The Book of Jihad

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "A slave who worships his Rubb (Allah) well and discharges efficiently and faithfully the duties which are assigned to him by his master, will have a double reward."[Al-Bukhari].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Three kinds of people will have a double reward: A man from the People of the Book who believes in his Prophet and (also) believes in Muhammad; a slave who discharges properly the duties towards Allah and towards his master; and a man who possesses a slave-girl and teaches her manners, educates her well, and frees her and then marries her."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

[Muslim].

A man demanded of the Prophet (ﷺ) for repayment of a loan and was harsh to him. His Companions were about to attack him, but he (ﷺ) said, "Leave him, as the creditor is entitled to make a demand. Give him a camel of the same age as the camel that is due to him." They said: "We find a better camel senior to it in age." He (ﷺ) said, "Then buy it and give it to him; verily the best of you is the one who is the best in discharging his obligations (repayment of loans)."[Al- Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "May Allah show mercy to a man who adopts a kind attitude when he sells, buys and demands for the repayment of loans."[Al-Bukhari].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who likes Allah to deliver him from the calamities of the Day of Resurrection, let him either give respite to a debtor or grant him remission (of loans) in straitened circumstances."[Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "There was a person who used to loan money to the people and he used to say to his servant: 'When an insolvent person comes to you, show him leniency so that Allah may forbear our faults.' So when he met Allah (i.e., when he died), Allah forgave him."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "A person from amongst the people who lived before you was called to account by Allah on the Day of Resurrection. No good deeds were found in his credit except that he being a rich man had (financial) dealings with people and had commanded his servants to show leniency to those who were in straitened circumstances. Upon this Allah, the Exalted, and Majestic said: 'I am more entitled to this attribute, so waive (his faults)."'[Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "A slave of Allah whom He had endowed with wealth, will be brought before Him. Allah will ask him: 'What did you do in the world?' (They cannot conceal anything from Allah.) He will say: 'O my Rubb, You endowed me with Your wealth; I used to enter into transactions with people and it was my nature to be lenient to the insolvent ones. I used to give respite to those who were in straitened circumstances.' Whereupon Allah will say: 'I am more entitled than you to do this. So forgive my slave'." 'Uqbah bin 'Amir and Abu Mas'ud Al- Ansari (May Allah be pleased with them) said, "Thus we heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)."[Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who gives respite to someone who is in straitened circumstances, or grants him remission, Allah will shelter him in the shade of His Throne, on the Day of Resurrection, when there will be no shade except its shade."[At- Tirmidhi].

The Prophet (ﷺ) purchased a camel from me and weighed more than its price.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Makhramah Al-'Abdi and I procured some drapery from Hajar and brought them to Makkah. The Prophet (ﷺ) came and bargained with us for some trousers and we sold them to him. We had a person who weighed the cloth in order to fix the price. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "Weigh and add a little to it."[Abu Dawud and At- Tirmidhi].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked, "Which deed is the best?" He (ﷺ) replied, "Faith in Allah and His Messenger." He (ﷺ) was asked, "What is next?" He (ﷺ) replied, "Jihad (holy fighting) in the Cause of Allah." Then he was asked: "What is after that (in goodness)?" He (ﷺ) replied, "Hajj Mabrur (which is accepted by Allah)."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "Which action is dearest to Allah?" He (ﷺ) replied, "Performing As-Salat (the prayer) at its earliest fixed time." I asked, "What is next (in goodness)?" He (ﷺ) said, "Kindness towards parents." I asked, "What is next (in goodness)?" He (ﷺ) said, "To participate in Jihad in the Cause of Allah."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked: "Which deed is the best?" He (ﷺ) replied, "Faith in Allah and Jihad (fighting, struggle) in the Cause of Allah."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Verily! Setting out in the early morning or in the evening in order to fight in Allah's way is better than the world and what it contains."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

A man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said, "Who is the best among men?" He (ﷺ) replied, "A believer who strives in the way of Allah with his wealth and life." The man asked again, "Who is next to him (in excellence)?" He (ﷺ) said, "Next to him is a man who is engaged in worshipping his Rubb in a mountain valley, leaving the people secure from his mischief."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Observing Ribat (e.g., guarding the Islamic frontier for the sake of Allah) for a single day is far better than the world and all that it contains. A place in Jannah as small as the whip of your horse is far better than the world and all that it contains. An endeavour (fighting) in the Cause of Allah in the evening or in the morning is far better than the world and all that it contains."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying, "Observing Ribat in the way of Allah for a day and a night is far better than observing Saum (fasting) for a whole month and standing in Salat (prayer) in all its nights. If a person dies (while performing this duty), he will go on receiving his reward for his meritorious deeds perpetually, and he will be saved from Al- Fattan."[Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The actions of every dead person come to a halt with his death except the one who is on the frontier in Allah's way (i.e., observing Ribat). This latter's deeds will be made to go on increasing for him till the Day of Resurrection, and he will be secure from the trials in the grave."[Abu Dawud and At- Tirmidhi].