The essence of the concepts of Ahl al-Sunnah
Other meanings of jihad
There are two other meanings of jihad besides this primary one.
Even though they pave the way for it.
And they are like a prelude to fighting.
First: striving against the self and Satan.
This is a form of jihad.
It paves the way for jihad against the disbelievers.
And it is not waived for any Muslim.
Second: jihad of the heart.
This is dissociation from disbelief and its people.
And hating them and lying in wait for them.
And the self's contemplation of invading them.
As the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Whoever dies without having fought, and without having contemplated fighting in his heart,
dies on a branch of hypocrisy."
Narrated by Muslim.
And based on this,
the type of jihad is an individual obligation.
Either with the heart,
or with the tongue,
or with wealth,
or with the hand.
So every Muslim must strive in one of these ways.
"Go forth, whether light or heavy."
“Go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah! That is best for you if ye but knew.” (9:41)
"That is better for you, if you should know."
Allah the Almighty says:
“As for those who strive in Us, We surely guide them to Our paths, and lo! Allah is with the good.” (29:69)
So Allah, glorified is He, linked guidance to jihad.
Thus, the most complete in guidance are the greatest in jihad.
And the most obligatory jihad is striving against the self.
And striving against desires, striving against Satan, and striving against the world.
So whoever strives against these four for the sake of Allah,
Allah will guide him to the paths of His pleasure,
leading to His Paradise.
And whoever abandons jihad misses out on guidance,
to the extent that he neglects jihad.
And one cannot be enabled to fight his enemy outwardly
except by one who has fought these enemies inwardly.
So whoever triumphs over them will triumph over his enemy.
And whoever is triumphed over by them, his enemy will triumph over him.
The essence of the concepts of Ahl al-Sunnah