The Exegesis of the Saying of Allah the Exalted: “Not equal are those who sit among the believers, other than those who have a valid excuse, and those who strive in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their selves. Allah has preferred the strivers with their wealth and their selves over those who sit by a degree. And Allah has promised both the best, and Allah has preferred the strivers over those who sit with a great reward: degrees from Him, and forgiveness and mercy. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.”

The Reciter: “Allah the Exalted said:

⁽⁹⁵⁾ Not equal are those believers remaining [at home] - other than the disabled - and the mujahideen, [who strive and fight] in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives. Allah has preferred the mujahideen through their wealth and their lives over those who remain [behind], by degrees. And to both Allah has promised the best [reward]. But Allah has preferred the mujahideen over those who remain [behind] with a great reward - ⁽⁹⁶⁾ Degrees [of high position] from Him and forgiveness and mercy. And Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.

لا يستوي القاعدون من المؤمنين غير أولي الضرر والمجاهدون في سبيل الله بأموالهم وأنفسهم فضل الله المجاهدين بأموالهم وأنفسهم على القاعدين درجة وكلًّا وعد الله الحسنى وفضل الله المجاهدين على القاعدين أجرًا عظيمًا * درجات منه ومغفرة ورحمة وكان الله غفورًا رحيمًا

[An-Nisa 4:95-96]

And He the Exalted said:

⁽¹⁰⁾ O you who have believed, shall I guide you to a transaction that will save you from a painful punishment? ⁽¹¹⁾ [It is that] you believe in Allah and His Messenger and strive in the cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That is best for you, if you should know. ⁽¹²⁾ He will forgive for you your sins and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence. That is the great attainment. ⁽¹³⁾ And [you will obtain] another [favor] that you love - victory from Allah and an imminent conquest; and give good tidings to the believers.

يا أيها الذين آمنوا هل أدلكم على تجارة تنجيكم من عذاب أليم * تؤمنون بالله ورسوله وتجاهدون في سبيل الله بأموالكم وأنفسكم ذلكم خير لكم إن كنتم تعلمون * يغفر لكم ذنوبكم ويدخلكم جنات تجري من تحتها الأنهار ومساكن طيبة في جنات عدن ذلك الفوز العظيم * وأخرى تحبونها نصر من الله وفتح قريب وبشر المؤمنين

[As-Saf 61:10-13]

”.

The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The author, al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him), cited the verses on jihad in his book *Riyad al-Salihin* in the chapter on the Book of Jihad and its Virtue. We have previously discussed several verses, and we will now discuss the ones he mentioned in the saying of Allah the Exalted: meaning: Not equal are those who sit and those who strive. The negation of equality is apparent, because the striver has offered his wealth and his self for Allah Mighty and Majestic, while the one who sits remains sitting, except for what Allah Mighty and Majestic excluded in His saying: meaning: other than those who suffer harm if they go to jihad. They are three categories mentioned by Allah the Exalted in His saying: and also those who do not find what to spend, or who are weak in their bodies, as Allah the Exalted said: The third category is those who sit to deepen their understanding of the religion, as Allah the Exalted said: meaning: and a group sat So these are three categories: those with a valid excuse, the weak who do not find wealth, and the third, those who sit to deepen their understanding of the religion. These people are excused, either because there is a benefit in their remaining that is higher than the benefit of jihad, such as those who sit to deepen their understanding of the religion, or because of an excuse that prevents them from going to jihad. And His saying: means that the strivers are superior. In this verse, there is a negation of equality among the believers, indicating that the believers are not equal. Similarly, Allah the Exalted said: The negation of equality is frequent in the Noble Qur'an: and there are many verses.