Surah Al-Hajj (22) — Ayah 78

78. And strive in the way of Allah as is His due [108]. He has chosen you (for His religion) and has not placed any hardship [109] upon you in the religion—the faith of your father [110] Abraham. He named you Muslims before and in this (Quran) [111] as well, so that the Messenger may be a witness over you [112] and you may be witnesses over mankind. So establish prayer, give zakat, and hold fast to Allah (and His religion) [113]. He is your Protector—how excellent a Protector and how excellent a Helper!

[108]
Types of Jihad:

The true right of performing jihad is that it should be done in every possible way—by wealth, by self, by speech. Jihad, in reality, is the name of every wholehearted effort made by the Ummah for the religion and to remove obstacles in its path. Its first level is that a person should perform jihad against his own self and make it completely subject to the will of Allah Almighty and His religion. Its second level is to strive with full effort to put one’s family and household on this path. After that comes the turn of relatives, and then the general people. Another aspect of jihad is that, where there is opportunity and need, a person should invite people to this path through speech, propagate and spread Islam. And where there is opportunity and need, those who possess the pen should perform jihad with the pen—spread the teachings of Islam among people, and give reasoned answers to the objections of the opponents of Islam. Its final level is that, when necessary, one should not refrain from jihad with the sword, even if it requires sacrificing life and wealth. And its sole purpose should be to exalt the word of Allah Almighty. All these and every kind of effort fall under the category of jihad, and are requirements of a believer’s faith. The stronger someone’s faith is, the more actively he will engage in jihad. His faith itself will keep encouraging him towards such efforts.

[109]
No Hardship in Religion—Consideration for the Weak and Compelled:

That is, in the obligations that Islam has imposed upon Muslims, the compulsions of all kinds of people have also been taken into account, and no undue hardship has been imposed. For example, the elderly, children, women, the blind, and the disabled have been exempted from jihad with the sword. The prayers of travelers have been shortened. The sick have been permitted to pray sitting, and in more severe illness, lying down, even by gesture. If water is not available, tayammum is allowed. And there are countless such examples. Another aspect is that the strict commands present in previous laws have been removed and made easier, and examples of this have already been mentioned elsewhere. A third aspect is that the restrictions of customs and traditions, and some self-imposed restrictions by certain religious elders, have been declared invalid, and some details of this have already been mentioned under verse 157 of Surah Al-A'raf, and related hadiths have been recorded under verse 158 of Surah Al-Baqarah.

[110]
Why Is There Special Mention of Sayyiduna Ibrahim in Matters of Religion?

The religion of all prophets and messengers has been the same, and here, in particular, the religion of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is mentioned, and not the religion of Musa or Isa, etc., for several reasons, which are as follows:
1. The Jews, Christians, Muslims, and even the Sabeans accept him as their leader, and he is equally respected among all.
2. Most of the Arab tribes were his descendants, and he is their great ancestor.
3. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ is the spiritual father of all Muslims, and Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was the great-grandfather of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Therefore, Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is the father of all Muslims. Note that instead of the word "deen" (religion), the word "millat" (creed) is used. These two are synonymous, but the difference is that "deen" refers only to those commands and ordinances mentioned in the Book and Sunnah or any revealed book. When these commands and ordinances are put into practice and established as a system, it is called "millat." That is, the practical form of religion that Ibrahim (peace be upon him) presented is the one most beloved to Allah, so we have been commanded to follow his millat.

[111] The literal meaning of "Muslim" is one who submits completely to the commands of Allah. In this sense, every nation that believed in a prophet was Muslim. They were not called by names such as Abrahamic, Noahic, Mosaic, or Christian, etc., nor did Allah Almighty give them these names. These names were self-made or given by others. Allah Almighty named them Muslims, and your name is also Muslim.

[112] For the explanation of this verse, see the footnote of verse 14 of Surah Al-Baqarah.

[113] That is, you should take all kinds of commands and laws—whether they relate to your private life, your economy and livelihood, your society and civilization, or your internal and external policy—from the religion of Allah, and you should act upon them fully. Therefore, you should live up to your name, and to fulfill the general guidance for which you were created, you should first make yourself a model. There should be no negligence in bodily and financial acts of worship. In every matter, seek guidance from the Shariah and do not deviate from the path of truth. Rely on His grace and mercy, and abandon all weak supports. Consider only Allah as your Owner and Protector. Who can be a better Owner and Helper for you than Him?