-
Jihad an-Nafs
He (rahimahullah) continued by saying: "Jihad an-Nafs
(one's striving against his desires) is also four types:
Firstly: Striving hard to learn the true
guidance and the religion of truth, meaning Islamic Monotheism (Tawheed),
without which the soul will have no success or happiness in this life or the
Last Life. When the Nafs (soul) does not acquire knowledge in the religion, it
will be miserable in both places of dwelling (this life and the next).
Secondly: One's striving hard to implement what
he has learnt. Knowledge without implementation will not be beneficial and may
even bring about harm.
Thirdly: Striving to deliver the Message and
teach it to those who do not have knowledge in it. Otherwise one will be among
those who hide the Guidance and the Clear Proofs that Allah has sent down. Such
are those whose knowledge will neither bring about benefit to them nor safety
form Allah's punishment.
Fourthly: Striving to be patient in the face of
hardships of conducting Da'wah (inviting mankind) unto Allah, while disregarding
the threat of being harmed by other people and the enemies of Islam, all the
while striving to endure all these difficulties"
Some Hadith regarding Jihad an-Nafs:
Abu Tharr ()
said that the Messenger ()
said: "The best Jihad is for one to perform Jihad against
his own self
and against his desires" [Abu Nu'aim]
Ibn Umar() (reported
that the Prophet ()
said: "Jihad against one's own self in the Cause of Allah is the best
Jihad" [at-Tabaraani]
The Messenger ()
said (during his farewell Hajj): "Should I inform you of who the
Mu'min (true believer) is? It is he who people are secure from him with
regards to their wealth and their own selves. The (true) Muslim is he who
people are safe from (being harmed by) his tongue and hand. The (true) Mujahid
is he who performs Jihad an-Nafs in the obedience of Allah. And the (true)
Muhajir (the migrant in the Cause of Allah) is he who abandons error and
sin" [Ahmed, al-Haakim and at-Tabaraani]
-
Jihad ash-Shaitan
Imam ibn al-Qayyim said: "There are two types of
Jihad ash-Shaitan:
First: Jihad against him to disregard the misgivings
and doubts he raises to invalidate Iman (faith).
Second: Jihad against him by ignoring what he tempts
one with erroneous intentions and desires.
achieving certainty (concerning Faith) comes after practicing
first type of this Jihad, while successfully observing patience is the result of
practicing the second type. Allah (swt) says:
"And We made from among them (children of Israel)
leaders, giving guidance under Our Command, when they were patient and used to
believe with certainty in Our Ayat (Signs, Verses etc.)" [33:24]
In this Ayah Allah stated that achieving the status of being
leaders in the religion is done by practicing patience and feeling Yaqeen
(certainty in Allah and that Islam in the only true guidance, etc.). Patience
defeats desires and ill intentions, while certainty defeats doubts and
misgivings"
Some verses regarding Jihad ash-Shaitan
"Surely, Shaitan is an enemy to you, so treat his
as an enemy" [35:6]
"He (Shaitan) said: My Lord! Because you have sent
me astray I shall verily adorn the path of error for them in the earth, and
shall mislead them everyone, except such of them as are Your perfectly devoted
slaves" [al-Hijr 39:40]
"And say: 'My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the
suggestions of the shayateen (devils). And I seek refuge with You, My Lord!
Lest that they may attend (or come near) me'" [23:97-98]
-
Jihad al-Kuffar wal-Munafiqeen
Imam ibn al-Qayyim said: "As for Jihad al-Kuffar
wal-Munafiqeen, they are also four types: with the heart, tongue, wealth and
one's self (body). Jihad al-Kuffar is usually practiced with the hand, while
Jihad al-Munafiqeen is usually practiced by the tongue (by refuting them and
exposing their misguided ways, etc.)" Abu Dawud narrated that the
Prophet (PBUH)
said:
"Perform Jihad against the disbelievers with your
wealth, with yourself and with your tongues"
Imam ibn al-Qayyim also said: "Jihad with the
clear proofs and the tongue comes before Jihad with the sword and the
spear" [Qaseedah an-Nooniyyah]
In another place he said: "I heard my Sheikh (ie.
Shaykh-ul-Islam ibn Taymiyyah) saying: 'The Jihad against one's self and against
al-Hawwa (desires) constitutes the basis for the Jihad against the Kuffar and
and the Munafiqeen, because one is unable to make Jihad against them until he
makes Jihad against himself and his Hawwa first, so that he can go out to
(confront) them" [Rawdaat-ul-Muhibeen wa Nuzhat-ul-Mushtaqeen]
Some verses regarding Jihad al-Kuffar wal-Munafiqeen
"But strive hard against them (ie. the Kuffar), (by
preaching) with the utmost endeavor, with it (ie. the Qur'an)"
[25:52]
"O Prophet! Perform Jihad against the disbelievers
and the hypocrites and be severe against them" [66:9]
"O you who believe! What is the matter with you,
that, when you are asked to go forth in the Cause of Allah, you cling heavily
to the earth? Do you prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But
little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter"
[at-Tauba 9:38]
"Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah, and
those who reject Faith fight in the cause of Evil: so fight you against the
friends of Shaitan - feeble indeed is the cunning of Shaitan" [an-Nisaa'
4:76]
Some Hadith regarding Jihad al-Kuffar wal-Munafiqeen
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
"The example of the Mujahid (who performs Jihad) in the Cause of
Allah, and only Allah knows who is truly performing Jihad in His Cause, is the
example of he who is both a Saa'im (fasting) and a Qaa'im (standing up in
voluntary prayers)." [Al-Bukhari]
'Ubaydah ibn Rifa'ah said: Once, Abu 'Abs caught up with me
when I was going for Juma'ah prayer, and then said, 'I heard the Messenger of
Allah ()
say : "He whose feet become dusty in the Sake of Allah (such as when
fighting the disbelievers, etc.), Allah will prohibit Hell for him (he will
not enter Hell)"'[Al-Bukhari]
The Messenger of Allah () said:
"He who supports a Ghazi (Mujahid) in the Cause of Allah, will have
performed Ghazw (fighting in Jihad) himself. He who takes care of a Ghazi's
family in a way that is better, will have performed Ghazw himself."
[Al-Bukhari]
-
4. Jihad Against those who
Practice Injustice, Innovations and Sin
Imam ibn al-Qayyim said: "There are three types
of this Jihad. First, with the hand, when able to do so. But when one is unable,
then he should revert to Jihad with the tongue, and if again unable, then with
the heart."
Some Ahaadeeth regarding this type of Jihad
Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri narrated
that the Messenger of Allah ()said: "He amongst you who witnesses an evil, let him change (remove, stop)
it with his hand. If unable, then with his tongue, and if unable, then with
his heart, and this indeed is the weakest Iman." [Muslim]
Furthermore, Ibn Masud narrated that the Messenger of Allah
() said:
"There was no Prophet whom Allah has sent before me but who had
disciples and friends from among his nation who would follow his Sunnah and
obey his commands. Then, new generations will come, those who would say that
which they do not practice, and practice that which they were not commanded.
He who performs Jihad against them (such misguided and deviated people) with
his hand is a believer ; he who performs Jihad against them with his tongue is
a believer ; and he who perform Jihad against them with his heart is a
believer. There is nothing (no Iman) after this, even the weight of a mustard
seed." [Muslim]
Some sayings of other scholars regarding this type of
Jihad
Sheikh-ul-Islam ibn Taymiyyah said: "Refuting
ahlul-bida' (the innovators) is a Jihad, to the extent that Yahyaa ibn Yahyaa
(d.226H) said: 'Defence of the Sunnah is more excellent than Jihad in the path
of Allah'" [Naqdul-Mataq wal-Kalaam]
Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullaah) said:
"When some people asked Ahmad bin Hanbal (d.24 I H) that they felt uneasy
about (criticizing people) by saying that such and such is this, and such and
such is that, he replied: "If I were to remain silent, how would the
ignorant ones know the authentic (narrations) from the inauthentic?"
Similarly, the innovators who introduce heretical writings which oppose the Qur'an
and the Sunnah, and those who innovate in matters of worship, then explaining
their true condition and warning the Ummah against them is an obligation by
the unanimous agreement of the Muslim Scholars. In fact, when lmam Ahmad bin
Hanbal was asked whether a person who fasted, prayed and secluded himself in
the mosque for worship was dearer to him than a person who spoke out against
ahlul-bida'ah (the innovators), he replied: "When he fasts and prays and
secludes himself, then he does so for the benefit of his own self. However,
when he speaks out against the innovators, he does so for the benefit of the
Muslims in general, and this is more virtuous." So it is clear that
opposing the Innovators is of general benefit to the Muslims and is considered
one of the types of Jihad in the path of Allah. Since purifying the
Religion of Allah, and its manhaj (methodology), its Shari'ah, and defending
it from their attacks and that of their enemies is a collective obligation - a
fact which is agreed upon by the Scholars. For if Allah did not raise up some
people to repel the harms (caused by) others, then the Religion would become
corrupted. Indeed, this type of corruption is even greater than the corruption
resulting from the disbelievers conquering the Muslims. This is because when
the disbelievers conquer the Muslims, they do not corrupt their hearts nor
their Religion, except after some time. Whereas the innovators corrupt the
hearts from the very outset" [Majmoo' Fatawa (28/231-232)]
Conclusion
After Imam ibn al-Qayyim explained the types and categories
of Jihad, he then summarized his research by saying, "These are thirteen
types of Jihad, and he who dies without indulging in Jihad or encouraging
himself to perform Jihad, will die on a way (method, part, manner etc.) of
hypocrisy"
[This is based on an article which was published in The
Islamic Creed Magazine]