Jihad Hassan Al Banna

7/22/2019 Jihad Hassan Al Banna

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JIHAD-THE EVIDENCES FROM THE NOBLE QURAN AND THE SUNNAH-

WRITTEN & COMPILED BY SHAYKH UL-ISLAM HASSAN AL-BANNA

TABLE OF CONTENTS


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PREFACE - PG. 3

ALL MUSLIMS MUST MAKE JIHAD - PG.

THE NOBLE QURAN ON JIHAD - PG. !

THE AHADEETH ON JIHAD - PG. "

THE SCHOLARS ON JIHAD - PG. #$

WHY DO MUSLIMS FIGHT% - PG. #"

MERCY IN JIHAD - PG.

ASSOCIATED MATTERS CONCERNING JIHAD - PG.

EPILOGUE ' PG. !


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PREFACE

Asalaamu Alaikum wa-Rahmatullahi wa-Barakatu.

I do not need to remind you that these are dark ages for the Ummah (i.e. nation)of Muhammadsallallahu

alayhi wasalam. The Muslim Ummah is faced with tyranny, inustice, o!!ression, murder, ra!e, and

e"!loitation of its lands and resources on e#ery corner of the glo$e. The enemies of Allah ha#e come in

all forms% Atheists, &hristians, 'ews, A!ostates, and Mushrikeen of many kinds. All ha#e formed their

satanic coalition and ha#e launched a (eo-&rusade against Allah, Islam, and the Muslim. Their carnagedoes not discriminate as we see countless num$ers of Muslims $eing slaughtered whether they $e elders,

men, women, children, e#ery nationality, e#ery tri$e, and e#ery race. )ur sisters are ra#aged $y the

enemies of Allah and made into o$ects of !leasure for the (eo-&rusader armies occu!ying their lands.

&ountless num$ers of Muslims sit in the dungeons of $oth known and secret !risons around the glo$e.

The children of this Ummah ha#e had their lim$s se#ered, drenched in !ools of their own $lood, and gi#e

a final farewell to this world and their oh so short life. Indeed these are dark times.

In the midst of this !hysical conflict with the enemies of Allah, we often tend to forget that there is an

ideological war raging on all around us. *e are not only threatened $y the $ullet and $om$s of our

enemies, $ut they wish the eradicate Islam itself from the land entirely or at the least they wish to ha#e the

Muslims follow a much more +watered down #ersion of Islam. The enemies of Allah ha#e worked day in

and day out in order to distort Allahs religion.

The o$ligation of 'ihad fisee$illah has $ecome neglected if not com!letely forgotten $y a large amount of

the Muslim Ummah. It is a$solutely essential that we re#i#e this forgotten o$ligation, that we learn and

understand its e#idences in the (o$le uran and the unnah of our $elo#ed /ro!het Muhammad

sallallahu alayhi wasalam.

The martyr (inshaAllah; as we see it)haykh ul-Islam 0assan al-Banna raheemaAllahwrote down and

com!iled a $ook during his lifetime which he sim!ly called +'ihad. In this $ook he ga#e the numerous

e#idences from uran and unnah for the o$ligation of 'ihad and its #irtues. I now !resent this $ook to

you, the reader, who inshaAllah is in !ursuit of knowledge for the sake of Allah su$hana wa taalaa. Ilea#e you with the wise words of 1halid i$n *alid radiallahu anhuwho once said.

O men of Islam! The time has come for steadfastness. Weakness and cowardice lead to disgrace; and he who is

steadfast is more deserving of Allah's help. He who stands bravel before the blade of the sword will be honored

and his labors rewarded when he goes before Allah. "o! Allah loves the steadfast.

- Ab# $#fan al%Amriki


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All praise is for Allah the "ord of the &niverse. a Allah bestow peace and blessings #pon o#r "eader #hammad "eader

of those who strive in Allah's wa and Imam of the pio#s. a He also bestow peace and blessings #pon his famil and his

companions and all those who strive for the $hariah #ntil the (a of )#dgment.

ALL MUSLIMS MUST MAKE JIHAD

'ihad is an o$ligation from Allah on e#ery Muslim and cannot $e ignored nor e#aded. Allah has ascri$ed

great im!ortance to ihad and has made the reward of the martyrs and the fighters in 0is way a s!lendid

one. )nly those who ha#e acted similarly and who ha#e modeled themsel#es u!on the martyrs in their

!erformance of ihad can oin them in this reward. 2urthermore, Allah has s!ecifically honored theMuahideen with certain e"ce!tional 3ualities, $oth s!iritual and !ractical, to $enefit them in this world

and the ne"t. Their !ure $lood is a sym$ol of #ictory in this world and the mark of success and felicity in

the world to come.

Those who can only find e"cuses, howe#er, ha#e $een warned of e"tremely dreadful !unishments and

Allah has descri$ed them with the most unfortunate of names. 0e has re!rimanded them for their

cowardice and lack of s!irit, and castigated them for their weakness and truancy. In this world, they will

$e surrounded $y dishonor and in the ne"t they will $e surrounded $y the fire from which they shall not

esca!e though they may !ossess much wealth. The weaknesses of a$stention and e#asion of ihad are

regarded $y Allah as one of the maor sins, and one of the se#en sins that guarantee failure.

Islam is concerned with the 3uestion of ihad and the drafting and the mo$ili4ation of the entire Ummah

into one $ody to defend the right cause with all its strength than any other ancient or modern system of

li#ing, whether religious or ci#il. The #erses of the ur5an and the unnah of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi

wasalamare o#erflowing with all these no$le ideals and they summon !eo!le in general 6with the most

elo3uent e"!ression and the clearest e"!osition7 to ihad, to warfare, to the armed forces, and all means of

land and sea fighting.

*e shall not go into e"hausti#e detail $ut rather will offer you some ur5anic #erses and Ahaadeeth

$elow as e"am!les since we only wish to show a glim!se of the Islamic message on ihad. 2urthermore,

we will not del#e into the e"!lanation of the ur5anic #erses or Ahaadeeth. 8ou will recogni4e $y the

!urity of language, the clarity of e"!osition, the lucidity of ideas and the force of s!irituality thate"!lanations and clarifications are not re3uired.

THE NOBLE QURAN ON JIHAD


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*)ihad is ordained for o# +#slims, tho#gh o# dislike it and it ma be that o# dislike something

which is good for o# and that o# like something which is bad for o#. Allah knows b#t o# do not

know.-

+The oble /#r-an $#rah 01023,

*O o# who believe! 4e not like those who disbelieve +hpocrites, and who sa to their brethren when

the travel thro#gh the earth or go o#t to fight1 'If the had staed with #s the wo#ld not have died or

been killed' so that Allah ma make it a ca#se of regret in their hearts. It is Allah that gives life and

ca#ses death. And Allah is All%$eer of what o# do. And if o# are killed or die in the Wa of Allah

forgiveness and merc from Allah are far better than all that the amass +of worldl wealth etc.,. And

whether o# die or are killed veril #nto Allah o# shall be gathered.-


(otice how 9forgi#eness9 and 9mercy9 are associated with slaying and death in Allah5s way in the first

#erse and how the second #erse is does not refer to this $ecause it is de#oid of the idea of ihad. In this

#erse, there is an indication of the fact that cowardice is one of the characteristics of un$elie#ers, $ut notof $elie#ers. And notice how today the un$elie#ers seem to $e $ra#e and the $elie#ers seem to $e the

cowards.

*Think not of those who are killed in the Wa of Allah as dead. a the are alive with their "ord

and the have provision. The re8oice in what Allah has bestowed #pon them of His 4o#nt re8oicing

for the sake of those who have not et 8oined them b#t are left behind +not et martred, that on them

no fear shall come nor shall the grieve.-

(The oble /#r-an $#rah 51239%2:,


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Muslims radiallahu anhumado!ted it as a war chant which they would chant whene#er their a!!rehensions

mounted and the $attle grew grim. uffice it to 3uote what Allah subhana wa taalaasays;

*Against them make read o#r strength to the #tmost of o#r power incl#ding steeds of war to strike

terror into +the hearts of, the enemies of Allah and o#r enemies.-


U! to 0is words subhana wa taalaa;

*O ?rophet! &rge the believers to fight. If there are twent steadfast amongst o# the will overcome

two h#ndred and if there are be a h#ndred steadfast the will overcome a tho#sand of those who

disbelieve beca#se the +the disbelievers, are people who do not #nderstand-


urah-at-Taw$ah too is in its entirety an e"hortation to com$at and a clear !resentation of its rules. It is

sufficient to 3uote what Allah subhana wa taalaasays concerning warfare against the treacherous

!olytheists;

*@ight against them so that Allah will p#nish them b o#r hands and disgrace them and give o#

victor over them and ret#rn calmness in the hearts of the believing people th#s relieving their aniet.

Allah accepts the repentance of whom He wills. Allah is All%Bnowing All%Wise.-

+The oble /#r-an $#rah 912>%26,

And 0is wordssubhana wa taalaaconcerning fighting with /eo!le of the Book;

*@ight against those who believe not in Allah nor in the "ast (a nor forbid that which has been

forbidden b Allah and His essenger and those who acknowledge not the 2,

Allah then re$ukes those who are cowardly for their attitude and their continuous attem!ts to esca!e from

ihad, in 0is wordssubhana wa taalaa;

*Those who staed awa +from Tab#k epedition, re8oiced in their staing behind the essenger of

Allah; the hated to strive and fight with their wealth and their lives in the =a#se of Allah and the

said 'arch not forth in the heat.' $a1 'The fire of Hell is more intense in heat' if onl the co#ld

#nderstand!' $o let them la#gh a little +and the will, cr m#ch as a recompense of what the #sed to


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earn +b committing sins,. If Allah brings o# back to a part of them and the ask o#r permission to

go o#t +to fight, sa1 'ever shall o# go o#t with me nor fight an enem with me1 o# agreed to sit

inactive on the first occasion1 then o# sit +now, with those who lag behind.-

+The oble /#r-an $#rah 9172%75,

Then Allah !raises those who engage in ihad $y declaring ihad as /ro!het Muhammad5s sallallahu alayhi

wasalammission and the way of his &om!anions, as 0e, the Almighty, says;

*4#t the essenger and those who believed with him strove hard and fo#ght with their wealth and

their lives +in Allah's ca#se,. The good things are for these people and it is the who will be

s#ccessf#l. @or them Allah has got read the Eardens +?aradise, #nder which rivers flow to dwell

therein forever. That is the s#preme s#ccess.-

+The oble /#r-an $#rah 9177%79,

Then follows an oath of allegiance, com!rehensi#e and !rotecti#e lea#ing no e"cuses, in 0is words

subhana wa taalaa;

*Feril Allah has p#rchased of the believers their lives and their wealth; for the price that theirs shall

be the ?aradise. The fight in Allah's =a#se so the kill +others, and are killed. It is a promise in tr#th

which is binding on Him in the Torah and the Eospel and the /#r'an. And who is tr#er to his

covenant than AllahG Then re8oice in the bargain which o# have concl#ded. That is the s#preme

s#ccess.-


urah-al-ital 6commonly known as urah Muhammad7 mentions two key factors that form the

foundation of the military s!irit; o$edience and disci!line. Allah has summari4ed these two factors in the

following two #erses in 0is Book. )$edience a!!ears in this urah where 0e, subhana wa taalaa, says;

*Those who believe sa1 Wh is a $#rah not sent down +for #s,G 4#t when a decisive $#rah

+eplaining and ordering things, is sent down and fighting is mentioned +i.e. ordained, therein o#

will see those in whose hearts is a disease +of hpocris, looking at o# with a look of one fainting to

death. 4#t it was better for them +hpocrites to listen to Allah and obe Him,. Obedience +to Allah,

and good words +were better for them,. And when the matter +preparation for )ihad, is resolved on

then if the had been tr#e to Allah it wo#ld have been better for them.-

+The oble /#r-an $#rah >:10%02,

As for disci!line, it a!!ears in urah-as-aff, where 0e, subhana wa taalaa, says;

*Feril Allah loves those who fight in His =a#se in rows +ranks, as if the were a solid str#ct#re.-

+The oble /#r-an $#rah 321>,

urah-al-2ath is also dedicated in its entirety to one of the military cam!aigns of the Messenger of Allah

sallallahu alayhi wasalam, and was a s!ecial occasion of ihad, which took !lace under the shadow of a tree


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where an oath of allegiance unto steadfastness and death was taken, and this $ore the fruit of tran3uility

and #ictory. This is what 0e subhana wa taalaa, says;

*Indeed Allah was pleased with the believers when the gave their ba-ah +pledge, to o# +O

#hammad, #nder the Tree He knew what was in their hearts and He sent down As%$akeenah

+calmness and tranD#ilit, #pon them; and He rewarded them with a close Fictor; And ab#ndant

spoils that the will capt#re. And Allah is ver All%ight All%Wise.-

+The oble /#r-an $#rah >7127%29,

These, $rother, are some e"am!les of the uranic references on ihad. Its #irtues are made clear, and

those who do ihad are gi#en the good news of the magnificent reward that will $e waiting for them. The

Book of Allah is filled with e"am!les like these, and anyone who reads the uran and !ays attention to

its meaning will $e astounded at the negligence of the Muslims who ha#e failed to take ad#antage of this

reward.


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THE AHADEETH ON JIHAD

)n the authority of A$u 0urayrah, radiallahu anhu, who said; +I heard the /ro!het sallallahu alayhi wasalam

say;

*4 the One in whose Hands is m so#l had it not been for the limitation of reso#rces which ca#sed

some of the companions to remain behind +m#ch to their displeas#re, I wo#ld not have prevented an

gro#p from striving in Allah-s wa. And b the One in whose hand is m $o#l I wish I co#ld be killed

in the Wa of Allah then live again so that I ma be killed again then live again so that again I ma

be killed then live again so that again I ma be killed.-

+


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Brother, see how /aradise made these com!anions forget their cares and misfortunes, and ena$led them to

!erse#ere e#en through ad#ersities.

)n the authority of 5A$dullah $in A$i Awfa, radiallahu anhu,; +The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi

wasalamsaid;

*"et it be known that ?aradise lies in the shadows of the swords.-

+


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)n the authority of I$n A$$as, radiallahu anhu, who said; 9I heard the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi

wasalamsay;

*There are two ees which the @ire shall not to#ch1 the ee which wept for fear of Allah and the ee

which passed the night on g#ard in the wa of Allah Almight.-

+


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*He who asks Allah Almight for martrdom with sincerit will be bro#ght b Allah to the mansions

of the martrs tho#gh he ma die on his bed.-

+


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*He who keeps g#ard for one night in the wa of Allah s#bhana wa ta-alaawill be credited with a

tho#sand nights of fasting and standing in praer.-

+


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)n the authority of A$dullah i$n +Umar, who said; 9The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasalamsaid;

*When o# deal in hidden


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)n the authority of A$u 0urayra, radiallahu anhu, on the authority of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi

wasalam, that he said;

*He who dies witho#t having gone on campaign and witho#t having ehorted himself to do so dies in

a state of hpocris.-

+


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I ha#e ust !resented to you some #erses from the (o$le ur5an and the (o$le Ahaadeeth concerning the

im!ortance of ihad. (ow I would like to !resent to you some of the o!inions from uris!rudence of the

Islamic chools of Thought including some latter day authorities regarding the rules of ihad and the

necessity for !re!aredness. 2rom this we will come to reali4e how far the Ummah has de#iated in its

!ractice of Islam as can $e seen from the consensus of its scholars on the 3uestion of ihad.

The author of the 9&a%ma* al-Anhar i harh &ulta'al-Abhar9, in descri$ing the rules of ihad according

to the 0anafi chool, said; 9'ihad linguistically means to e"ert one5s utmost effort in word and action% in

the hariah it is the fighting of the un$elie#ers, and in#ol#es all !ossi$le efforts that are necessary to

dismantle the !ower of the enemies of Islam including $eating them, !lundering their wealth, destroying

their !laces of worshi! and smashing their idols. This means that ihad is to stri#e to the utmost to ensure

the strength of Islam $y such means as fighting those who fight you and the dhimmies 6if they #iolate any

of the terms of the treaty7 and the a!ostates 6who are the worst of un$elie#ers, for they dis$elie#ed after

they ha#e affirmed their $elief7.

It is fard (i.e. obli+atory)on us to fight with the enemies. The Imam must send a military e"!edition to the

Car-al-0ar$ e#ery year at least once or twice, and the !eo!le must su!!ort him in this. If some of the!eo!le fulfill the o$ligation, the remainder are released from the o$ligation. If thisard iayah(i.e.

ommunal obli+ation)cannot $e fulfilled $y that grou!, then the res!onsi$ility lies with the closest adacent

grou!, and then the closest after that etc., and if theard iayahcannot $e fulfilled e"ce!t $y all the

!eo!le, it then $ecomes aard ayn 6i.e. indiidual obli+ation), like !rayer on e#eryone of the !eo!le. This

o$ligation is $y #irtue of what 0e, subhana wa taalaa, said;

*Then fight the poltheists...!-


And $y what the /ro!het sallallahu alayhi wasalamsaid;

#ihad is in eet until the ay o #ud+ment

If the whole $ody ?of $elie#ers@ a$andons it, they are in a state of sin 6u! to where the author of the $ook

says; +If the enemy con3uers any territory of Islam, or any regions of it, it $ecomes aard ayn, and the

woman and the sla#e shall go forth without the !ermission of hus$and or master. In the same way, the

child shall go forth without the !ermission of his !arents, and the de$tor without the !ermission of his

creditor.

And in the/itab al 0ahr;

*$ho#ld a #slim woman be capt#red in the ast it is inc#mbent on the people of the West to resc#e

her #nless she is taken to the stronghold cities of the enemies and it becomes impossible to free her.-

The author of the 90ul+hat al-ali li A'rab al-&asali i &adhhab al-Imam &ali"said;

*)ihad in Allah's wa for the p#rpose of ealting Allah Almight's Word ever ear is a fard kifaah. If

some f#lfill it the remainder are absolved of it. It becomes specificall designated +i.e. it becomes a

fard *an like praer and fasting, when the Imam anno#nces it and the enem attacks the pop#lation

of a specific region where#pon it becomes obligator on them and if this in s#fficient then it becomes


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obligator on those in their vicinit. In this case it becomes obligator on the females and the slaves

even tho#gh the ma not have the permission of their h#sbands or their masters. It is also obligator

on the debtor even tho#gh the lender ma not agree to it. It also becomes fard 'an on that individ#al

who vows to engage in 8ihad. ?arents have the right to forbid their child from taking part in it onl

#nder conditions of fard kifaah. And if a #slim is held as a prisoner of war b enemies and he does

not have eno#gh mone to pa to free himself then it is obligator on the others to sec#re his releaseeven if this reD#ires all of the #slims' wealth.-

And inAl-&inha% of Imam (awawi of the hafi5i school;

*)ihad d#ring the time of the essenger of Allah sallallah# alahi wasalamwas a fard kifaah tho#gh it is

also alleged that it was a fard *an. $ince then there are two conditions relative to the #nbelievers1

If the remain in their own territories then 8ihad is not an obligation on all #slims. As long as a

s#fficient n#mber of #slims #ndertake it the remainder are released from this d#t.

If the invade one of o#r territories its pop#lation are obliged to repel them with all their force. If

fighting is possible then fighting becomes an obligation. ver slave poor person son and debtor m#stprepare for war even tho#gh the ma not have permission..

And inAl-&u+hniof I$n udama of the 0an$ali school, who said;

*)ihad is a fard kifaah. If a gro#p of people engage in it the remainder are released. It becomes a

fard *an #nder three conditions1

If two armies meet and two lines of soldiers confront one another those present are forbidden to leave

the battlefield and it becomes a fard *an on each one to remain at his station.

If the #nbelievers attack a territor it is a fard *an on its pop#lation to fight and repel them.

If the Imam calls a gro#p of people to arms then the m#st 8oin his militar forces. And he sho#ld at

least anno#nce )ihad once ever ear.-

Imam Ahmad $in 0an$al said;

*I know of nothing after the divine commandments more ecellent than 8ihad and campaigning b sea

is more ecellent than campaigning on land.-

Anas i$n Malik, radiallahu anhusaid;

MThe essenger of Allah sallallah# alahi wasalamwas asleep. Then he awoke la#ghing and &mm

Haram said1 What makes o# la#gh O essenger of AllahG He said1 ?eople of m &mmah

embarked on a militar campaign in Allah's wa riding on the s#rface of this sea as kings on their

thrones

And at the end of the Tradition, Umm 0aram asked the /ro!het sallallahu alayhi wasalamto $eseech Allah

on her $ehalf that she might $e one of them. o he !rayed for her, and she li#ed long enough to ride u!on

the sea in the Muslim fleet which con3uered the island of &y!rus. he died and was $uried there, may

Allah $e !leased with her.


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And it says inAl-&uhallaof I$n 0a4m;

M)ihad is obligator on the #slims b#t if the borders of the #slims can be protected the enem can

be repelled and fo#ght within his own territor then the remainder of the people are released from it.

And if not then the obligation remains. Eod Almight said1

*Eo e forth +whether eD#ipped, light or heavil and strive and str#ggle with o#r goods and o#r

persons in the =a#se of Allah!-

+The oble /#r-an $#rah 91>2,

It is not permissible to participate in 8ihad witho#t the permission of the parent. 4#t if #slim land is

invaded then it is obligator on those who can help even if their parents do not grant them permission.

However it is not lawf#l for him to abandon his parents if his parents wo#ld s#ffer in his absence.N

And Al-hawkani said inAl-ayl al-#arrar;

*The arg#ments regarding the 8ihad being a religio#s obligation both in the /#r-an and in the

$#nnah are too n#mero#s to be set down here. evertheless it is a fard kifaah as long as some

people are f#lfilling this fard kifaah then the rest are absolved from the d#t. Otherwise it is an fard

*an inc#mbent on ever ad#lt b law #ntil the d#t is f#lfilled. $imilarl it is a fard *an also on those

people who are ordered to 8ihad b the Imam.-

The scholarly !eo!le are of one o!inion on this matter as should $e e#ident and this is irres!ecti#e of

whether these scholars were&u%tahideen or&u'alideenand it is irres!ecti#e of whether these scholars

were alaf (early)or khalaf(late). They all agreed unanimously that ihad is a ard iayahim!osed u!on

the Islamic Ummah in order to s!read the Cawah of Islam, and that ihad is aard aynif an enemy

attacks Muslim lands. Today, my $rother, the Muslims as you know are forced to $e su$ser#ient $efore

others and are ruled $y dis$elie#ers. )ur lands ha#e $een $esieged, and our hurruma*at6!ersonal!ossessions, res!ect, honor, dignity and !ri#acy7 #iolated. )ur enemies are o#erlooking our affairs, and

the rites of our dinare under their urisdiction. 8et still the Muslims fail to fulfill the res!onsi$ility of

Cawah that is on their shoulders. 0ence in this situation it $ecomes the duty of each and e#ery Muslim to

make ihad. 0e should !re!are himself mentally and !hysically such that when comes the decision of

Allah, he will $e ready.

I should not finish this discussion without mentioning to you that the Muslims, throughout e#ery !eriod of

their history 6$efore the !resent !eriod of o!!ression in which their dignity has $een lost7 ha#e ne#er

a$andoned ihad nor did they e#er $ecome negligent in its !erformance, not e#en their religious

authorities, mystics, craftsmen, etc. They were all always ready and !re!ared. 2or e"am!le, A$dullah i$n

al Mu$arak, a #ery learned and !ious man, was a #olunteer in ihad for most of his life, and 5A$dul *ahid$in ayd, a ufi and a de#out man, was the same. And in his time, ha3i3 al Balkhi, the haykh of the

ufis encouraged his !u!ils towards ihad.

And Al Badr al Ayni, the commentator on Al Bukhari (sholar and muhaddith), would take !art in ihad

one year, study for one year and go on !ilgrimage one year, while the udge Asad i$n al 2urat of the

Maliki chool was an admiral in his day and Imam hafi5i would shoot ten arrows and not miss once.


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uch was the e"am!le set $y the early generations of Muslims, radiallahu anhumD My $rother, how do we

com!are with them

WHY DO THE MUSLIMS FIGHT


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Islam allows ihad and !ermits war until the following ur5anic #erse is fulfilled;

*We will we show them O#r signs in the #niverse and in their own selves #ntil it becomes manifest to

them that this +the /#r'an, is the tr#th.-

+The oble /#r-an $#rah >2165,

/eo!le ha#e for some time now ridiculed this $ut today these same !eo!le acknowledge that !re!aration

for war is the surest way to !eaceD Allah did not ordain ihad for the Muslims so that it may $e used as a

tool of o!!ression or tyranny or so that it may $e used $y some to further their !ersonal gains. Ratherihad is used to safeguard the mission of s!reading Islam. This would guarantee !eace and the means of

im!lementing the u!reme Message. This is a res!onsi$ility which the Muslims $ear, this Message

guiding mankind to truth and ustice. 2or Islam, e#en as it ordains ihad, it e"tols !eace; the Blessed and

Almighty said;

*4#t if the incline to peace o# also incline to it and +p#t o#r, tr#st in Allah.-


The Muslims in war had only one concern and this was to make the name of Allah u!reme, there was no

room at all for any other o$ecti#e. The wish for glory and re!utation were for$idden to the Muslims. The

lo#e of wealth, the misa!!ro!riation of the $enefits of war and stri#ing to con3uer through unust methods

are all made for$idden to the Muslim. )nly one intention was !ossi$le and that was the offering of

sacrifice and the taking of !ains for the guidance of mankind.

)n the authority of Al-0arith $in Muslim, on the authority of his father, who said;

*The essenger of Allah sallallah# alahi wasalamsent #s on a militar epedition. When we reached the

area to be raided I #rged on m horse and got ahead of m companions. The people of that area met

me with cries of lamentation and I said to them1 If o# sa1 *There is no god b#t Allah- o# aresafe. $o the said it. companions reproached me and said1 Jo# have prevented #s from taking

an spoils! When we came back to the essenger of Allah sallallah# alahi wasalam the told him what I

had done. He called me over and fo#nd what I had done praiseworth. Then he said to me1 Allah

Almight has indeed decreed for o# so m#ch and so m#ch reward for ever h#man being. And he

said1 I mself shall write something for o# in the wa of a beD#est after m death. He did so sealed

it and handed it over to me.-

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?rophet sallallah# alahi wasalam, said1 Is it heG The said1 Jes. He said1 He was tr#thf#l in what

he said so Allah answered him. Then he was shro#ded in the garment of the ?rophet sallallah# alahi

wasalam and he +i.e. the ?rophet,walked before him and praed over him. This is part of what he said in

his praer1 O Allah this is o#r servant who went forth as an migrant in o#r wa and was slain a

martr. And I am a witness #nto it.

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The Islamic ihad is the no$lest of endea#ors and its method of reali4ation is the most su$lime

and e"alted. 2or Allah has for$idden aggression. 0e, the Almighty, has said;

*4#t transgress not the limits. Tr#l Allah likes not the transgressors.-


And 0e commanded that ustice $e o$ser#ed, e#en towards the enemy and the ad#ersary. 0e

subhana wa taalaahas said;

*And let not the enmit and hatred of others make o# avoid 8#stice. 4e 8#st1 that is nearer to

piet.-


Allah instructs the Muslims to act with the utmost mercy. 2or when they fight, they do not

instigate hostilities, nor do they steal nor !lunder !ro!erty, nor do they #iolate someone5s honor,nor do they indulge in wanton destruction. In their warfare they are the $est of fighters, ust as in

!eace they are the most e"cellent of !eacemakers.

)n the authority of Burayda, radiallahu anhu, who said;

*Whenever the essenger of Allah sallallah# alahi wasalamappointed a commander over an arm

or a band of raiders he told him to remain conscio#s of Allah Almight in his inward self and

to remain concerned for the care of the #slims who were with him. Then he+i.e. the ?rophet,

said1 $trive in the name of Allah in Allah's wa! @ight those who disbelieve in Allah1

campaign b#t do not ind#lge in ecesses do not act treachero#sl do not m#tilate and do not

sla children.-

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)n the authority of A$dullah $in 8a4id al Ansari, radiallahu anhu, who said;

*The essenger of Allah sallallah# alahi wasalamforbade pl#ndering and m#tilation.-

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3uoted as !roof; We have ret#rned from the lesser 8ihad to embark on the greater 8ihad.

They said; What is the greater 8ihadG0e said1 The 8ihad of the heart or the 8ihad against

one's ego.

This narration is used $y some to lessen the im!ortance of fighting, to discourage any

!re!aration for com$at, and to deter any offering of ihad in Allah5s way. This narration is ()*aaheeh(i.e. authenti)tradition; The !rominent muhaddith Al 0afi4 i$n 0aar al-As3alani said in

the 1asdid al-2aws;

*It is well known and often repeated and was a saing of Ibrahim ibn 'Abla.-

Al 0afi4 Al Ira3i said in the 1ahri% Ahadith al-Ahya;

*Al 4ahaDi transmitted it with a weak chain of narrators on the a#thorit of )abir and Al

Bhatib transmitted it in his histor on the a#thorit of )abir.-

(e#ertheless, e#en if it were a sound tradition, it would ne#er warrant a$andoning ihad or!re!aring for it in order to rescue the territories of the Muslims and re!el the attacks of the

dis$elie#ers. Eet it $e known that this narration sim!ly em!hasi4es the im!ortance of struggling

against one5s ego so that Allah will $e the sole !ur!ose of e#eryone of our actions.

)ther associated matters concerning ihad include commanding the good and for$idding the e#il.It is said in the Ahaadeeth; 9)ne of the greatest forms of ihad is to utter a word of truth in the

!resence of a tyrannical ruler.9 But nothing com!ares to the honor ofshahadah ubra6the

su!reme martyrdom7 or the reward that is waiting for the&u%ahideen.

EPILOGUE


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My $rothersD The Ummah that knows how to die a no$le and honora$le death is granted an e"alted life in

this world and eternal felicity in the ne"t. Cegradation and dishonor are the results of the lo#e of this

world and the fear of death. Therefore !re!are for ihadand $e the lo#ers of death. Eife itself shall come

searching after you.

My $rother, you should know that one day you will face death and this ominous e#ent can only occur

once. If you suffer on this occasion in the way of Allah, it will $e to your $enefit in this world and yourreward in the ne"t. And remem$er $rother that nothing can ha!!en without the *ill of Allah; !onder well

what Allah,subhana wa taalaa, has said;

*Then after the distress He sent down sec#rit for o#. $l#mber overtook a part of o# while another

part was thinking abo#t themselves +as to how to save themselves ignoring the others and the

?rophet, and tho#ght wrongl of Allah % the tho#ght of ignorance. The said Have we an part in

the affairG $a o# +O #hammad,1 Indeed the affair belongs wholl to Allah. The hide within

themselves what the dare not reveal to o# saing1 If we had anthing to do with the affair none of

#s wo#ld have been killed here. $a1 ven if o# had remained in o#r homes those for whom

death was decreed wo#ld certainl have gone forth to the place of their death1 b#t that Allah might test

what is in o#r hearts; and to p#rif that which was in o#r hearts +sins, and Allah is All%Bnower of

what is in +o#r, hearts.-

+The oble /#r-an $#rah 5126>,

8ou should yearn for an honora$le death and you will gain !erfect ha!!iness. May Allah grant myself

and yours the honor of martyrdom in 0is wayD

- $hakh #l%Islam $haheed Hassan al%4anna

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Jihad Hassan Al Banna