The Shari'ah Commandment of Jihad 0091, 0092

FIQH: AHLUS SUNNAH WAL JAMA'AH -
TRADITIONAL SHAFI'I SCHOOL OF JURISPRUDENCE


THE OBLIGATORY CHARACTER OF JIHAD

Jihad is a communal obligation i.e. Fardhu Kifayah. When enough people perform it to successfully accomplish it, it is no longer obligatory upon others.

The evidence for this is the Prophet Muhammad SAW's saying:

"He who provides the equipment for a soldier in Jihad has himself performed Jihad."


Allah Most High says:

"Those of the Believers who are unhurt but sit behind are not equal to those who fight in Allah's path with their property and lives. Allah has preferred those who fight with their property and lives a whole degree above those who sit behind. And to each, Allah has promised great good." (Surah 4: Ayat 95)

If none of those concerned perform Jihad, and as a result - the Jihad does not happen at all, then everyone who is aware that it is obligatory is guilty of sin, if there was a possibility of having performed it.

During the time of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, Jihad was a communal obligation after his Hijrah (emigration) to Madinah. As for subsequent times, there are two possible states in respect to non-Muslims:

1. The first is when they are in their own countries, in which case Jihad is a communal obligation, and this is what is meant by the phrase - "Jihad is a communal obligation" - meaning that it is Fardhu Kifayah upon the Muslims each year.

2. The second state is when non-Muslims invade a Muslim country or near to one, in which case Jihad is personally obligatory upon the inhabitants of that country, who must repel the non-Muslims with whatever they can.

Jihad is personally obligatory upon all those present in the battle lines, and to flee is a major sin, provided one is able to fight. If one is unable, e.g. because of illness or the death of one's mount when not able to fight on foot, or because one no longer has a weapon, then one may leave. One may also leave if the opposing non-Muslim army is more than twice the size of the Muslim force.