
Muhammad (Saw) invaded Hawazin in the battle of Hunayn, when he (Saw) seiged
Ta’if and the battle of Mutah to fight the Romans and the Battle of Tabuk – all
of these are evidences to show that Jihad is to start fighting kuffar
(offensive). This should clarify the erroneous view that in origin Jihad is
defensive.
3. From Ijma as-Sahabah, it is clear that
Jihad is fighting Fi SabeeLillah to carry Islam and that it is offensive. The
evidence, which is sufficient to explain this, is the opening of Iraq, Persia,
Sham, Egypt and North Africa. They were all opened at the time of the Sahabah
with their Ijma’ (consensus). Therefore, all what we mentioned are sufficient
evidences to refute the claim that Jihad is defensive.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Muslims should gain the confidence to present the reality of Jihad to our ummah and raise the level of thinking on this issue such that the Muslims become clearer about its meaning, obligation, gain an increased love for it and importantly, understand the contexts in which it exists and is applied.
The Islamic Ummah, served with the
responsibility to present and guard Islam should not allow the rulers over the
Islamic lands to pollute the meaning of Jihad and remove its love from the
hearts of the believers. Indeed, the Islamic Ummah should not allow these
rulers to commit the greater crime to rule over her by other than Islam and
dilute the purity of the whole of Islam with their shamelessness,
implementation of kufr and humiliating subservience to a part of the creation
i.e. their colonial masters, instead of their subservience to the Creator and
Master of all that is seen and unseen, Allah (swt).
As for the interaction with the
non-Muslims, it is important that the Muslims have the clarity and strength to
tackle the malicious, incorrect and hateful propaganda that is focused on Jihad
that is presented as barbaric against peaceful people with the objective to
force them to embrace Islam by compulsion and the sword.
The Islamic ummah should tackle this
from two perspectives.
Firstly, the Muslims should expose the
violent, barbaric and inhumane foreign policy of the ‘civilised’ colonial
powers that have destroyed nations, states and people; left millions to starve
for the sake of securing capitalist interests, appointed and protected
oppressive regimes that suppress the will of their people; plundered resources
of the lesser developed and invade lands with brute force, terrorising the
local civilian people with indiscriminate policies of killing, imprisonment,
rape, ‘carpet bombing’; razing whole villages and towns into the ground; and
forcing the people to adopt their life-styles, values and political structures.
What right do such people have after witnessing the implementation of such a
wicked and brutal foreign policy with their own eyes – in South America,
Africa, Palestine, Afghanistan and more recently in Iraq, from the various
credible news sources – to even begin laying a criticism against Jihad.
Non-Muslims need to see the reality of
their own governments and not be blinded the hysterical and deceitful
propaganda that increasingly is aimed at Islam and its values.
Secondly, Muslims should demonstrate
some of the rules that surround Jihad and state that offensively carrying the
struggle against non-Islam does not permit Muslims to compel the local people
to embrace Islam. This is because Allah (swt) does not allow compulsion:
"There is no compulsion in deen" (Surah al-Bakarah: 256)
Likewise Islam does not allow the
exploitation, plundering, razing and desecration of places of worship, people’s
homes and honour – when Jihad is carried offensively. Rather Jihad is carried
offensively to cleanse the earth from the kufr, with the implementation of
Islam as a system thus liberating man from the rule of man. The history of the
Islamic conquests, the presence of Christians and Jews, who lived in security
and prosperity under the Islamic State and the safe-haven that the Islamic
authority provided for people savaged by the forefathers of the modern
colonialists is sufficient proof for this.
On the horizon, as the struggle between
Iman and kufr increases day by day – it is imperative for the Muslims to hold
to the truth of Islam, its rules and not permit the dilution of its
intellectual wealth – a wealth which soon will transform the darkness of
colonial rule to the mercy and shade of the Islamic authority, Al-Khilafah, by
Allah's (swt) permission.
Or,
See this Link:
No comments:
Post a Comment