Its Shari’ah, Stupid #8

This is the eighth in a series of posts quoting Fiqh concerning offensive Jihad.

Ibn Qudama, d. 1223, hanbali. Cit. ur. Henri Laoust, Le précis de droit d’Ibn Qudama […] (Beirut 1950), s. 273-6, 281.

Legal war (jihad) is an obligatory social duty (fard kifaya); when one group of Muslims guarantees that it is being carried out in a satisfactory manner, the others are exempted. The jihad becomes a strictly binding personal duty (fard ain) for all Muslims who are enlisted or whose country has been [invaded] by the enemy. It is obligatory only for free men who have reached puberty, are endowed with reason and capable of fighting. Jihad is the best of the works of supererogation.

This Hanbali Fiqh is congruent with the Shafi’ite, compare it to Reliance of the Traveller, Book O9. Take due notice of the following points in this quote.

• Offensive Jihad is a collective obligation, binding on the Ummah until enough men answer the call.
• Defensive Jihad is an individual obligation, binding on all able bodied Muslims of full age and reason.
• Jihad is the best of extra credit good works for Brownie  Points from Allah.