Volume 5 of 8

Part One

Chapter 1

Virtue and Excellence of Serving in the Army

H 8158, Ch. 1, h 1

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from ‘Umar ibn Aban from abu ‘Abd Allah ‘Alayhi al-Salam, who has said the following:

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘All good things are with the sword, under the shadow (protection) of sword and people cannot be improved without the sword. Swords are the key to paradise or hellfire.’”

H 8159, Ch. 1, h 2

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father, from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has said the following:

“Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘In paradise there is a door which is called ‘the door of people serving in the army’. They walk to it and it is open and they have their swords fixed on them ready and in place. The angels welcome them.’ He then said, ‘Whoever ignores joining the army, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, dresses him up with humiliation, poverty and his religion is destroyed. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, makes my followers self-sufficient through the hooves of their horses and the points of their spears.’”

H 8160, Ch. 1, h 3

Through the chains of his narrator Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated the following:

“The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘The horses of the people serving in the army are their horses in paradise, and the gowns of the fighters for the cause of Allah are their swords. The Holy Prophet has said, ‘Jibril (Gabriel) has told me something which has made my eyes and heart delightful, “O Muhammad, whoever of your followers fights for the cause of Allah, thereafter even if a drop from the sky falls on him or he experiences a flu, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, lists him as a martyr.’”

H 8161, Ch. 1, h 4

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from certain individuals of his people who has said the following:

“Abu Ja‘far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, once wrote in a letter to a certain individual of the Amawide rulers the following:

“Of his neglectfulness one example is his disregard of the duty of Jihad (serving in the army) which Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, has given preference over all other good deeds. He (Allah) has given preference to those serving in the army over the doers of good deeds a very clear preference in matters of high positions, their receiving forgiveness and mercifulness. This is because by serving in the army religion is supported to become public and it is defended thereby as well. By means of Jihad (a person’s serving in the army) Allah has purchased believers’ souls and property as their payment for paradise which is a gainful bargain indeed. He (Allah) has set upon them the condition of their abiding by the rules of armed engagement. Of such rules is calling to the obedience of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, instead of obedience to people (servants of Allah), to the worship of Allah instead of worshipping other servants of Allah and to accept guardianship of Allah instead of seeking guardianship of the servants of Allah. Those who are asked to pay taxes but refuse are executed and their families are taken into custody.

“There is no calling of servants of Allah to the obedience of other servants of Allah. Those who agree to pay taxes are not violated, their covenant is safe guarded, and is not burdened beyond what he can afford.

“The properties captured from the enemies belong to all Muslims and not to a particular group. If an armed confrontation takes place and people are captured, the whole issue is dealt with according to his (the Holy Prophet’s) dealings and traditions which are of religion’s rules in such issues. He (the particular ruler) then placed the burden of serving in the army upon such people as those with disabilities like blind or lame and those who do not have the means to serve in the army, after being excused by Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, and those who cannot afford. The residents of a city are required to fight only the nearby enemy with fairness and justice exercised in issues of mobilization. All such laws were disregarded and people are made to live in one of the two conditions: To live like the person who offers a certain service but instead of receiving wages is made to pay, although Allah has already purchased his services; and a person who asks to rent or hire an item but the party of other side of his contract is bankrupt and indebted, although Allah has excused him. He has ignored al-Hajj in disregard and people are left in poverty. Who then is more crooked than this that has made such straightforward laws seem crooked and who is more straightforward than him who properly follows them? Instead he has made people to serve in the army (unduly) and has made such a service an extra burden and this is a great mistake and sin.’”

H 8162, Ch. 1, h 5

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from certain individuals of his people from ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Asamm from Haydarah who has said the following:

“Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that Jihad (serving in the army) is the most virtuous task except obligatory (prayers) matters.”

H 8163, Ch. 1, h 6

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Sa‘id has narrated from Ja’far ibn ‘Abd Allah al-‘Alawiy and Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Kufiy from Ali ibn al-‘Abbas, from Isma’il ibn Ishaq, all from abu Faraj ibn Qurrah, who has narrated from Mas’adah ibn Sadaqah. He has said that narrated to him ibn abu Layla’ from abu ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sullamiy who has said that Amir al-Mu’minin, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said who has said the following:

“Thereafter, (my praising Allah) you must take notice that Jihad (serving in the army) is one of the doors to paradise. Allah has opened it for His special friends whom He has made to deserve it through His generosity toward them and a bounty, which He has stored. Jihad is the garment of piety and it is Allah’s invincible gown and strong shield. If one ignores it in disregard Allah dresses him up in humiliation. Misfortune engulfs him, small and worthless issues humiliate him and barriers block his heart. Truth moves away from him due to his disregard of Jihad. Hardship disturbs him and he is denied justice. I certainly have been asking you days and nights, privately and in public to fight those people (supporters of Mu‘awiyah), saying, ‘Attack them before they do so. By Allah, a people attacked in their own territory are always humiliated.’ You kept postponing my calls in betrayal until attacks were launched upon you and territories were captured. It is the brother of Ghamid (Sufyan ibn ‘Awf, Mu‘awiyah’s hit-man) whose troops have entered al-Anbar and have murdered Hassan ibn Hassan al-Bakriy (the governor appointed by Amir al-Mu’minin). Your troops were dislodged from their fortifications. I am informed that their men violate Muslimah women as well as tax-payers’ women, took away their bracelets, earrings and their other ornaments and they had no means of defense against them except begging for mercy and saying ‘to Allah we return.’ They then left with plenty of wealth and none of them suffered any injuries or lost a single drop of blood. If a Muslim would die in sorrow and anguish due to this tragedy he should not be blamed and in my opinion it is worthwhile of him. It indeed is shocking, by Allah, it is shocking. It causes the heart to melt and fills it up with sorrow to see how those people are united around their falsehood and your suffering discord despite your having the truth with you. It is a shame and a disgrace that despite your being their target of attack, you do not counter-attack them. They fight you but you do not fight. Allah is disobeyed and you condone such disobedience. When I command you to march against the enemy during summer you say, ‘It is very hot. Give us time until the heat is reduced.’ When I command you to march against them during winter, you say, ‘It is very cold. Give us time until the cold season is over.’ All of such excuses are just to run away from hot and cold elements. If you run away from hot and cold seasons, from swords, by Allah, you will run away much faster. O you, who look like a man, you are not a man of courage. You in wish-fullness are like children and your power of reason is like that of the house-maidens. I wish I had not seen you and had not know you at all. It by Allah has brought only regret and sorrow. I wish Allah fights against you for filling up my heart with sadness as if it is filled with puss and my chest with anguish as if you have made me breathe blows of sorrow with every breath. You have turned my decision to no effect due to your disobedience and betrayal, so much so that Quraysh says, ‘The son of abu Talib is a brave man but he does not know how to fight a war.’ One should for the sake of Allah, judge what they say. Has anyone among them dealt with wars with greater intensity than the way I have dealt with them or has anyone among them been involved with wars for such a long time as I have been facing wars? I stood firm in wars when I was not yet in my twenties and now I am in my sixties but one who is not obeyed has no opinion.”

H 8164, Ch. 1, h 7

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Hakam from abu Hafs al-Kalbiy who has said the following:

“Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, sent His Messenger with al-Islam to people. For ten years no one accepted al-Islam. Thereafter He commanded him to fight back. Goodness is with the sword and under the sword. The matter one day will return to how it was in the beginning (Allah’s religion will become powerful as it was in the times of the Holy Prophet).”

H 8165, Ch. 1, h 8

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from abu al-Bakhtariy who has said the following:

“Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Jibril informed me of something and it brought delightfulness to my eyes and happiness to my heart. He said, “O Muhammad, anyone of your followers who fights the enemy for the cause of Allah, even if a drop of rain falls on him from the sky or he experiences a headache, he will, on the Day of Judgment, receive for it a reward equal to that for martyrdom.’””

H 8166, Ch. 1, h 9

Through the same chain of narrators as that of the previous Hadith the following is narrated:

“One for conveying the message of a fighter for the cause of Allah, receives a reward equal to that for setting free a slave and will have a share in the reward for his fighting for the cause of Allah.”

H 8167, Ch. 1, h 10

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father, from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy from abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, who has said the following:

“If one back-bites a believing person who is fighting for the cause of Allah or troubles the fighter’s family in his absence by evil manners, he will, on the Day of Judgment, be brought to justice. All of his good deeds will become invalid and he will then be sent into hell, if the fighter has fought in obedience to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious.’”

H 8168, Ch. 1, h 11

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn Mahbub in a marfu’ the following:

“Amir al-Mu’minin, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, has made Jihad obligatory, considered it great and has made it His victory (support) and supporter. By Allah, the worldly affairs as well as religious affairs are never enhanced without Jihad.”

H 8169, Ch. 1, h 12

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Harun ibn Muslim from Mas’adah ibn Sadaqah who has said the following:

“Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Fight (for the cause of Allah) and leave glory as your legacy for your children.’”

H 8170, Ch. 1, h 13

Through the same chain of narrators the following is narrated:

“On the day of ‘Uhud, abu Dujanah al-Ansariy wore his turban and left one end hanging between his shoulders on his back and began walking as if puffed up with pride. The Messenger of Allah said, ‘This is a kind of walking that Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, dislikes very much except during fighting for the cause of Allah.”

H 8171, Ch. 1, h 14

Ali has narrated from father, from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has said the following:

“Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘You must do Jihad; you will benefit.’”

H 8172, Ch. 1, h 15

“Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hajjal from Tha’labah from Mu’ammar form abu Ja‘far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, who has said the following:

“All goodness is in the sword, under the sword and under the shadow of the sword.”

“I heard him saying, ‘Goodness, all of it, is tied to the forehead of the horses (and it remains so) up to the Day of Judgment (horses of the fighters for the cause of Allah).”’

Chapter 2

Jihad of Man and Woman

H 8173, Ch. 2, h 1

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from abu al-Jawza’ from al-Husayn ibn ‘Ulwan from Sa‘d ibn Tarif from al-Asbagh ibn Nubatah who has said the following:

“Amir al-Mu’minin, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Allah has made Jihad obligatory upon man and woman. Jihad of man is making his wealth and soul available until he is killed in the way of Allah. Jihad of woman is exercising patience when facing hardships caused by her husband and because of his showing strong al-Ghirah (protective feelings) for her. In another Hadith it is said that Jihad of a woman is to maintain good wife and husband relationship.”