Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 95

(Ayah 95) ➊ { لَا يَسْتَوِي الْقٰعِدُوْنَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ …:} In the case when jihad becomes an individual obligation (fard ‘ayn), then no person is permitted to stay at home without a valid excuse; rather, in such a situation, not participating in jihad is clear hypocrisy. However, when there is no general call (nafir ‘aam) for everyone to go forth, and the leader announces that whoever is able to go for jihad should go, and whoever cannot go due to his work is permitted to stay at home, then in such a case, this verse mentions the virtue of the one who goes out for jihad—that is, even though going out for jihad is not obligatory, those who go out for jihad and those who stay at home cannot be equal. It is narrated from Zayd bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) that when this verse was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called me. I presented myself for writing, and Abdullah bin Umm Maktum (may Allah be pleased with him), who was blind, came and said, “By Allah! O Messenger of Allah! If I were able to do jihad with you, I would certainly do so.” At that very moment, Allah revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) the phrase {”غَيْرُ اُولِي الضَّرَرِ“} (those who have no difficulty), and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had me write it down. [ بخاری، التفسیر، باب : « لا یستوی القاعدون من المؤمنین » : ۴۵۹۲ ] It is understood from this that a person who intends to do jihad but is unable due to some difficulty and, because of an excuse, cannot participate in jihad, can be equal to the mujahideen. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There are some people in Madinah who, whatever distance you traveled and whatever valleys you crossed, they were with you.” The companions said, “O Messenger of Allah! But they are in Madinah?” He (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “(Yes), even though they are in Madinah, but an excuse prevented them from participating in jihad.” [ بخاری، المغازی، بابٌ : ۴۴۲۳، عن أنس رضی اللہ عنہ ] This is also supported by several other narrations. It is narrated from Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whenever any Muslim is afflicted with a trial in his body, Allah commands the guardian angels who protect him to write for My servant the same deeds as he used to do when he was healthy, as long as he remains in My grip.” [ أحمد، ۲؍۱۹۴، ح : ۶۸۲۵، صحیح علی شرط مسلم ]

➋ { وَ كُلًّا وَّعَدَ اللّٰهُ الْحُسْنٰى:} That is, those who strive with their lives and wealth in jihad will attain a virtue that those who do not participate in jihad will be deprived of, although Allah has promised good to both. From this, the scholars have deduced that in normal circumstances, going out for jihad is not an individual obligation, but a collective obligation (fard kifayah), meaning that if enough people participate in jihad as needed, then the obligation is considered fulfilled on behalf of the rest of the people of that area. However, if not enough people go forth as needed, then all are considered sinful.

95. 1. When this verse was revealed that those who strive in the way of Allah and those who sit at home are not equal, Abdullah bin Umm Maktum (the blind companion) and others submitted that we are excused, due to which we are compelled not to participate in jihad. The meaning was that because of sitting at home, we will not be able to attain the same reward as those who participate in jihad. Upon this, Allah Almighty revealed (غَیْرُ اُولِی الضَّرَرِ) "4:95 without an excuse," meaning those who sit at home with an excuse are equal partners in reward with the mujahideen because it is the excuse that has prevented them. (Sahih Bukhari, Book of Jihad)

95. 2. That is, the superiority that those who strive with their lives and wealth will attain, those who do not participate in jihad, although deprived of it, Allah Almighty has promised good to both. From this, the scholars have deduced that in general circumstances, jihad is not an individual obligation (fard 'ayn), but a collective obligation (fard kifayah), meaning if enough people participate in jihad as needed, then this obligation is considered fulfilled on behalf of the rest of the people of that area.

95. Those among the believers who sit back without any valid excuse [132] and those who strive in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives are not equal. Allah has given those who strive with their wealth and their lives a higher rank than those who sit back. Although Allah has promised good to each [133], yet He has granted a much greater reward to those who strive than to those who sit back.

[132] Regarding the context of revelation of this verse, consider the following hadith: Bara’ bin Azib ؓ says that when this verse
﴿لَا يَسْتَوِي الْقٰعِدُوْنَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ﴾
was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ called Zaid bin Thabit ؓ, who wrote down this verse. Meanwhile, Ibn Umm Maktum ؓ came and complained, “I am blind (what is my fault?)” At that time, Allah Almighty revealed the words “ghayr ulī al-ḍarar (except those who are disabled).” [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير] Thus, Allah Almighty accepted the excuse of Sayyiduna Abdullah ؓ bin Umm Maktum, but despite this concession, his passion for jihad was so high that, even though he was blind, he endured hardship and participated in several expeditions. Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas ؓ says that the meaning of this verse is that the Muslims who participated in the Battle of Badr and those who did not, these two cannot be equal.
[حواله ايضاً]

Jihad is Not an Individual Obligation:

From this verse, it is understood that jihad is not an individual obligation (fard ‘ayn), and there are several aspects to this. One is that in society, there are many individuals who are old, weak, feeble, blind, lame, crippled, sick, etc., who simply cannot go for jihad, as is evident from the above hadith. The second aspect is that some people must remain behind for the internal defense of the country, to protect the homes of the mujahideen, and to look after their families. Also, so that they can provide timely support to the mujahideen, whether this is related to supplies and food or manpower. Then, some people are also necessary to care for the wounded, and all such people are also, to varying degrees, considered to be included in jihad. As is clear from the following hadith:

Those Excused from Jihad:

Sayyiduna Anas ؓ says that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned from the expedition of Tabuk and approached Madinah, he said, “There are some people in Madinah that whenever you travel or cross a valley, they are with you.” The Companions asked, “Even though they are in Madinah?” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “Yes! These are the people whom an excuse has held back.”
[بخاری، کتاب المغازی۔ باب غزوہ تبوک۔۔ مسلم۔ کتاب الامارۃ، باب ثواب من حبسہ عن الغزو مرض او عذر آخر]
And this verse also indicates that jihad is not an individual obligation: ﴿وَمَا كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ لِيَنْفِرُوْا كَافَّةً﴾ [9: 122]
“It is not possible for all the believers to go forth together.”
And nowadays, governments have established separate departments of defense. However, if an Islamic government announces jihad and calls the general public to participate, then in that case, jihad would also become obligatory for the general public, but even then, it would remain a collective obligation (fard kifayah), not an individual one. Nevertheless, jihad is an important collective obligation, neglect of which results in the death of the nation, and it will continue until the Day of Judgment.

The Ranks of the Mujahideen:

The second thing that is learned from this verse is that those who strive in the way of Allah with their lives and wealth have higher ranks than others and are the ones deserving of the great reward. Because a person loves his life and wealth the most, then whoever sacrifices both in the way of Allah, who can have a higher rank than him? Thus, Sayyiduna Abu Sa‘id Khudri ؓ narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked, “Who is the best among people?” He ﷺ replied, “The one who strives in the way of Allah with his life and wealth.”
[بخاری، کتاب الجہاد۔ باب افضل الناس مومن یجاہد بنفسہ ومالہ]
And Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said, “There are one hundred levels in Paradise which Allah has prepared for the mujahideen in the way of Allah, and the distance between each level is as much as between the heavens and the earth.”
[بخاری، کتاب الجہاد، باب درجات المجاہدین فی سبیل اللہ]

The Sufi Doctrine of Lesser and Greater Jihad:

At this point, it seems necessary to examine a popular belief which the Sufi class has widely promoted to establish the virtue of spiritual exercise and struggle, and that belief is that jihad with the sword is the lesser jihad, and striving against the self is the greater jihad, and that the greater jihad is superior to the lesser jihad. In this regard, this hadith is cited: «والْمُجَاهِدُ مَنْ جَاهَدَ نَفْسَهُ فِيْ طَاعَةِ اللّٰهِ» “The mujahid is the one who strives against his own self in obedience to Allah.” The words “in obedience to Allah” in this hadith are sufficient to refute this false notion, because in their spiritual exercises and struggles, there are countless things that are clearly against the Book and Sunnah, such as abandoning marriage, performing chillas (spiritual retreats), torturing the body, and weakening it in various ways, etc. In reality, such acts are not striving against the self, but self-torture, and instead of being “in obedience to Allah,” they are “in disobedience to Allah,” and from the Islamic point of view, these things have nothing to do with obedience to Allah. This hadith is narrated by Bayhaqi in Shu‘ab al-Iman from Fadala, and its full wording is: “And the mujahid is the one who strives against his own self in obedience to Allah, and the emigrant is the one who abandons minor and major sins.” It is clear that this hadith sheds light on that aspect of jihad and hijrah to which the mind does not usually turn. It is being explained that this is also one aspect of jihad and hijrah. Otherwise, just as hijrah is that which the Muslims performed before the conquest of Makkah, or which Muslims do in such circumstances for the sake of exalting the word of Allah, similarly, true jihad is that which is called jihad with the sword, and there is a world of difference between the two. In this verse, there is a strong refutation of the Sufi doctrine. Allah Almighty has stated again in this verse that those who strive in the way of Allah with their lives and wealth are superior to those who sit, and it is obvious that no matter how one strives against the self, he will still be among those who sit, not among the mujahideen in the way of Allah. Moreover, the statements of the Prophet ﷺ also clearly establish that he declared jihad to be the best of deeds. The Sufis, in order to validate their doctrine, have even fabricated a spurious hadith, which is that on returning from jihad, the Prophet ﷺ said: “We have returned from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad.” That is, from the lesser jihad (jihad with the sword) to the greater jihad (jihad against the self). Regarding this hadith, Maulana Hussain Ahmad Madani says that the Sufis call it a hadith, but Imam ‘Asqalani says that Imam Nasa’i has attributed it to the saying of Ibrahim bin ‘Ailah. The weakness of the wording is a strong indication that it cannot be the saying of the Prophet ﷺ, nor has it been seen in the books of hadith by any reliable muhaddith like Shah Abdul Aziz. Such narrations should be judged according to the principles and rules of the hadith scholars. The poor Sufis, who are overwhelmed by good opinion, do not have the time for criticism and investigation. Their good opinion cannot establish any statement as a hadith of the Messenger. [مكتوبات شيخ الاسلام 307۔ 308 بحواله اسلامي تصوف يوسف سليم چشتي 123]
The doctrine of the Sufis has harmed the Muslims perhaps more than anything else. This doctrine destroyed the spirit of jihad among Muslims, making them humiliated and disgraced in the world, and began such acts of striving against the self that even humanity would be ashamed of. Until the end of the tenth century Hijri, this doctrine had made Muslims so paralyzed, lazy, and senseless that they were defending against the French invaders by sitting in Al-Azhar University and through litanies and invocations. Nablusians were selected, dressed them in Sufi garb, and under their leadership, gatherings of remembrance and contemplation were held. Even the completion of Sahih Bukhari was arranged. But none of these things had any effect, and the Muslims continued to be defeated. Eventually, when Muslim mujahideen fought wars with the people in the land of Europe, then the situation changed. [مقدمه الفكرا لصوفي 6] The effect of this seclusion on the Sufis themselves can be seen from the words of Abu Bakr Shibli. It is narrated that Shibli was absent from his place for some time. Despite much searching, he could not be found. One day, he was seen among groups in gatherings. People asked, “O Shaykh! What is the matter?” He replied, “This group (the Sufis) are neither men nor women in this world. I too am caught in the same state—neither a man nor a woman, so necessarily my place is among them.” [خزينة الاصفياء ص 147]

The Sword Jihad of Shaykh Junaid’s Disciples:

The disciples of Shibli’s spiritual guide, Junaid Baghdadi, once developed a passion for jihad with the sword. The story is as follows: Shaykh Junaid had eight disciples, all of whom were perfect and complete. One day, they submitted to the Shaykh, “O Shaykh! Martyrdom is a wondrous, life-giving blessing, so we should perform jihad for the sake of martyrdom.” The Shaykh supported them and set out with them towards the land of Rome for jihad. At one place, they encountered the disbelievers. At the hands of a Magian (fire-worshipper), all eight of the Shaykh’s disciples were martyred one by one. The Shaykh says, “At that time, I saw nine litters suspended in the air. Whenever one of my companions was martyred, his soul was placed in a litter and taken towards the sky. Finally, one litter remained. I understood that this litter was for me, and I became engaged in battle. During the battle, the same Magian who had martyred my companions came to me and said, ‘Abu al-Qasim! This last litter is for me. You return to Baghdad and lead your people and present your religion before me.’ I instructed him, he became Muslim, and fighting against the disbelievers, he was martyred. I saw that his soul was taken to the sky in that last litter.” [خزينة الاصفياء ص 142]

The Effects of the Doctrine of Greater Jihad:

From this narration in Khazinat al-Asfiya, the following results are evident:
1. Allah Almighty initially set the standard of faith that one believer should prevail over ten disbelievers. Later, this was reduced to at least one believer being heavier than two disbelievers. But here, the situation is that the eight perfect and complete disciples of Shaykh Junaid are being martyred at the hands of one disbeliever. If they were so eager for martyrdom, they should have killed twenty or twenty-five disbelievers before being martyred themselves. But all of them are being killed by one disbeliever as a butcher slaughters goats. Now, according to the standard set by Allah Almighty, you can estimate for yourself how much faith they possessed. This is the flaw for which Islam has condemned monasticism or the Sufi path.
2. Shaykh Junaid Baghdadi himself was also in danger of being martyred. It was fortunate that the Magian’s spiritual insight was greater than that of Shaykh Junaid, and the Magian realized before Shaykh Junaid that the ninth litter was not for the Shaykh but for himself.
3. What a strange way of accepting Islam this is, that a disbeliever himself asks a Muslim to present Islam before him so that he may accept it. In any case, the world of sainthood is a different matter, and as the saying goes, “The secrets of the kingdom are known only to the kings,” this too must be accepted.
4. However, it is not understood that Rome had already been conquered during the eras of Umar and Uthman, and in the time of Shaykh Junaid, the entire area from Baghdad to Rome was part of the Islamic state, so where did they encounter an army of disbelievers on the way to Rome?
5. In any case, this story certainly shows how much harm the Sufi doctrine of “greater jihad” has caused to Muslims.

[133] And the third thing learned from this verse is that jihad is not a necessary condition for entering Paradise; rather, Muslims who remain steadfast on monotheism and fulfill other divine commands will also certainly enter Paradise, even though their ranks will be less than those of the mujahideen in the way of Allah.