The second thing which is evident from the above quoted verses (2:190-4) is that the “armed warfare” (قِـتَال) mentioned therein must neither be undertaken to gratify one’s whims nor to obtain wealth or riches. It must also not be undertaken to conquer territories and rule them or to acquire fame or to appease the emotions of communal support, partisanship and animosity. On the contrary, it should be undertaken only and only for the cause of Allah as is evident from the wordsفِى سَبِيْلِ الله (in the way of Allah) after the word قَاتِلُوا (wage war). Consequently, at the very beginning, the Quran has clarified that such a sacred undertaking has no relation with personal or selfish motives. This is the war of the Almighty that His servants undertake at His behest according to the guidelines provided by Him for His cause. They themselves act as mere agents and instruments of the will of God. They have no objective of their own before them in this undertaking; rather they have to fulfil the objectives of the Almighty. Consequently, they cannot deviate in the least from this capacity:

The Quran says:

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ الطَّاغُوتِ فَقَاتِلُوا أَوْلِيَاءَ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا (4: 76)

Those who have professed faith, fight in the cause of Allah; and those who have rejected faith, fight in the cause of Satan. So fight you against the friends of Satan. Ever feeble indeed is the plot of Satan. (4:76)

The Prophet (sws), at various instances, also explained very forcefully this purport of the Quran:

Abu Musa al-Ashari (rta) narrates that once a person came to the Prophet (sws) and said that some people fight for the spoils of war, some for fame and some to show off their valour; he then asked the Prophet (sws): “Which one of them fights in the way of Allah?” The Prophet (sws) replied: “Only that person fights in the way of Allah who sets foot in the battlefield to raise high the name of Allah.” [1]

Abu Umamah al-Bahili (rta) narrates that a person came to the Prophet (sws) and asked: “What is your opinion about a person who fights for monetary benefits and fame?” The Prophet (sws) replied: “He will gain nothing.” The person repeated his question three times and each time the Prophet (sws) gave the same answer and then said: “The Almighty never accepts a deed until it is pure and done merely to please Him.” [2]

Abu Hurayrah (rta) narrates that once the Prophet (sws) said: “The fate of three types of people shall be decided first on the Day of Judgement: A person who was martyred while fighting. The Almighty will remind him of His favours. Once the person remembers them, the Almighty will ask: ‘What did you do for me?’ He will reply: ‘I fought for you until I embraced martyrdom.’ The Almighty will say: ‘You have told a lie; you fought so that people would acknowledge your bravery and that has [already] taken place.’ The Almighty would then order for his punishment and he would be dragged by his face and thrown into Hell. [3]

‘Ubadah ibn Samit (rta) narrates from the Prophet (sws): “A person who fought in the way of Allah with the intention that he would gain a rope [from the war booty] to tie a camel will only get that rope and nothing else.” [4]

Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (rta) narrates that once the Prophet (sws) said: “Wars are of two types: a person who fought merely to please Allah, obeyed his ruler in the war, spent the best of his wealth, was affectionate with his fellow fighters and abstained from spreading disorder and evil, then all the time he spent in the war whether he was awake or was asleep – all shall earn reward for him. And a person who fought for fame and to earn the praises of the world and disobeyed his ruler during the war and thereby created disorder, he would not be spared.” [5]

It is this special status of qital(armed warfare) that makes it an act of great reward for the believers. The Almighty says:

وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ فَرِحِينَ بِمَا آتَاهُمْ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَيَسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِالَّذِينَ لَمْ يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ أَلَّا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنْ اللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (3 :169-171)

And do not consider those who are killed in the way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are alive with their Lord, and they are being provided for. They rejoice in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounty and rejoice for the sake of those who have not yet joined them, but are left behind [not yet martyred] that on them too no fear shall come, nor shall they grieve. They rejoice in a grace and a bounty from Allah, and that Allah will not waste the reward of the believers. (3:169-171)

Abu Hurayrah (rta) narrates from the Prophet (sws): “A person who wages jihad in the way of Allah – and Allah knows full well who wages jihad in His way – is like a person who fasts during the daytime and stands in prayer during the night, and for such a person [who fights in His way], Allah has taken upon Himself to take him to Paradise in case He ordains death for him, [and, if this is not the case,] He will reward him and send him back home safely with the spoils of war.” [6]

He also narrates that once a person came to the Prophet (sws) and asked: “Tell me of a deed whose reward is equivalent to that of jihad.” The Prophet (sws) replied: “There is no such deed.” The Prophet (sws) then asked that person: “Is it possible for you that once the Mujahidin (warriors) depart for jihad, you go to the mosque and keep standing in prayer without pausing and also keep fasting [simultaneously] without breaking the fast?” The person replied: “How can anyone do this?” [7]

At another instance, Abu Hurayrah (rta) narrates from the Prophet: “There are hundred levels in Paradise which the Almighty has prepared for those who wage jihad in His way. Each of these levels is separated from one another with a distance equal to that between the earth and the sky.” [8]

Abu Hurayrah (rta) narrates from the Prophet (sws): “I swear by the Almighty that a person who is wounded in the way of Allah – and Allah knows full well who is actually wounded in His way – he shall be raised on the Day of Judgement such that his colour will be the colour of blood with the fragrance of musk around him.” [9]

‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Jabr (rta) narrates from the Prophet (sws): “A person whose feet become dust-ridden because of [striving] in the way of Allah will never be touched by the flames of Hell.” [10]

Sahl ibn Sa‘d(rta) says that the Prophet (sws) once said: “To reside in a border area for a day to protect [people] against an enemy [invasion] is better than this world and everything it has.” [11]

(Javed Ahmed Ghamidi)

(Translated by Dr. Shehzad Saleem)

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[1]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih, 466, (no. 2810); Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih, 852, (no.4919).

[2]. Al-Nasa’i,Sunan, 432, (no. 3142).

[3]. Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih, 852-853, (no.4923).

[4]. Al-Nasa’i,Sunan,432, (no. 3140).

[5]. Ibid., 585, (no. 4200).

[6]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih, 462, (no. 2787).

[7]. Ibid., 461, (no. 2785).

[8]. Ibid., 462, (no. 2790).

[9]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih, 464, (no. 2803); Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih, 841, (no.4923).

[10]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih, 146, 466, (nos. 907, 2811).

[11]. Ibid., 478, (no.2892).