Question:
What is the Islamic ruling regarding the necessity of parental permission to participate in Jihad? Please clarify according to the Book and Sunnah.
Answer:
There are two types of hadiths regarding parental permission for participating in jihad. It is narrated from Abdullah bin Amr رضي الله عنهما that a man came to the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم seeking permission to participate in jihad. The Prophet asked, “Are your parents alive?” He said, “Yes!” The Prophet said, “Then strive in jihad with them.”
Similarly, in another narration from Abdullah bin Amr رضي الله عنهما, a man came to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم and asked, “What is the best deed?” He replied, “Prayer.” The man asked, “Then what?” He said, “Jihad.” The man said, “I have parents.” The Prophet said, “I command you to do good to your parents.” The man said:
والذي بعثك بالحق، لئن فعلت ذلك لأجاهدن، ولا تركتهما قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: أنت أعلم
“By the One Who sent you with the truth! I will definitely participate in jihad and leave them behind.” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “Then you know best.”
Scholars have given two types of explanations regarding these two hadiths. Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani رحمه الله after narrating these hadiths says: “The reconciling interpretation between the two is that this applies to obligatory individual jihad (Fard Ayn), meaning when jihad is Fard Ayn, then parental permission is not required.”
The second explanation is that the issue of parental permission is left to the Imam or the legally responsible person according to Shariah, and in both cases, it is obligatory to prioritize whichever is more beneficial. The Ansar and Muhajireen used to participate in jihad, and we have not seen in any hadith from the collection of hadiths that they insisted on parental permission for every expedition.
In our view, the second explanation is more weighty, because from both hadiths it is understood that the Companions رضي الله عنهم presented themselves for jihad to their Imam and leader, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, who made the decision. According to the authentic hadith of Ibn Hibban, when a Mujahid Companion resolved to go for jihad leaving his parents behind, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم neither scolded nor forbade him, but left the matter to him and said, “You know your condition best.” Therefore, if a legally responsible person according to Shariah decides after considering his domestic circumstances that he wants to go for jihad, he can go without parental permission.
