What Is JIHAD ?

The Literal Definition Of Jihad 

The word Jihad is derived from the word ‘Juhd’, which means “To Make Substantial Effort.” Jihad itself has been defined in the Arabic dictionary as: “To make the utmost effort to attain something beloved or to save oneself from something disliked.” 

The Explanation Of Jihad In Shari Terms 

The Scholars of Fiqh (jurisprudence) have agreed that Jihad in Shari terms means: “To fight in the path of Allah or anything aiding this course.” A more detailed understanding of the term Jihad has been explained by the four major Schools of Fiqh as follows: 

Hanafi Fiqh 

a) Jihad means to be involved in fighting in the path of Allah by one’s life, wealth, and speech. (al-Badai us-Sanai) 

b) It is further explained to call the unbelievers towards the true 
Religion of Islam and to fight against them, if they are unwilling to accept this true Religion. (Fathul Qadeer) 

Maliki Fiqh 

a) The Muslims are to with the Kuffar (disbelievers) to advance Allah’s Religion. (Hashiyatul Adwi/Ash Sharhus Sagir) 

Shafi’ee Fiqh 

a) The meaning of Jihad in Shari terms is to make utmost effort 
infighting in the path of Allah. (Fathul Bari) 

Hanbali Fiqh 

a) Jihad means to fight against the unbelievers. (Matalibe Ulin Nuha) 


The Ruling Of Jihad 
Imam Saraksi states: “Jihad is obligatory and commanded by Allah. Any person who denies Jihad is a kaafir (disbeliever) and people who doubt the obligation of Jihad have gone astray.” (Fathul Qadeer, V.5, p191) 

Sahibul Ikhtiyar states: “Jihad is an ordained obligation (Fareedah). One who denies it, is a Kafir. The obligation of Jihad 
has been clearly substantiated in the Quran and Sunnah and by the Consensus of the Ummah (ijma’).” (Fathul Qadeer V.5, p191) 

Different Types Of Jihad 

There are two types of Jihad against the Kuffar: 

1- Offensive Jihad 
2- Defensive Jihad 

1- Offensive Jihad is when the Muslims launch an offensive attack. If this attack is on the Kuffar who have previously received the message of Islam, then to call them towards Islam before commencement of the attack is considered preferable. If the message of Islam has not reached them, then the kuffar will be invited towards Islam. If threy reject this true faith, then they will have to pay Jizyah (Kufr Tax). If they refuse to submit to the payment of Jizyah then the Muslims are to fight against them. 

With this type of Jihad the Kuffar who plot against the Muslims are repelled and their hearts are filled with fear, so that they do not succeed in their plans. The offensive Jihad is Fardh Kifayah (collective duty) the purpose of which is to ensure the Kuffar remains terrorized and away from mischief, thereby, allowing the message of Islam to be conveyed without any obstructions. 

If one group of Muslims fulfil this obligation then it will be sufficient on behalf of all Muslims, but if there are no Muslims fulfilling this obligation then everyone is considered sinful. 

It is stated in Fatawa Shami: “It is required of the Imam (leader) of the Muslims to dispatch the army routinely once or twice a year towards the kufr countries. It is also the duty of the Muslim public to assist the Imam in this noble cause. If the Imam does not send an army, then he will be considered sinful." 

The majority of Jihad undertaken at the time of our Prophet Muhammad (salallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) was within the category of offensive Jihad. 

The Quran has called upon the Muslims to undertake the offensive Jihad and when this obligation is satisfactorily fulfilled there would be no apparent need for the Defensive Jihad. When Muslims neglect this important obligation then they are subjected to the defensive Jihad and this has become, with regret, widely common in our time. 

2 - Defensive Jihad is when the Kuffar enemy attacks, the Muslims, forcing them into a defensive position. This is one of the most important obligations upon the Muslims. In researching and studying the Jihad work of our predecessors, we understand that Jihad is considered Fard Ayn (individual obligatory duty) under the following conditions: 

a- When the unbelievers attack upon a Country or City belonging to the Muslims or if they gain control of a Muslim Country. 

b- When the unbelievers take Muslim captives. 

c- When a Muslim woman is held by the Kuffar, to ensure her freedom is fardh upon the whole Muslim Ummah. 

d- When the Imam (leader) of the Muslims orders the Muslims to go for Jihad. 

e- When the Kuffar and Muslims face each other in the battlefield and the battle takes place. 

The explanation of Fard Ayn is that every person will go for Jihad to such an extent that the son will march forth without the permission of his father, the wife without the permission of her husband, the debtor without the permission of the creditor. 

The Jihad becomes fardh, firstly upon all the Muslim in the area being attacked. If the Muslims are not sufficient, or they do not fulfil this Jihad, then it is obligatory upon the Muslims in the next town or country to assist. If they too are not sufficient, then it will be Fard upon the next country until the Fard extends from the East to the West. 

In discussing the issue of Defensive Jihad, Imam ibn Taymiyyah (rahmatullahi alaih) writes: “The Defensive Jihad means to fight to defend our Religion and our honour, it is the most important obligation. There is no obligation after Iman (faith) considered more necessary to implement than the fighting against an enemy who has attacked to corrupt our world and our Hereafter. There is no condition for this Jihad, not even the necessities to travel or wealth, infact every individual will confront the enemy according to his ability.” 

We also understand from the writings of our scholars that Jihad does not only become Fard Ayn when the enemy attacks, but also when the enemy is at a distance of a Shari journey (48 miles). (Nihayatul Muhtaj, V.8, p58) 
(Maulana Muhammad Masood Azhar, The Virtues Of Jihad) 

40 Ahadees

Complied by Mufti Ahmadul Qaderi Misbahi, USA

The Prophet Peace be Upon Him said, Whoever memorized Forty Ahadis about the Deen to relate to my Ummah, Allah (on the Day of Judgement) will raise him as a Faiqh and I will intercede for him on the Day of Jundgement and will be a witness on his behalf. (Mishkat)

1) Before speaking the salaam should be said. (Tirmizi)
2) Spread the salaam amongst yourselves. (Muslims, Tirmizi, Ibn-e-Majah, Ahmad bin Hanmbal)
3) Whoever sends one durood upon me, Allah sends ten blessings (durood) upon him. (Tirmizi, Abu Dawood, Mishkat)
4) My intercession is for the big sinners in my Ummah. (Tirmizi, Abu Dawood, Mishkat)
5) Fast after sighting the moon (for the month of Ramadan) and do iftar (Eid) after the moon-sighting. (Bukhari and Muslim)
6) Cleanliness is a part of the Faith. (Tirmizi)
7) Duaa is the kernel of ibadat. (Tirmizi)
8) Actions depend on their intention. (Bukhari and Muslim)
9) A muslim is he from whose tongue and hands a Muslim is safe. (Bukhari and Muslim)
10) The best of you is the one who learned and taught the Quran. (Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn-e-Majah, and Darmi)
11) Modesty is a part of faith. (Muslim)
12) When Allah intends good for someone he makes them a Faqih. (Bukhari, Muslim, and Mishkat)
13) Be quiet, when the Imam does the qirat (recitation of the Holy Quran). (Musnad-e-Imam-e-Azam)
14) (In Salah) whoever has an Imam, the qirat of the Imam is the qirat of the Muqtadee (it is sufficient for the Muqtadee). (Musnad-e-Imam-e-Azam, Ibn-e-Majah)
15) Visit the graves because they remind one of the Akhirah. (Muslim, Tirmizi, Ibn-e-Majah, Nisaee)
16) A Muslim is a brother of a Muslim. (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmizi, and Ibn-e-Majah)
17) To learn the Knowledge of the Deen is fard upon every Muslim man and woman. (Ibn-e-Majah)
18) Salah is a pillar of the Deen. (Tabrani)
19) Whoever is deprived of tenderness (unto others) is depreived of good. (Muslim)
20) Relate on my behalf even if it is an Ayah. (Bukhari)
21) Whoever remains quiet attains salvation. (Tirmizi)
22) The punishment of the Grave is Haq (the Truth). (Ahmad bin Hanmbal)
23) The influence of the gaze is Haq [the Truth]. (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmizi, Abu Dawood, and Ahamd bin Hanbal)
24) Religion is the name of well-wishing. (Bukhari)
25) Announce your Nikkah (marriage). (Tirmizi, Ibn-e-Majah, Ahmad Bin Hanmbal)
26) Nikkah [marriage] is my Sunnat. (Ibn-e-Majah)
27) Whoever turns from my sunnah is not from me. (Bukhari, Muslim, Nisaee)
28) The one who guides [others] towards good deeds is like the one who [acutally] does them. (Jamus Sageer)
29) Duaa rids calamity.
30) I distribute (to people) and Allah gives. (Bukhari, Muslim, and Mishkat)
31) To be ashamed (of sins) is repentence. (Ibn-e-Majah, Ahmed bin Hanmbal, and Fatawa-e-Razaviyah)
32) It is because of those Awliya (Friends) of Allah that it rains and it is because of them that Rizq (sustenance) is given.
33) He who deos not have mercy, recives no mercy upon himself. (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmizi, Abu Dawood, Ahmad bin Hunmbal)
34) Undoubtedly, the Holy Prophet read 20 rakats (cycles of prayer), not including Witr. (Tabrani, Bahiqi)
35) It is enough for a person to be a liar if he narrates (tells) everything he hears (without proper investigation). (Muslim)
36) Fasting is a shield (from sins). (Tirmizi, Nisaee)
37) This (Qurbani) is the sunnat of your father, Ibraheem (Alahis Salaam).
38) Undoubtedly, Allah has made it haraam for the earth to eat the bodies of the Prophets therefore Allah's Prophets are alive and they are given Rizq (sustenance). (Ibn-e-Majah, Mishkat)
39) The best sadqa is that a muslim man learns knowlege [of the Deen] and then teaches it to his Muslim brothers. (Ibn-e-Majah)
40) Whoever innovates a good way in Islam, he will recieve the reward for it and the reward for those who act upon it, while the reward of those who do act upon it will not decrease. (Muslim, Nisaee, Ahmad Bin Hanmbal)

Raising your Child to be a Muslim

It is true that the first learning center for a child is the mother’s lap. The mannerisms of the parents are reflected in the children.

The story of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani is famous: When he was traveling with a caravan, a gang of thieves robbed the caravan, when it came time to check Abdul Qadir Jeelani (Rahmatullahi Alaih), an eighteen year old young man, the thieves inquired if he had any valuables to which told them about money which had been sewn in his clothes by his mother. The thieves asked out of curiosity as to why he let them know of the sewn money to which he told them that his mother had advised him before leaving ‘to never lie’ upon which the thieves become ashamed and repented to Allah.

It is the duty of the parents to be an example to their children and advise them. Allah (Subhanahu Ta’ala) tells us of the advise that Luqman Hakeem gave to his son, “Behold, Luqman said To his son by way of instruction: “O my son! Join not others with Allah; association with Allah is indeed the highest wrong-doing.”

Then after some ayaat, the advise continues,
O my son! If there be (but) the weight of a mustard-seed and it were (hidden) in a rock or (anywhere) in the heavens or on earth, Allah will bring it forth; for Allah knows the finest mysteries, (and) is well-acquainted (with them).

O my son! Establish regular prayer, enjoin what is Just, and forbid what is wrong; and bear with patient constancy whatever befalls thee; these are affairs of determination.

And swell not thy check (for pride) at men, nor walk in insolence through the earth; For Allah loveth not Any arrogant boaster.

And be moderate in thy pace, and lower they voice; for the harshest of sounds without doubt is the braying of an ass.

(Surah Luqman)

We can recall not to long ago in our Muslim culture that all the grown-ups in the community would take the role of guiders for the youth. No child dared acting up in front of elders in any gathering. All the elders held enough authority that they could discipline the child without having to face the wrath of the parents as is the case today. As a result, children tend to misbehave and disrespect elders because they no longer have fear discipline from anyone besides that parents and that too is seen little.

Parents find out too late that what they thought was giving ‘freedom’ to their children was really digging a hole for them. Being affectionate to your child is one thing but to let them free to do anything is not affection rather it is hurting the child. Ah, this is all a result of the parents forgetting the duty of teaching the child. More often the television takes the place of the parent and it is from here the child gains much of his/her ill-mannerisms. Today, I ask you to take my words to be a reminder and a word of caution.

When the child is able to speak a little, teach them the name of Allah. Before, mothers would put their children to sleep by chanting Allah Allah, but now it is by playing the music on the radio.

When children are mature do not do anything in front them which will ruin their mannerisms because they tend to copy these acts, they do whatever they see their parents doing. Never argue with your spouse in front of them because this leaves puts a lot of stress on the child and causes them to think that they are the cause of the argument. Never curse your children.

Pray Salah in front of them, recite Quran, take them to the Masjid with you, and tell them stories of our pious predecessors, they like to listen to stories very much. Hearing stories with lessons and morals will increase their good habits. When they are a little older, teach them the five Kalimat, Imane Mujmal, Imane Mufassal, and then teach them Salah.

Put them in under the teaching of an Allah-fearing, Mutaqee Saheehul Aqeeda Hafiz or Maulvi of to learn Quran Majeed and knowledge of the deen so they can learn of the beautiful religion to which they belong. Teach them the masail of gusul, wudu, and salah.

If Allah gives you taufeeq, make atleast on your children Alim or Alimah or Hafiz or Hafiza. A Hafiz will get three generations forgiven and Alim will get seven generations forgiven [on the Day of Judgement]. It is baseless to think that an Alim has no source of earning bread for his family. Know that one does not get more than destined by learning uloom of the dunya; one will get what Razzaq has written for him.

Teach your children simplicity and do not expose them to materialism. Teach them the value of doing thier own work. Send them to college, make them judges, make them doctors or any successful and halal career in this world but make them such that they take on these professions as honest Muslims who know their religion.

Omair Abdul Jabbar