The Muslims' Defense of Their Land is Jihad
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Question: Your sons stationed on the front line ask your Eminence: whether they receive the reward of standing guard in the cause of Allah. You know that they face an enemy whose behavior has proven that he respects no covenant and preserves no right. They also ask whether defending the homeland, honor, and property falls under jihad. They also hope for a word of advice for them.
Answer: The Book and the authentic Sunnah have indicated that standing guard at the frontier is jihad in the cause of Allah for the one whose intention Allah has rectified; for Allah the Glorious and Exalted said: [Al Imran: 200], and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Mishkat al-Masabih 3793 narrated by Imam Muslim in his Sahih, and in the two Sahihs, it is reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Sahih al-Bukhari 2892.
And in Sahih al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, it is reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sahih al-Bukhari 907.
There is no doubt that defending the religion, the self, the family, the wealth, the land, and its people is from the prescribed jihad, and whoever is killed in that while being a Muslim is considered a martyr; for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan al-Bayhaqi 15:1003.
We advise you, O you who stand guard on the front line, to fear Allah, to be sincere to Allah in all your deeds, to maintain the five daily prayers in congregation, to increase in the remembrance of Allah , to be steadfast in obedience to Allah and His Messenger, to strive for unity of word and avoid discord, and to be patient and persevere in that with a tranquil soul, good opinion of Allah, and caution against all His sins.
And the most comprehensive verses regarding what we have mentioned is His saying in Surat al-Anfal:[Al-Anfal 8:45] AND OBEY ALLAH AND HIS MESSENGER, AND DO NOT DISCORD, FOR YOU WILL WEAKEN AND YOUR POWER WILL BE LOST, AND BE PATIENT, FOR INDEED ALLAH IS WITH THE PATIENT [Al Anfal: 45-46].
May Allah guide your steps, and keep you firm upon His religion, and grant victory through you and those with you to the truth, and cause the falsehood and its people to fail through you, for He is the One capable of that and able to do it.
Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz
Grand Mufti of the Kingdom
Answer: The Book and the authentic Sunnah have indicated that standing guard at the frontier is jihad in the cause of Allah for the one whose intention Allah has rectified; for Allah the Glorious and Exalted said:
O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اصْبِرُواْ وَصَابِرُواْ وَرَابِطُواْ وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَBeing stationed for a day and a night on the frontier in God’s path is better than fasting a month and spending its nights in prayer. If one dies he will be rewarded for the deeds he was doing, he will be given his provision, and will be safe from him who tests him.
رباط يوم وليلة في سبيل الله خير من صيام شهر وقيامه، وإن مات جرى عليه عمله الذي كان يعمله، وأجرى عليه رزقه، وأمن الفتانTo guard Muslims from infidels in Allah's Cause for one day is better than the world and whatever is on its surface, and a place in Paradise as small as that occupied by the whip of one of you is better than the world and whatever is on its surface; and a morning's or an evening's journey which a slave (person) travels in Allah's Cause is better than the world and whatever is on its surface.
رباط يوم في سبيل الله خير من الدنيا وما عليها، وموضع سوط أحدكم من الجنة خير من الدنيا وما عليها، والروحة يروحها العبد في سبيل الله أو الغدوة خير من الدنيا وما عليهاAnd in Sahih al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, it is reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
Anyone whose feet are covered with dust in Allah's cause, shall be saved by Allah from the Hell-Fire.
من اغبرت قدماه في سبيل الله، حرمه الله على النارThere is no doubt that defending the religion, the self, the family, the wealth, the land, and its people is from the prescribed jihad, and whoever is killed in that while being a Muslim is considered a martyr; for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Whoever is killed defending his religion is a martyr, and whoever is killed defending his wealth is a martyr, and whoever is killed defending his family is a martyr, and whoever is killed defending his blood is a martyr
من قتل دون دينه فهو شهيد، ومن قتل دون ماله فهو شهيد، ومن قتل دون أهله فهو شهيد، ومن قتل دون دمه فهو شهيدWe advise you, O you who stand guard on the front line, to fear Allah, to be sincere to Allah in all your deeds, to maintain the five daily prayers in congregation, to increase in the remembrance of Allah , to be steadfast in obedience to Allah and His Messenger, to strive for unity of word and avoid discord, and to be patient and persevere in that with a tranquil soul, good opinion of Allah, and caution against all His sins.
And the most comprehensive verses regarding what we have mentioned is His saying in Surat al-Anfal:
O you who have believed, when you encounter a company [from the enemy forces], stand firm and remember Allah much that you may be successful.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ إِذَا لَقِيتُمْ فِئَةً فَاثْبُتُواْ وَاذْكُرُواْ اللّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلَحُونَ May Allah guide your steps, and keep you firm upon His religion, and grant victory through you and those with you to the truth, and cause the falsehood and its people to fail through you, for He is the One capable of that and able to do it.
Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz
Grand Mufti of the Kingdom
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.