Riyad al-Salihin
From the words of the Master of the Messengers
Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him
Chapter: The Virtue of Jihad
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"There is no one wounded in the way of Allah—
but he will come on the Day of Resurrection with his wound bleeding;
its color will be the color of blood,
and its scent will be the scent of musk."
Agreed upon.
On the authority of Mu'adh, may Allah be pleased with him,
from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who said:
"Whoever fights in the way of Allah, even for the time it takes to milk a she-camel,
Paradise becomes mandatory for him.
And whoever sustains a wound in the way of Allah or suffers a misfortune,
it will come on the Day of Resurrection as deep as it was at its inception,
its color will be saffron and its scent will be like musk."
Narrated by Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi.
"The time it takes to milk a she-camel"
refers to the interval between two milkings.
The intended meaning is a small amount of Jihad.
"Misfortune"
means any calamity that befalls a person.
From the benefits of the hadith:
Jihad and its reward are specific to the Muslim Ummah, to the exclusion of others.
The title of martyrdom and its honor are not attained by anyone other than the monotheistic members of this Ummah.
The reward for the one who strives in the way of Allah is Paradise,
provided he does not mix his deeds with the desires of this worldly life.
Regarding the accidents and trials that befall the martyr:
Allah the Exalted rewards him for them and does not let his deeds go to waste.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
A man from the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, passed by
a mountain pass containing a spring of fresh water.
He was impressed by it,
and said,
"If only I could withdraw from the people and reside in this pass,
but I will not do so until I ask the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him."
He mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
who said, "Do not do it,
for the standing of one of you in the way of Allah is better than his prayer in his house for seventy years.
Do you not love for Allah to forgive you and admit you into Paradise?
Fight in the way of Allah.
Whoever fights in the way of Allah for the time it takes to milk a she-camel, Paradise becomes mandatory for him."
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.
"The time it takes to milk a she-camel" is the interval between two milkings.
From the benefits of the hadith:
Knowledge comes before action.
That is why this Companion asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, about the matter before acting upon it.
The believer's desires are subordinate to the Shari'ah.
The etiquette of the Companions toward the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
was such that none of them would make a decision, even regarding his own private affairs,
until he presented it to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
The concern of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, that his Ummah attain goodness and virtue,
and that they receive a great reward from Allah the Exalted.
Therefore, he guided this Companion to that which contains great reward,
abundant goodness, and the highest ranks.
Jihad in the way of Allah is superior to voluntary prayer by many degrees.
Allah the Exalted has guaranteed Paradise for the one who is killed in His way, seeking nothing but His Countenance,
and who fights only so that the word of Allah may be supreme.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
It was said, "O Messenger of Allah, what is equivalent to Jihad in the way of Allah?"
He said, "You cannot do it." He repeated the question twice or three times,
and each time he said, "You cannot do it."
Then he said, "The likeness of the one who strives in the way of Allah
is like the one who fasts, stands in prayer, and is devoutly obedient to the verses of Allah,
never flagging in his fasting or prayer,
until the one who strives in the way of Allah returns."
Agreed upon, and this is the wording of Muslim.
In a narration by al-Bukhari, a man said, "O Messenger of Allah,
guide me to a deed that is equivalent to Jihad."
He said, "I do not find it."
Then he said, "Are you able, when the one who strives goes out,
to enter your mosque, stand in prayer without flagging,
and fast without breaking your fast?"
He replied, "Who is able to do that?"
"Standing in prayer" means the one who exerts himself.
"Devoutly obedient" means the one who is submissive and obedient.
"Never flagging" means he does not become heedless or weak.
From the benefits of the hadith:
The glorification of the matter of Jihad,
because it is equivalent to all the virtuous deeds mentioned.
The virtues of deeds are not grasped by analogy;
rather, they are a grace and favor from Allah the Exalted to whom He wills.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Among the best of people's livelihoods for them
is a man holding the reins of his horse in the way of Allah,
flying upon its back;
whenever he hears a cry or a call for alarm, he flies upon it,
seeking death and being killed where it is expected.
Or a man with his sheep on a mountain peak among these peaks,
or in the bottom of a valley among these valleys,
establishing prayer, giving zakat,
and worshipping his Lord until certainty (death) comes to him.
He is not among the people except in goodness."
Narrated by Muslim.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Indeed, in Paradise there are one hundred levels
which Allah has prepared for those who strive in the way of Allah;
the distance between two levels is like the distance between the heaven and the earth."
Narrated by al-Bukhari.
From the benefits of the hadith:
A clarification of the virtue of Jihad in the way of Allah.
A clarification of the greatness of Paradise and the bliss within it,
which Allah has prepared for those who strive.
An indication that this level
might be attained by a servant who is not a fighter,
either through intention,
or through righteous deeds.
Because he, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, commanded everyone
to pray to enter the highest Firdaws,
and this was after informing them that He had prepared it for those who strive.
A clarification of the stations of Paradise and that they are levels;
every person takes his place therein according to his deeds.
On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Whoever is pleased with Allah as Lord,
with Islam as a religion,
and with Muhammad as a Messenger,
Paradise becomes mandatory for him."
Abu Sa'id was amazed by this,
and said,
"Repeat it for me, O Messenger of Allah."
He repeated it for him,
then said,
"And another thing by which Allah raises the servant
one hundred levels in Paradise,
the distance between every two levels
is like the distance between the heaven and the earth."
He said,
"And what is it, O Messenger of Allah?"
He said,
"Jihad in the way of Allah,
Jihad in the way of Allah."
Narrated by Muslim.
From the benefits of the hadith:
The love of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
for knowing goodness, its doors, and its causes.
The glorification of the matter of Jihad in the way of Allah.
On the authority of Abu Bakr ibn Abi Musa al-Ash'ari, who said:
I heard my father, may Allah be pleased with him,
while in the presence of the enemy, saying:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Indeed, the gates of Paradise are under the shadows of swords."
A man in tattered clothes stood up and said,
"O Abu Musa,
did you hear the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say this?"
He said, "Yes."
He returned to his companions and said,
"I bid you peace."
Then he broke the scabbard of his sword and threw it away,
then walked with his sword toward the enemy and struck with it until he was killed.
Narrated by Muslim.
"Tattered clothes"
means old garments.
"Scabbard of his sword"
means its sheath.
From the benefits of the hadith:
The Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
are those who convey knowledge from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
just as they heard it.
The encouragement and incitement to Jihad in the way of Allah, both in word and deed.
The belief of the people of Islam in the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and what they reported from him without dispute.
This indicates the acceptance of the report of a single narrator in matters of creed and legal rulings.
He was certain of entering Paradise based on a description,
so he hastened to apply it and did not hesitate in his action.
The permissibility of showing courage and boldness,
either by breaking the sword's scabbard,
as a sign of his fighting until death,
or by wearing a headband,
like Abu Dujanah.
An indication of his lack of fear of death.
On the authority of Abu 'Abs,
'Abd al-Rahman ibn Jabr, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"A servant whose feet are covered with dust in the way of Allah will not be touched by the Fire."
Narrated by al-Bukhari.
From the benefits of the hadith:
Whoever gets dust on his feet in the way of Allah, the Fire will not touch him.
An indication of the great status of Jihad in the way of Allah.
If the mere touching of dust to the feet makes the Fire forbidden for them,
then what of the one who exerted his effort and exhausted his capacity?
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"A man who wept out of fear of Allah will not enter the Fire
until the milk returns to the udder.
And the dust of the way of Allah and the smoke of Hell will never gather on a servant."
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.
On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, saying:
"Two eyes will not be touched by the Fire:
an eye that wept out of fear of Allah,
and an eye that spent the night keeping watch in the way of Allah."
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.
From the benefits of the hadith:
The virtue of standing guard in the cause of Allah to protect the frontiers of the Muslims.
And repelling the enemy lying in wait for the Muslims.
The virtue of weeping out of fear of Allah.
On the authority of Zayd Ibn Khalid, may Allah be pleased with him.
That the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Whoever equips a warrior in the cause of Allah has himself fought."
"And whoever looks after the family of a warrior in his absence with kindness has himself fought."
Agreed upon.
On the authority of Abu Umamah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"The best of charities is..."
"...providing a tent in the cause of Allah,"
"...or gifting the service of a servant in the cause of Allah,"
"...or the loan of a breeding stallion in the cause of Allah."
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.
A 'fustat' is...
...a tent made of hair.
A 'taruqah' is...
...a she-camel that has reached the age to be covered by a stallion.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The obligation of cooperation among Muslims to equip the armies of the Muslims for fighting in the cause of Allah.
So that the word of Allah may be supreme.
The best of charities, the greatest of acts of drawing near to Allah, and the most sublime of acts of obedience...
...are those performed in the cause of Allah.
Because it is a benefit that extends to the entire Muslim community.
On the authority of Anas, may Allah be pleased with him:
A man from the Aslam tribe said:
"O Messenger of Allah,"
"I wish to go on a military expedition, but I do not possess the means to equip myself."
He said:
"Go to such-and-such a person,"
"For he had equipped himself but then fell ill."
So he went to him and said:
"The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, sends you his greetings and says,"
"'Give me the equipment you prepared.'"
He said:
"O so-and-so,"
"Give him what I had prepared."
"And do not withhold anything from him."
"For by Allah, if you do not withhold anything from it,"
"Allah will bless it for you."
Narrated by Muslim.
Riyad al-Salihin.