Do hadiths encourage Jihad?

Do hadiths encourage Jihad?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Hz. Prophet (pbuh) encouraged jihad in many hadiths. We will mention some of them as examples:

1. "The best person among people is the one that makes jihad with his life and property."(1).

2. Somebody asked, "Is there a deed equal to jihad?" the Messenger of Allah answered as follows:

"I do not know a deedequal to jihad."(2).

3. Somebody finds a freshwater spring in a distant place. He thinks, "I want to retreat and spend my life here." He tells the Messenger of Allah about this idea. The Messenger of Allah says,

"No. Do not do so. One deed of one of you in the way of Allah is better than the prayer he performs in his house for seventy years. Would you not like Allah to forgive you and put you to Paradise? Fight in the way of Allah."(3)

4. "The journey of my ummah is jihad in the way of Allah." (4)

This hadith attracts attention to the difference between a touristic journey and a journey made in order to spread the religion of Allah. There is definitely a great difference between visiting towns and ruins without having a lofty purpose and setting off with the intention of spreading the religion of Allah.

5. "If a person dies without making jihad or thinking, 'I wish there was a jihad and I took part in it', he will die with a sign of hypocrisy"(5)

This hadith activates the power of a Muslim. A believer who retreats into a corner is in danger. A person has to join an expedition in the way of Allah or at least want to do so.

6. "I swear by Allah in whose hand my soul is that I would love to be martyred in Allah's Cause and then get resurrected and then get martyred, and then get resurrected again." (6)

7. "To keep guard in the border in Allah's Cause for one day is better than the world and whatever is on its surface." (7)

8. "There are two eyes which hellfire will not touch: the eyes that cry fearing Allah and the eyes that keep guard at night in the way of Allah."(8)

9. "The legs that are dusted in the way of Allah are haram for hellfire." (9)

Those who travel in order to convey the message of the religion of Allah are included in the content of this hadith.

10. "Paradise is under the shadows of swords." (10)

References:

1. Bukhari, Jihad, 2.
2. ibid Jihad, 1.
3. Tirmidhi, Fadailul-Jihad, 17.
4. Abu Dawud, Jihad, 6.
5. Abu Dawud, Jihad, 17.
6. Bukhari, Jihad, 7; Ibn Majah, Sunan, Jihad, 1.
7. Bukhari, Jihad, 73; Tirmidhi, Fadailul-Jihad, 26.
8. Tirmidhi, Fadailul-Jihad, 12.
9. Tirmidhi, Fadailul-Jihad, 7.
10. Bukhari, Jihad, 22.
11. Nursi, Hutbe-i Şamiye, p., 88.

Author:

Şadi Eren (Prof.Dr.)

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