Jihad
means struggle to achieve. To convey the message of Allah to mankind according
to our ability is our Jihad.
One of the biggest forms of Jihad is the Jihad of self discipline. It
is an internal struggle to teach one to contain one's own self and to
develop the power of self control against one's evil desires.
It is a sense of how to deal with the events that take place. How to conduct
yourself in hardship and ease, anger and Happiness. If our selfish desires
are controlled, then our Goal will be totally for Allah. Selfishness and
anger are the biggest problems of our internal Jihad.
It is said that in the Battle of Khandagh (trench) in Madina, the leader
of the nonbelievers who was a brave persian named Amr Ibn Abdawad moved
to the other side of the trench and sought a brave fighter to challenge
him and Imam Ali volunteered to fight him. When Amr Ibn Abdawad was downed
and saw that death is taking him, he spat on Imam Ali's face. Imam Ali
got up from the top of Amr's chest and left him for a while. Then he moved
again to fight. The companions of the prophet were wondering about Imam
Ali's move. Imam Ali fought until Amr Ibn Abdawad was killed. Then he
returned to the camp. When he was asked why did you not kill Amr the first
time that you were on his chest? Imam Ali answered, "Because of his
spitting I was angry at him. If I would have killed him then, it would
have been for my anger or selfish desire. My work is for Allah, therefore
I waited a while and after my anger was settled, I moved to fight again."
This is an example of self control and Jihad of Nafs (Self).
Man's
desires are endless and they have to become controlled under the command
of Allah. The love and increase of wealth, a bigger house and more comfortable
means, or the love of our family and putting our time and all of our effort
for them is endless, unless the love of Allah and Jihad for His pleasure
and His command is the goal. Then everything else becomes secondary to
us. In Sura 9, Aya 24 Allah's guidance dictates:
"Say:
If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your
kindred; The wealth that you have gained; the commerce whose dullness
you fear or the houses which you love are dearer to you than Allah and
His Messenger and Jihad in His way, then wait till Allah brings His command
to pass and Allah guides not the transgressor."
Jihad has variou stages. The pen of a writer may be more effective than
the sword of the fighter. One may write or one may fight in guarding Islam
in his Jihad.
After seeing the course of how to move to an ideal society in Hajj, our
duty is to convey this message to our Islamic Society that we are returning
to. Jihad of the Muslims is to struggle for achieving an Islamic state.
In Jihad we as Muslims will only be victorious, in this life by achieving
the goal which is establishing Islamic state or in the life of hereafter
by achieving martyrdom in this path or both.
It was the performance of the 56 battles of our beloved prophet Muhammad
in combination with the laws of the Quran that the Islamic States of Madina
and Mecca were established. Jihad moves man from the stage of laziness
and fear to reality and justice. Defending Islam against the enemies is
an act of Jihad.
A Muslim should have a weapon in one hand and the Quran in the other hand.
The law of Quan can only be implemented if the forces of evil are defeated,
and that is only possible by Jihad. The Quran orders us in 31 places regarding
Jihad and Allah is advising Muslims to struggle against non-believers
and evil ones. Two examples of Jihad are:
"Therefore
listen not to non-believers but fight (Jihad) against them a great war,
with it (laws of Allah)."Quran, Sura 25, Aya 52
"O
Messenger, fight against the non-believers and the hypocrites and remain
firm against them." Quran,Sura 66, Aya 9.
It
gives a clear vision that Islam without Jihad does not exist. If there
is no Jihad, the laws of the Quran and Sunna are rejected.
'One of the best Jihad is the word of Truth in the presence of unjust
ruller.'
He
also said: "The doors of the heaven are under the shadows of swords."
Nahjul-Fasaha 576
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