Carry out Jihad with money and with yourselves

Jihad means “to struggle, to strive hard” as in verse 15 of Surah Luqman,

“And if (your parents) strive to make you join others of whom you have no knowledge in worship with Me, then obey them not. But behave with them in the world kindly..”

Its objectives determine the type of Jihad. If it is in the way of Allah (fi sabil Allah), then it is the real Jihad which is among the most meritorious acts of Islam. Once the Prophet (saw) was asked: Which act is more preferred? He said: Faith in Allah”. “And then?” he was asked. He replied: “To serve the parents”. “Then what?” to which he said: Jihad in the way of Allah”.

Those who are active in propagating the ways of Satan, driving the people away from the ways of Allah, are also engaged in a Jihad. But it is based upon falsehood and evil.

However, the term Jihad in the Qur’an is exclusively  the one which is directed towards supporting the ways of Allah and striving hard to establish the Deen of Allah. The term (fi sabil Allah = in the way of Allah) is repeated in 14 Ayat of Jihad and 20 Ayat of Qital (fighting).

What are the means of Jihad?

In the Qur’an, two means are mentioned in the number of Ayat: striving hard with money and souls. In the sayings of the Prophet (saw) a third one is mentioned, which is with the tongues.

Here we are concerned with the two means most repeatedly mentioned in the Qur’an. The amazing thing to note is that out of 33 Ayat which deal with this subject, 10 Ayat speak about Jihad with money first followed by Jihad by selves (or by souls). They are as follows:

Al-Anfal: 72

Lo! those who believed and left their homes and strove with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah, and those who took them in and helped them: these are protecting friends one of another. And those who believed but did not leave their homes, ye have no duty to protect them till they leave their homes; but if they seek help from you in the matter of religion then it is your duty to help (them) except against a folk between whom and you there is a treaty. Allah is Seer of what ye do.

Al Tauba: 20

Those who believe, and have left their homes and striven with their wealth and their lives in Allah's way are of much greater worth in Allah's sight. These are they who are triumphant.

Al-Tauba: 88

But the messenger and those who believe with him strive with their wealth and their lives. Such are they for whom are the good things. Such are they who are the successful.

Al-Hujurat: 15

The (true) believers are those only who believe in Allah and His messenger and afterward doubt not, but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah. Such are the sincere.

Al-Saff: 11

Ye should believe in Allah and His messenger, and should strive for the cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That is better for you, if ye did but know.

Al-Tauba: 44

Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day ask no leave of thee lest they should strive with their wealth and their lives. Allah is Aware of those who keep their duty (unto Him).

Al-Tauba: 81

Those who were left behind rejoiced at sitting still behind the messenger of Allah, and were averse to striving with their wealth and their lives in Allah's way. And they said: Go not forth in the heat! Say: The fire of hell is more intense of heat, if they but understood.

Al-Tauba: 41

Go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah! That is best for you if ye but knew.

Al-Nisa: 95

O ye who believe! When ye go forth (to fight) in the way of Allah, be careful to discriminate, and say not unto one who offereth you peace: "Thou art not a believer," seeking the chance profits of this life (so that ye may despoil him). With Allah are plenteous spoils. Even thus (as he now is) were ye before; but Allah hath since then been gracious unto you. Therefore take care to discriminate. Allah is ever Informed of what ye do.

No doubt that Qital (fighting the enemies) is considered as the summit of Jihad where a man sacrifices with his blood for the sake of Allah. But among the 62 Ayat of Qital, only once is the self mentioned first. This is  Ayah no.111 of Surah Al-Tauba which is as follows:

Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah , so they kill and are killed. [It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur'an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah ? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment.

Why is there a difference between the verse of Surah Al-Tauba and that of all other verses on Jihad? Let us see first why Jihad with money is given such an importance that it takes priority.

1.     Allah wants to prepare the believers for a greater Jihad (which is to involve yourself physically if it comes to defend the Deen of Allah), like those early believers who participated in the battles of Badr, Uhud,  Ahzab, when the small community of the Muslims in Medinah was threatened by the idolaters of Arabia during the times of the Prophet (saw). It was due to the courage and gallantry of the companions of the Prophet (saw) that the onslaught of the idolaters was checked by a smaller force of the Muslims who were true to their faith. You can only reach to that higher target if you have gone through a lesser and easier target. Just like a trainer in archery, who will begin by targeting a closer object before trying at a farther one. Jihad or sacrificing with one’s money is a lot easier than going physically to combat.

2.     Not all the people have the strength, health and courage to participate physically in Jihad. So an avenue should always be left open for them to participate in a financial Jihad to support the cause of Allah and to strengthen the Deen of Allah.

3.     Money is needed for a lot of major activities in any field of life. Even if you have to erect a place of worship on teaching, you need money to accomplish your task. See what the Prophet (saw) has said about building a mosque:

“The one who builds a mosque for the sake of Allah, Allah builds for him a house in the Paradise.”

To reach to the people with the words of Allah in writing, by all means of communication, whether in the form of print or electronic media, is badly required. Nothing can be accomplished without money. Thus a financial Jihad seems to be more required than the physical one.

4.     It is the nature of man to love money, to acquire it, to keep it, to enjoy spending it on his needs and on luxury. To give some of it, just for the cause of Allah without having any reward in the world, is something very hard on the souls.

Beautified for mankind is love of the joys (that come) from women and offspring; and stored-up heaps of gold and silver, and horses branded (with their mark), and cattle and land. That is comfort of the life of the world. Allah! With Him is a more excellent abode. (Aal Imran 14)

We humans are encouraged to treat our charity as a beautiful loan to Allah which is to be returned to him, enormously multiplied by Allah in the Hereafter.

Ye will not attain unto piety until ye spend of that which ye love. And whatsoever ye spend, Allah is Aware thereof. (Aal Imran 92)

 It is reported by Ibn Kathir in his Tafsir that when this verse was revealed, a companion by the name of Abu Al-Dardah, who owned a big garden with six hundred palm trees in it, shouted to his wife, while he was standing at the gate of the garden: “O Umm Dardah! Come out of the Garden. I have loaned it to Allah.” The Prophet (saw) was so pleased with his generous act that he commended him by saying:

“How many sweet and delicious dates await Abu Dardah in  Paradise.”

5.     Now we come to the question regarding the soul taking precedence over money in  verse 111 of Surah Al-Taubah. The answer is simple as Allah has made a contract with his believing servants:

Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah , so they kill and are killed. [It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur'an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah ? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment.

Each contract must have two parties. Money cannot be a party to any contract. So the believers themselves to whom the Paradise is promised, stand as the other party who contracted with Allah for this noble deed i.e. the Jihad with their souls if the need arises to defend their faith, their land, their belongings and all that is dear to them. To engage yourself in a physical combat for defending your faith or land is not unique to Islam. Every people and every nation, whether small or large, whether weak or strong, throughout the history of the mankind, have known such type of Jihad. But Islam approves only that one which is done to support justice, to remove evil and to help the oppressed. To fight for personal glorification or worldly gain is not a Jihad in the way of Allah at all.