| (1) Mashari al-Ashwaq ila Masari al-Ushaaq
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About the author
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The author’s full name was Ahmad Ibrahim Muhammad al-Dimashqi al-Dumyati, commonly known as Ibn an-Nuhaas and he died in the Year 814 Hijri, corresponding to the Year 1411 of the Gregorian calendar.
Al-Sakhawi said about him:
“He was eager to do good, preferred living in obscurity and showed no arrogance or pride due to his knowledge. Whoever would see him would think that he was a commoner – a handsome man, with a beautiful beard, short and medium built. He spent most of his life stationed in Jihad until he died as a martyr.”
Ibn al-Imad said about him:
“The Sheikh, Imam, scholar and exemplar.”
In 814 Hijri the Romans attacked the people of Teenah in Egypt. The people of Dumyat, led by Ibn an-Nuhaas went to join their brothers in their fight against the invading forces. Ibn an-Nuhaas was killed in the battle, whilst facing the enemy and not fleeing from them, nine months after he completed writing this book.
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About the book
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Sheikh Abdullah Azzam said about this book: “This is the best book on Jihad.”
It is considered the most comprehensive study on the subject of Jihad because it was written by an author who practised, lived and experienced what he preached.
Syed Qutb said: “Indeed our words will remain lifeless, until we die in pursuit of those words, then those same words will be brought to life and live amongst the people, inspiring them and bringing their hearts to life.”
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Definition of Jihad:
The linguistic meaning:
• Lisan Alarab: Fighting the enemy. It involves using all effort in words and deeds.
• Mujam matn al lughah: Jihad is commonly used to refer to waging war for the sake of Al-haqq (the truth)
In Islamic terminology it means:
Calling towards the true religion and fighting with one’s soul and wealth against those who reject it. (Al Inayah Sharh al Hidayah (Hanafi))
Jihad is fighting. (Al Sheerazi in al Muhadhab (Shafi’i)
Jihad is a Muslim waging war agianst a non-Muslim who has no peace agreement with Muslims and the fighting is for the sake of the word of Allah to prevail. Jihad is also fighting the non-Muslim who attacks Muslim territory and it is also the Muslims attacking the non-Muslims in their land. (Mawahib al Jaleel fi Sharh Mukhtasar Khalil (Maliki))
Jihad is a cure for the individual and the society. It cures the individual by delivering him from the sickness of disbelief to the wellbeing of Islam. Disbelieving in Allah is the greatest disease of all and the most destructive on all humanity, while Islam is the complete cure. Jihad cures the society by eliminating the source of corruption and oppression. Leaving the disbeliever unharmed increases the disease and strengthens it and allows the cancer to spread. Therefore Islam cannot flourish and Muslims cannot live in peace unless the disease is cured. If it is possible to cure the disease by using a medicine then be it. Otherwise the infected portion must be amputated even though the amputation could cause pain and suffering for the body. But then no one could claim that the amputation cruel or inhumane. It was necessary for the survival of the body. That is precisely the role of Jihad in Islam. First the message should be conveyed through peaceful means. If the peaceful course is exhausted and it did not bear its fruits, the bearers of the truth would need to draw their swords and fight in order for the word of Allah to prevail.
Important terms:
Ribaat: Is the stationing in a land bordering the enemy for the purpose of jihad. The land of Ribaat is a land that is under threat of attack by the enemies of Islam. The one who is stationed in Ribaat is called a Murabit
Qazw: Linguistically refers to “pursuit” It is used in Islamic terminology to refer to pursuing the enemy in order to fight him.
The Ruling of Jihad:
There are two types of fardh (duty) in Islam: Fardh Ayn and fardh kifayah.
Fardh Ayn (individual duty): This is a mandatory duty that must be performed by everyone. Examples of this type of duty are the five daily prayers and fasting.
Fard kifayah (collective duty): This is a mandatory duty that must be done. If some Muslims fulfill it then the rest are releived of the duty. Example of this type of duty is enjoining good and forbidding evil. This is a duty that must be done in the Ummah. If some Muslims fulfill that duty then the rest are reliefed of the duty but if they don’t then the whole Muslim Ummah is sinful until the duty is fulfilled. Another example would be the Adhan. According to some schools of thought the adhan is fardh kifayah. If Adhan is not performed in a Muslim community then they are all held accountable for that until one of them performs it.
Jihad is a collective duty (fardh kifayah). (A command which is imperative upon all to perform it, but if some do perform it, it will be sufficient). That is the opinion of the majority of scholars. In al Hidayah (Hanafi) it states that: Fighting the non-believers is mandatory even if they do not initiate war and that is according the general texts of Islam.
Al Mugni: Jihad becomes an individual duty in three cases: 1) When the armies meet it is mandatory to fight and not flee. 2) If the non-believers descend on Muslim territory. 3) If the Imam calls for war it is mandatory on every able Muslim to respond.
Ibn Hazm: Jihad is mandatory on Muslims. If some do fulfill the duty by protecting our borders, and fighting the enemies in their own land and conquering it, then the other Muslims are relieved of the duty otherwise it is a duty on each one of them according the verse: “Go forth, whether light of heavy, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allah. That is better for you, if you only knew”
The classification of Jihad into minor and major Jihad:
The hadith of “We returned from the minor Jihad to the major Jihad” is fabricated. It hasn’t been narrated by any of the scholars of hadith.
Ibn Taymiyah states: The hadith of “We returned from the minor Jihad to the major Jihad” is fabricated and is not narrated by any of the scholars who have knowledge of the words of Rasulullah salallahu 'alayhi wasallam, his actions and his Jihad against the nonbelievers. In fact Jihad against Kufar is among the greatest of deeds. Indeed it is the greatest voluntary deed a human could do.
Evidence that Jihad is overwhelmingly used to refer to fighting non-believers:
1. The objection of women: When women came to the Messenger of Allah salallahu 'alayhi wasallam and complained that the men join you in jihad while we don’t. The Messenger of Allah salallahu 'alayhi wasallam told them that the jihad of women is hajj. It is obvious here that jihad refers to combat. If it meant struggle of the soul then why can’t the women do it?
2. Simply look at the table of context of the books written by our traditional scholars. In their books the chapter titled jihad only refers to fighting. If they understood it to directly include other meanings this would have been reflected in their writings. As an example of what I stated you can refer to the following books and take a look at the chapter of Jihad (notice that they called it Jihad and not Qitall (fighting)): Al Mughni by ibn Qudamah– Al Umm by Imam Shafi’i – Al Mudawanah by Imam Malik -The three commentaries on Mukhtasar Khalil by Al Kharshi, Alaysh and Al Hatab – Al Muhala by Ibn Hazm – Subul Al Salam – Nayl Al Awtar – Al Fatawa al Kubra by Ibn Taymiyah.
3. The meaning of these hadiths referring to jihad can only mean fighting. For example:
• Abu Huraira radiallahu anh states that the Messenger of Allah salallahu 'alayhi wasallam was asked: “Is there any deed equivalent to jihad?” He said, “Yes, but you wont be able to do it” The third time he said, “What is equivalent to the mujahid is the one who is fasting, and praying continuously until the mujahid comes back” (Muslim) In other words comes back from combat. Coming back from struggle of the soul would make no sense.
• Abu Hurairah radiallahu anh states that the Messenger of Allah salallahu 'alayhi wasallam was asked, “O Messenger of Allah, guide me to a deed equivalent to jihad” He said, “I don’t find any!” Then he said, “When the mujahid goes on jihad, can you enter your masjid and pray continuously, and fast and never break your fast?” The man said, “and who could do that!” (Bukhari)
• Abu Huraira radiallahu anh narrates that one of the companions passed by a spring of fresh water in a valley. He said if I seclude myself from people and stay in this valley (to worship Allah). But I wont do so until I seek permission from the Messenger of Allah salallahu 'alayhi wasallam. The Messenger of Allah salallahu 'alayhi wasallam said, “Don’t do so. The posting of one of you in the path of Allah is better than his prayer in his house for seventy years. Don’t you want Allah to forgive you and enter you into Paradise? Fight (iqzoo) in the path of Allah. For whoever fights (katal) in the path of Allah a time equivalent to that of milking a camel, Paradise is guaranteed for him” (Tirmidhi (saheeh)). So this Sahabi radiallahu anh who wanted to live in seclusion to make jihad al nafs was told not to do so.
Not only that but also whenever “fi sabeel illah” (in the cause, way or path of Allah) is used it is understood to mean fighting.
Ibn Hajjar states that: Whenever “fi sabeel illah” is used in a general sense it refers to fighting in the path of Allah. In al Mussanaf by Ibn Abi Shaybah and al sunnan al kubra by al Bayhaqi:
Abu Bakr al Siddeeq radiallahu anh escorted an army and walked with them and then said: “Praise be to Allah for having dust on our feet in his cause.” A man said: “But we just escorted them and gave them farewell?” Abu Bakr radiallahu anh said: “We prepared them, gave them farewell and made prayers for them” Over here you see that the man questioned Abu Bakr radiallahu anh claim that “we had our feet dirty in the cause of Allah” This is because the man understands that to mean in the battleground. Abu Bakr radiallahu anh explained to him that it would also include the ones who support and provide for the fighters.
Also this following hadith can only be understood in light of the aforementioned definition of “in the path of Allah”:
Salman al Farisi radiallahu anh said: The Messenger of Allah salallahu 'alayhi wasallam said: “Being stationed in the path of Allah for a day is greater than fasting the days of a month and praying its nights. And if he dies his rewards of the deeds he used to do would continue and his provisions would continue and he would be spared the trial of the angels of the grave” (Muslim)
If “in the path of Allah” is general and includes all good deeds, then there is no meaning in saying that it is better than the fasting and praying of a month. So it must have a specific meaning, and that is fighting.
Abdullah bin Amr radiallahu anh narrated: The Messenger of Allah salallahu 'alayhi wasallam said: “Two eyes will not be touched by Hellfire: An eye that cries from the fear of Allah, and an eye that spent the night in a guard post in the path of Allah.” (Tirmidhi)
The whole concept of guarding in the path of Allah would only make sense if it is in the context of fighting.
Amr bin Absah radiallahu anh said we were laying siege to al Taif and I heard the Messenger of Allah salallahu 'alayhi wasallam say: “Whoever shoots an arrow in the sake of Allah will be rewarded like one who has freed a slave.” Amr said I shot 16 arrows on that day.” (Al Nasa’i – al Hakim – Tirmidhi – Abu Dawud)
[Mashari Al-Ashwaq ila Masari al-Ushaaq]
» Posted by Seifeddine-M on 24th January 2011
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