Boreal

JIHAD IN THE KORAN

Rules and Rewards

Emigrating in the Cause of Allah

8:72 Those who have believed and emigrated and struggled with their wealth and their lives in the Path of Allah, and those who gave refuge and support – those are friends of one another; but those who have believed, yet did not emigrate, you will not be responsible for their protection until they emigrate. Should they seek your support for religion’s sake, you ought to support them, but not against a people with whom you have a compact. Allah is Fully Aware of what you do.

8:73 As to the unbelievers, they are friends of one another. If you do not do this (subdue the unbelievers), there will be great sedition and corruption in the land.

8:74 And those who believed, emigrated and struggled in the Path of Allah, and those who have given refuge and support – those are the true believers. They will have forgiveness and bountiful provision.

8:75 And those who believed afterwards, emigrated and struggle with you – those are part of you. And the blood relatives are closer to one another in Allah’s Book. Allah is truly Cognizant of everything.

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9:20 Those who have believed, emigrated and fought in the Path of Allah with their lives are higher in rank in Allah’s Sight; and those are the winners.

9:21 Their Lord announces to them the good news of a mercy from Him, good pleasure and Gardens wherein they have everlasting bliss;

9:22 Abiding therein forever. With Allah is a great reward.

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9:100 The early Emigrants (the early Muslims who emigrated to Medina) and the Helpers (the Muslims of Medina who supported the Emigrants) and those who followed them up in beneficence – Allah is well-pleased with them, and they are well-pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them Gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein forever. That is the great triumph!

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16:41 To those who emigrated for Allah’s Sake, after they had been oppressed, We shall provide a good life in this world; but the reward of the Hereafter is greater, if only they knew.

16:42 [They are] those who are patient, and in their Lord they put their trust.

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16:110 As for those who emigrated after they had been persecuted, then fought in the Way of Allah and stood fast, your Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.

16:111 The Day every soul shall come pleading for itself, and every soul shall be paid in full for what it did, they shall not be dealt with unjustly.

The previous revelations were meant to encourage converts to Islam to emigrate out of pagan-controlled areas and join Muhammad’s forces at Medina or, conversely, emigrate into areas controlled by the pagan Arabs as a means of weakening the opposition to the Prophet’s takeover of the Peninsula.

Today, these verses are interpreted, as aforementioned, as inviting believers to emigrate where unbelievers are the majority as a means of weakening the opposition in the struggle to get all of mankind to submit to Allah’s Will. This would also be in keeping with the Prophet’s instructions as reported by four trusted narrators:

I charge you with five of what Allah has charged me with; to assemble, to listen, to obey, to immigrate and to wage Jihad for the sake of Allah.

Tirmidi

Migration will continue until the sun rises from the West. Hijra will not be stopped until repentance is cut off, and repentance will not be cut off until the sun rises from the West (on Judgement Day).

Dawud

O people, immigrate, holding on to Islam, for Hijra (migration) is to continue as long as Jihad continues.

Malik

… if you settle then spread out.

Bukhari

Someone’s Gotta Die

In inviting the emigrants to die for Him, God brings a new twist to Talion law.

22:58 And those who emigrated in the Path of Allah, then were killed or died, Allah shall provide them with a fair provision. Allah is surely the Best Provider.

22:59 He will admit them into a place with which they will be well-pleased. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, Clement.

22:60 All that; and he who chastises in the same way he was chastised, then he is wronged, Allah shall support him. Allah is surely a Pardoner, All-Forgiver.

At least two schools of Sharia law disagree on the exact meaning of Revelation 22:60, but both agree that someone’s gotta die; it’s a matter of how, as Moududi explains:

The reference is to those victims of persecution who could fight back. From this verse, Imam Shafi`i has concluded that "retaliation" will be effected in the way as life was taken in the original act. If a person is killed by immersion in water, the killer also should be put to death by immersion in water; or if a person is burnt to death, the killer also will be burnt to death.

The Hanafites dispute this. According to them, retaliation against a murderer will be incurred in one and the same established way no matter how life was taken by the culprit in the original act.