Jihad means striving. It is used
to describe the inner struggle against sin as well as the outer
struggle against those who would oppose Islam. Did Muhammad teach
Holy War upon those who reject Islam? Yes he did. Following are
various quotes from the Hadith dealing with killing people.
. The
second best deed is to participate in Jihad
. Allah's Apostle was asked,
"What is the best deed?" He replied, "To believe
in Allah and His Apostle (Muhammad). The questioner then asked,
"What is the next (in goodness)? He replied, "To participate
in Jihad (religious fighting) in Allah's Cause." The
questioner again asked, "What is the next (in goodness)?"
He replied, "To perform Hajj (Pilgrim age to Mecca) 'Mubrur,
(which is accepted by Allah and is performed with the intention
of seeking Allah's pleasure only and not to show off and without
committing a sin and in accordance with the traditions of the
Prophet)." Volume 1, Book 2, Number 25, Narrated Abu Huraira:
. Muhammad said if someone
leaves Islam, to kill him
. Ali burnt some people and this news reached Ibn
'Abbas, who said, "Had I been in his place I would not have
burnt them, as the Prophet said, 'Don't punish (anybody) with
Allah's Punishment.' No doubt, I would have killed them, for the
Prophet said, 'If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion, kill
him.'" Volume 4, Book 52, Number 260 , Narrated Ikrima.
Also, see Volume 9, Book 84, Number 64 , Narrated 'Ali.
. Muhammad approves of
killing someone who hurt him and having the killer lie
. "Allah's Apostle said, "Who is willing
to kill Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf who has hurt Allah and His Apostle?" Thereupon Muhammad bin Maslama
got up saying, "O Allah's Apostle! Would you like that I
kill him?" The Prophet said, "Yes," Muhammad bin
Maslama said, "Then allow me to say a (false) thing (i.e.
to deceive Kab). "The Prophet said, "You may say it."
Then Muhammad bin Maslama went to Kab and said, "That
man (i.e. Muhammad demands Sadaqa (i.e. Zakat) from us, and he
has troubled us, and I have come to borrow something from you."
On that, Kab said, "By Allah, you will get tired of him!"
Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Now as we have followed him,
we do not want to leave him unless and until we see how his end
is going to be. .." Volume 5, Book 59, Number 369 , Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah.
. Paradise was guaranteed to the first to take part in a naval
battle
. That 'Umair bin Al-Aswad
Al-Anasi told him that he went to 'Ubada bin As-Samit while he
was staying in his house at the sea-shore of Him with (his wife)
Um Haram. 'Umair said. Um Haram informed us that she heard the
Prophet saying, "Paradise is granted to the first batch
of my followers who will undertake a naval expedition."
Um Haram added, I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Will I be amongst
them?' He replied, 'You are amongst them.' The Prophet then said,
'The first army amongst' my followers who will invade Caesar's
City will be forgiven their sins.' I asked, 'Will I be one
of them, O Allah's Apostle?' He replied in the negative."
Volume 4, Book 52, Number 175 Narrated Khalid bin Madan:
. Those who fight in
Jihad have the right to the spoils of the conquered or Paradise
if he dies
. The Prophet said, "The person who participates
in (Holy battles) in Allah's cause and nothing compels him
to do so except belief in Allah and His Apostles, will be recompensed
by Allah either with a reward, or booty (if he survives) or will
be admitted to Paradise (if he is killed in the battle as
a martyr). Had I not found it difficult for my followers, then
I would not remain behind any sariya going for Jihad and I would
have loved to be martyred in Allah's cause and then made alive,
and then martyred and then made alive, and then again martyred
in His cause." Volume 1, Book 2, Number 35 ,
Narrated Abu Huraira.
. ". . . "This is the Will of Allah, "After
the people returned, the Prophet sat and said, "Anyone
who has killed an enemy and has a proof of that, will posses his
spoils." I got up and said, "Who will be a witness
for me?" and then sat down. The Prophet again said, "Anyone
who has killed an enemy and has proof of that, will possess his
spoils." I (again) got up and said, "Who will be
a witness for me?" and sat down. Then the Prophet said the
same for the third time. I again got up, and Allah's Apostle said,
"O Abu Qatada! What is your story?" Then I narrated
the whole story to him. A man (got up and) said, "O Allah's
Apostle! He is speaking the truth, and the spoils of the killed
man are with me. So please compensate him on my behalf."
On that Abu Bakr As-Siddiq said, "No, by Allah, he (i.e.
Allah's Apostle ) will not agree to give you the spoils gained
by one of Allah's Lions who fights on the behalf of Allah and
His Apostle." The Prophet said, "Abu Bakr has spoken
the truth." So, Allah's Apostle gave the spoils to me.
I sold that armor (i.e. the spoils) and with its price I bought
a garden at Bani Salima, and this was my first property which
I gained after my conversion to Islam." Volume 4, Book
53, Number 370
, Narrated Abu Qatada.
. ". . . . While we were in this state, the
Lord of the Heavens and the Earths, Elevated is His Remembrance
and Majestic is His Highness, sent to us from among ourselves
a Prophet whose father and mother are known to us. Our Prophet,
the Messenger of our Lord, has ordered us to fight you till you
worship Allah Alone or give Jizya (i.e. tribute); and our Prophet
has informed us that our Lord says:-- Whoever amongst us is
killed (i.e. martyred), shall go to Paradise to lead such a luxurious
life as he has never seen, and whoever amongst us remain alive,
shall become your master." (Al-Mughira, then blamed An-Numan
for delaying the attack and) An-Nu' man said to Al-Mughira, "If
you had participated in a similar battle, in the company of Allah's
Apostle he would not have blamed you for waiting, nor would he
have disgraced you. But I accompanied Allah's Apostle in many
battles and it was his custom that if he did not fight early by
daytime, he would wait till the wind had started blowing and the
time for the prayer was due (i.e. after midday)." Volume
4, Book 53, Number 386
, Narrated Jubair bin
Haiya.
. Allah's Apostle said,
"Allah guarantees (the person who carries out Jihad in
His Cause and nothing compelled him to go out but Jihad in His
Cause and the belief in His Word) that He will either admit him
into Paradise (Martyrdom) or return him with reward or booty
he has earned to his residence from where he went out." Volume
9, Book 93, Number 555, Narrated Abu Huraira:
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