Moheet: "The Purpose of Jihad Is to Establish the Word of Allah"
This is an article from the online Arabic magazine Moheet, which has offices in Egypt and the UAE. Here the author extols the virtues of jihad, describing it as the sixth pillar of Islam, and showing through the Qur'an and hadith why it is necessary for Muslims to wage (physical) jihad against non-Muslims in order to establish the word of Allah.
Jihad is an ancient religious duty, for Moses (PBUH), who struggled (jahada) to lead the children of Israel (out of Egypt), said to his people: “O my people! Enter the holy land which Allah hath assigned unto you, and turn not back ignominiously, for then will ye be overthrown, to your own ruin” (Qur’an 5.21). That is what happened to them, and Allah punished them. But in the end, after the death of Moses (PBUH), they waged jihad and conquered the holy house (Jerusalem), entering it through jihad in the path of Allah.
[Dr. Jamal al-Marakobi] added: “After that, Allah mandated jihad, rather than widespread destruction, as a punishment for the infidels who refused to worship Allah Almighty and disdained he who had created them. For jihad was the tradition (sunnah) of the prophets, from the first centuries until the coming of our prophet Muhammad (PBUH). For Muhammad went out with this law, which is jihad in the path of Allah, to establish the word of Allah and do away with shirk (polytheism) and infidelity. Allah said: “Fight them on until there is no sedition (fitna), and the religion is wholly Allah’s, but if they cease, let there be no hostility, except to those who practice oppression” (Qur’an 2.193). This is the wisdom behind waging jihad, in order that Allah alone be worshipped, as (the Prophet) (PBUH) said: “I have been sent with the sword to ensure Allah is worshipped.”
Dr. al-Marakobi said: “Allah obligated the ummah (Islamic nation) to jihad in the path of Allah, but it was ordained in stages. For in the days in which the Prophet (PBUH) and the Muslims were in Mecca, they were forbidden from waging jihad, and were obliged instead to (peacefully) propagate Islam. The Prophet (PBUH) was in Mecca for thirteen years after receiving the mission to call the people to Allah Almighty, and was not commanded to fight, but was forbidden from it, despite what he and his companions suffered at the hands of the infidels.
They were forbidden from jihad during this period because they did not have sufficient strength, and their enemy was stronger than they were. If they had fought at that time, their enemy would have overpowered them. When the Prophet (PBUH) emigrated to Medina, and found the Ansar (i.e. supporters; name given to Muslims from Medina), Allah authorized jihad for them, but it was not a commandment, as Allah Almighty said: “To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged—and verily, Allah is Most Powerful for their aid” (Qur’an 22.39). After that, they were commanded to fight those who fought against them, but still refrain from fighting those who did not fight against them, as the Almighty said: “Fight in the path of Allah those who fight you, but do not be the aggressors, for Allah loveth not aggressors” (Qur’an 2.190).
The Muslims were initially commanded to fight only those who fought against them. However, later they were commanded to fight not only those who fought against them but also those who did not, in order to establish the word of Allah. This was a requirement so long as the Muslims had sufficient power, were prepared, and had a state ruled by the Prophet of Allah (PBUH). The purpose of jihad is not simply to gain authority, or expand the kingdom, or get money, or kill people. The purpose of jihad is to establish the word of Allah. For if the infidels accept the call of Islam and return to their Creator, they will not be attacked. But if they rebel they must be fought so that their wickedness and infidelity may cease, and they may receive their punishment, although their punishment with Allah will be so much more severe and horrible in the fire of hell, for they are infidels and polytheists, who despise the worship of Almighty Allah.
Dr. al-Marakobi clarified: “When the jihad was stopped, the wickedness of the infidels increased, and they fought against Islam and the Muslims, and prevented them from entering Islam. This is also what the infidels are doing today, as you can hear, read, and see the killing, displacement, and destruction of Muslims throughout all the earth. They also persist in describing Islam as terrorist, savage, and so on. This is what the infidels do when Muslims refuse to fight against them, for they are those who heap persecutions upon the Muslims.
It is wise to wage jihad to establish the word of Almighty Allah, but he who fights for another purpose is not in the path of Allah. He who fights in the path of Allah becomes a martyr if killed, and if he is not killed he is paid and rewarded, as the Almighty said: “Think not of those who are killed in the path of Allah as dead, for they are alive with the Lord. They are provided for, and rejoice in what Allah has given them of his bounty, and that they are no longer pursued by those who had pursued them. They have no fear or sadness, but rejoice in the grace and virtue of Allah, for Allah doth not fail to reward the believers.”Iman al-Khashab, Moheet, March 13, 2010
