JIHAD as I understood It! (correct me...)

astroman wrote: Talib_Asadullah wrote: Im guessing that dear brother you are talking about Al-Jihad Al-Akbar? and maybe Al-Jihad Al-Asghar intertwined...clarifyAl -Jihad has criteria, as all things in Islam.Remember, Islam can NOT be how WE understand it.  It must be all drawn from the fountain of guidance, Al Qur'an and the guidance of RasulAllah(sallallahu alayhi wa salaam).Any thing that strays from this is our own opinion, which is dieased.�And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the disbelievers� [al-Ma�idah: 44] Sheikh, I am not talking about ISLAM as the main subject. I am talking about JIHAD as I understood it. I believe it has many meanings befitting a situation as one experienced it. You need to correct me if what I said is against the teachings of Islam. I would be grateful. I hope you do not confused us with your general points of arguments. This makes Islam complicated to other muslims and worst for those new brothers and sisters who wishe to get near Islam. Brother, be helpful and educative rather than excessively critical like so many others who claimed to be muslims but do not follow the good behaviours and sunnah RasulAllah. You happily used the word "Bombshells" which will be used by antiIslam to brand us 'bad people'. Does this really shows who we muslims are?

"O ye who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others: It may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): Nor let some women laugh at others: It may be that the (latter are better than the (former): Nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other, nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is a name connoting wickedness, (to be used of one) after he has believed: And those who do not desist are (indeed) doing wrong." 
(  سورة الحجرات  , Al-Hujraat, Chapter #49, Verse #11)

First and foremost I would like to ask Allah Ta Ala to give me the tawfeeq(understanding) to help convey this to the brother and sisters here. All good that comes of it is from Allah, only the mistakes are mine. Ameen.

1) The first criteria in the physical act of Jihad i.e. Islamic warfare; has to be predicated first and foremost upon pure intentions. Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab(R.A.A): I heard Allah's Apostle(S.A.W.S) saying, "The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for."  (Sahih Bukhari,Book #1, Hadith #1).
Intention has to be FisabilAllah(In the way of Allah). Any physical act of warfare with the objective of gaining political power,monetary wealth,natural resources,etc.(basically, what all wars outside of Jihad are fought for--by Kuffar); puts this "striving" outside the fold of FisabilAllah.  Allah Ta Ala says," Let those fight in the cause of Allah who sell the life of this world for the Hereafter.To him who fights in the cause of Allah-whether he is slain or gets victory-soon shall we give him a reward of great (value)" Surah An-Nisa,Ayah74.  Allah Ta Ala says "Allah hath 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 Qur'an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah. then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme." Surah At-Taubah, Ayah 111.
    So the whole linchpin is that Jihad has to be purely free from the trappings and brief pleasures of this temporal world, it has to be pure of these things.  It cant be waged for the purpose of attaining worldly power,which I choose to reiterate again.Narrated Abu Musa(R.A.A): A man came to the Prophet and asked, "O Allah's Apostle! What kind of fighting is in Allah's cause? (I ask this), for some of us fight because of being enraged and angry and some for the sake of his pride and haughtiness." The Prophet(S.A.W.S) raised his head (as the questioner was standing) and said, "He who fights so that Allah's Word (Islam) should be superior, then he fights in Allah's cause."(Sahih Bukhari,Book #1,Hadith #146).

2) The second criteria is who we fight,who we fight for and why.  Allah Ta Ala says "Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors.And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have Turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith. But if they cease, Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.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 practise oppression.Surah Al-Baqarah,Ayat 190-193. Allah Ta Ala says,"Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath 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-Taubah, Ayah 29.
     Why do we fight? Allah Ta Ala says,"To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged;- and verily, Allah is most powerful for their aid;- (They are) those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right,- (for no cause) except that they say, "our Lord is Allah.. Did not Allah check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measure. Allah will certainly aid those who aid His (cause);- for verily Allah is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will)." Surah Al-Hajj, Ayat 39-40.
    The criteria for the truly weak and oppressed is thus--Allah Ta Ala says,"When angels take the souls of those who die in sin against their souls, they say: "In what (plight) Were ye?" They reply: "Weak and oppressed Were we in the earth." They say: "Was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you to move yourselves away (From evil)?" Such men will find their abode in Hell,- What an evil refuge! - Except those who are (really) weak and oppressed - men, women, and children - who have no means in their power, nor (a guide-post) to their way."Surah An-Nisa,Ayat 97-98.
    These are the fundamentals of Al-Jihad Al-Ashgar FisabilAllah. May Allah Ta Ala bless us with tawfeeq and let the light of Iman illuminate our hearts and save us from hard-heartedness,transgression and sin. Ameen.





 

Edited by Talib_Asadullah - 06 January 2009 at 8:57pm