✦ A reading path: 15 of the Emir’s 372 mawāqif, “The Emir’s halts: law and light”. Vowels, roots and English: AI; not reviewed by a person; the English was compared with a specialist translation for three of the fifteen only (7, 30, 246; the other twelve have none to check against). How the text was made.

al-Amīr ʿAbd al-Qādir b. Muḥyī al-Dīn al-Jazāʾirī · Kitāb al-Mawāqif fī baʿḍ ishārāt al-Qurʾān ilā al-asrār wa-l-maʿārif

المواقف

The Book of Stations

Mawqif 73 · The lesser and the greater jihad
Context: this station limits war; it does not renounce it. It is not pacifism, and it is not a licence for violence. Read it whole.
See the print: Damascus 1966, p. 144, Damascus 1966, p. 145, Damascus 1966, p. 146, Cairo, vol. 1, PDF p. 149, Cairo, vol. 1, PDF p. 150, Cairo, vol. 1, PDF p. 151 (archive.org)
¶ 202
قَالَ- عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ-: «رَجَعْنَا مِنَ الْجِهَادِ الْأَصْغَرِ اِلَى الْجِهَادِ الْأَكْبَرِ»•
He said (blessing and peace be upon him): “We have returned from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad.”
AI
About the vowels: added by AI; uncertain words are underlined
The source of this text, a printed edition or a manuscript, has few or no vowel marks, as is usual for such texts. The vowels shown were added by AI and checked against an independent grammatical analyser; the few words where the two disagree are underlined as uncertain. Choose “Unvowelled” under Aa to read the letters alone.
¶ 203
أَخْرَجَهُ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ، وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: «رَجَعْتُمْ» خِطَاباً لِأَصْحَابِهِالْكِرَامِ- رِضْوَانُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ-
Al-Bayhaqī transmitted it. In one version it reads “You have returned”, addressed to his noble Companions (God's good pleasure be upon them).
AI
¶ 204
وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: «رَجَعْنَا مِنَ الْجِهَادِ الْأَصْغَرِ اِلَى الْغَزْوَةِ الْكُبْرَى»•
In another version: “We have returned from the lesser jihad to the greater campaign.”
AI
¶ 205
يُرِيدُ- صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- بِالْجِهَادِ الْأَصْغَرِ؟ جِهَادَ الْكُفَّارِ بِالْأَبْيَضِ وَالْأَسْمَرِ•
By “the lesser jihad” he (God bless him and give him peace) means fighting the unbelievers with the white and the tawny,
AI
¶ 206
وَبِالْجِهَادِ الْأَكْبَرِ؟ جِهَادَ النَّفْسِ بِالتَّزْكِيَةِ وَالتَّخْلِيَةِ وَالتَّحْلِيَةِ،
and by “the greater jihad” he means the struggle with the soul through purification, emptying and adorning.
AI
¶ 207
وَاِنَّمَا سَمَّىً- عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ- جِهَادَ الْكُفَّارِ بِالْأَصْغَرِ• مَعَ أَنَّ فِيهِ اِهْلَاكَ النَّفْسِ• وَتَفْوِيتَ الْحَيَاةِ الْحَاضِرَةِ رَأْساً،
He (peace be upon him) called fighting the unbelievers “the lesser”, even though it involves destroying oneself and losing present life altogether,
AI
¶ 208
اِذِ الْغَالِبُ عَلَى مَنِ انْغَمَسَ فِي الْعَدُوِّ، وَرَمَى نَفْسَهُبَيْنَهُمْ؟ الْمَوْتُ، اِلاَّ الْقَلِيلَ النَّادِرَ،
since what usually befalls one who plunges into the enemy and throws himself among them is death, except for the rare few;
AI
¶ 209
وَلِذَا مَا عُرِفَ بِالشَّجَاعَةِ وَذُكِرَ بِالْاِقْدَامِ- مَعَ كَثْرَةِ الْمُقَاتِلِينَ- اِلَّا الْقَلِيلُ-•
and for this reason, though fighters are many, only a few have become known for courage and renowned for daring.
AI
¶ 210
وَاِنَّمَا سَمَّىً- عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ- جِهَادَ النَّفْسِ بِالْأَكْبَرِ، مَعَ أَنَّ الْغَالِبَ فِيهِ عَدَمُ تَفْوِيتِ الْحَيَاةِ الْحَاضِرَةِ بِالْمَوْتِ،
And he (blessing and peace be upon him) called the struggle with the soul “the greater”, even though in it present life is usually not lost through death;
AI
¶ 211
وَاِنَّمَا فِيهِ تَفْوِيتُ رَاحَةٍ وَشَهَوَاتٍ، وَتَهْذِيبُ أَخْلَاقٍ، وَتَبْدِيلُ أَحْوَالٍ ذَمِيمَةٍ، بِأَخْلَاقٍ جَمِيلَةٍ•
it only involves giving up comfort and desires, refining character, and exchanging blameworthy states for beautiful traits.
AI
¶ 212
فَاِمَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ ذَلِكَ، لِكَوْنِ جِهَادِ الْعَدُوِّ الْكَافِرِ؛ لَايَكُونُ خَالِصاً مُخْلَصاً مِنَ الشَّوَائِبِ الْمُفْسِدَةِ وَالْحُظُوظِ الْمُبْعِدَةِ؛ اِلاَّ بِجِهَادِ النَّفْسِ وَتَهْذِيبِهَا وَتَزْكِيَتِهَا،
Either this is because fighting the unbelieving enemy is not pure, and not purified of corrupting admixtures and of self-interests that put one at a distance, except through the struggle with the soul, its refinement and its purification;
AI
¶ 213
وَاِلاَّ فَلَا يَخْلُصُ جِهَادُ الْمُجَاهِدِ، بَلْ وَلَا عَمَلٌ مِنَ الْأَعْمَالِ الصَّالِحَةِ مَادَامَتِ النَّفْسُ حَيَّةً مُتَلَطِّخَةً بِالْخَبَائِثِ،
otherwise the fighter's jihad is not pure, nor indeed is any righteous work, as long as the soul is alive and smeared with foulness.
AI
¶ 214
فَجِهَادُ النَّفْسِ أَكْبَرُ، لِكَوْنِهِ شَرْطاً فِي صِحَّةِ جِهَادِ الْعَدُوِّ الْأَكْبَرِ•
So the struggle with the soul is greater, because it is a condition for the validity of the jihad against the greater enemy.
AI
¶ 215
وَالشَّرْطُ مُقَدَّمٌ، فَهُوَ أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْمَشْرُوطِ، لِأَنَّ قَبُولَهُ وَصِحَّتَهُ بِوُجُودِهِ مَرْبُوطٌ•
A condition comes first, so it is greater than what it conditions, because the latter's acceptance and validity are bound to the condition's existence.
AI
¶ 216
وَاِمَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ– عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ– سَمَّى جِهَادَ الْعَدُوِّ الْكَافِرِ أَصْغَرَ، بِاعْتِبَارِ مُقْتَحِمِيهِ الْخَائِضِينَ فِيهِ•
Or else he (blessing and peace be upon him) called fighting the unbelieving enemy “lesser” with regard to those who rush into it and wade in it.
AI
¶ 217
فَاِنَّهُ لَيْسَ كُلُّ مَنْ قَاتَلَ؛ مُجَاهِداً حَقِيقَةً•
For not everyone who fights is truly a mujāhid,
AI
¶ 218
لِأَنَّ مُصَابَرَةَ الْعَدُوِّ؛ تَكُونُ مِنَ الْبَـرِّ وَالْفَاجِرِ، بَلْ وَمِنَ الْمُنَافِقِ وَالْكَافِرِ،
because holding firm against the enemy comes from the righteous and the wicked, and indeed from the hypocrite and the unbeliever.
AI
¶ 219
وَانْظُرْ جَوَابَهُ– عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ– لِلَّذِي قَالَ لَهُ: «يَارَسُولَ اللَّهِ!! الرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ حَمِّيَةً، وَالرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ لِيُرَى مَكَانُهُ، وَالرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ لِيُذْكَرَ••••» الْحَدِيثَ•
Consider his answer (blessing and peace be upon him) to the man who said to him: “O Messenger of God! A man fights out of zealotry, a man fights so that his standing may be seen, a man fights so that he may be talked of…” (the ḥadīth).
AI
¶ 220
وَهُوَ فِي صَحِيحِ الْبُخَارِيِّ،
It is in the Ṣaḥīḥ of al-Bukhārī.
AI
¶ 221
فَأَجَابَ– عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ– بِأَنَّ مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا؛ فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ•
He (blessing and peace be upon him) answered that whoever fights so that God's word may be the highest is in the way of God.
AI
¶ 222
فَهَؤُلَاءِ أَصْنَافٌ تَلَبَّسُوا بِالْجِهَادِ ظَاهِراً، وَلَيْسَ الْمُجَاهِدُ حَقِيقَةً اِلاَّ وَاحِداً•
These are kinds of people who took on jihad outwardly, yet only one of them is truly a mujāhid.
AI
¶ 223
فَمَا كُلُّ مُقَاتِلٍ لِلْعَدُوِّ الْكَافِرِ سَعِيدٌ ، وَلاَ كُلُّ مَقْتُولٍ فِيهِ شَهِيدٌ •
¶ 224
وَقَضِيَّةُ قُزْمَانَ الْوَارِدَةُ فِي الصَّحِيحِ ؛ أَكْبَرُ دَلِيلٍ •
¶ 225
وَأَمَّا جِهَادُ النَّفْسِ الَّذِي سَمَّاهُ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – أَكْبَرَ ؛ فَهُوَ جِهَادٌ مَخْصُوصٌ ، بِقَوْمٍ مَخْصُوصِينَ ، اهْتَدَوْا بِأَنْوَارِ الْهِدَايَةِ ، وَسَبَقَتْ لَهُمْ مِنَ الْحَقِّ الْعِنَايَةُ ،
¶ 226
فَلَا يَخُوضُ غَمَرَاتِ هَذَا الْجِهَادِ اِلاَّ مُوَفَّقٌ سَعِيدٌ ، يَمْشِي عَلَى الْأَرْضِ حَيَّاً وَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ •
¶ 227
فَفِي الْحَدِيثِ اِشَارَةٌ اِلَى أَنَّ جِهَادَ الْكُفَّارِ ؛ لَايُمَيِّزُ الْمَقْتُولَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ–تَعَالَى– «الْمَرْضِيَّ» مِنَ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِ الشَّقِيِّ ،
¶ 228
بِخِلَافِ الْجِهَادِ الْأَكْبَرِ ، فَاِنَّهُ عُنْوَانُ السَّعَادَةِ ، وَالسَّبَبُ فِي حُصُولِ الْحُسْنَى وَالزِّيَادَةِ•
¶ 229
فَلَا يَتَلَبَّسُ بِهِ اِلاَّ مُؤْمِنٌ تَقِيٌّ ، وَصِدِّيقٌ صَفِيِّ ، فَهُوَ لِهَذَا أَكْبَرُ •
¶ 230
وَاَمَّا أَنَّهُ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – سَمَّى جِهَادَ الْكُفَّارِ أَصْغَرَ، لِكَوْنِ جِهَادِ الْكُفَّارِ وَقَتْلِهِمْ ؛ لَيْسَ مَقْصُوداً لِلشَّارِعِ بِالذَّاتِ •
¶ 231
اِذْ لَيْسَ الْمَقْصُودُ مِنَ الْجِهَادِ اِهْلَاكَ مَخْلُوقَاتِ اللَّهِ وَاِعْدَامَهُمْ ، وَهَدْمَ بُنْيَانِ الرَّبِّ–تَعَالَى–، وَتَخْرِيبَ بِلَادِهِ •
¶ 232
فَاِنَّهُ ضِدُّ الْحِكْمَةِ الْآلَهِيَّةِ •
¶ 233
فَاِنَّ الْحَقَّ – تَعَالَى – مَا خَلَقَ شَيْئاً فِي السَّمَٰوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَفِي مَا بَيْنَهُمَا عَبَثاً •
¶ 234
وَمَا خَلَقَ الْجِنَّ وَالْاِنْسَ اِلَّا لِعِبَادَتِهِ ، وَهُمْ عَابِدُونَ لَهُ ، عَرَفَ ذَلِكَ مَنْ عَرَفَهُ ، وَجَهِلَهُ مَنْ جَهِلَهُ ،
¶ 235
وَاِنَّمَا مَقْصُودُ الشَّارِعِ ؛ دَفْعُ شَرِّ الْكُفَّارِ وَقَطْعُ أَذَاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ •
¶ 236
لِأَنَّ شَوْكَةَ الْكُفَّارِ اِذَا قَوِيَتْ ؛ أَضَرَّتْ بِالْمُسْلِمِينَ فِي دِينِهِمْ وَدُنْيَاهُمْ ، كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى : « وَلَوْلاَ دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَهُدِّمَتْ صَوَامِعُ » .
¶ 237
وَقَالَ تَعَالَى : « وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضُهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَفَسَدَتِ الْأَرْضُ » .
¶ 238
وَاِهْلَاكُ الْمَفْضُولِ لِلْاِبْقَاءِ عَلَى الْفَاضِلِ ؛ عَيْنُ الْعَدْلِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ ، كَقَطْعِ الْعُضْوِ الْمُتَآكِلِ ، مَعَ عِصْمَتِهِ ، لِلْاِبْقَاءِ عَلَى الْبَدَنِ كُلِّهِ •
¶ 239
فَلَوْ فُرِضَ أَنَّهُ لَا يَلْحَقُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَذًى مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ ، مَا أُبِيحَ قَتْلُهُمْ ، فَضْلاً عَنِ التَّقَرُّبِ بِهِ اِلَى الْحَقِّ – تَعَالَى – •
¶ 240
وَلِذَا لَايَجُوزُ قِتَالُهُمْ قَبْلَ الدَّعْوَةِ اِلَى الْاِسْلَامِ ، ثُمَّ اِلَى الْجِزْيَةِ •
¶ 241
فَاِنْ أَطَاعُوا بِالْجِزْيَةِ حَرُمَ قِتَالُهُمْ •
¶ 242
وَمَا ذَلِكَ اِلاَّ أَنَّ السَّلَامَةَ مِنْ شَرِّهِمْ وَأَذَاهُمْ صَارَتْ مُحَقَّقَةً •
¶ 243
وَلِذَا لَايَجُوزُ قَتْلُ النِّسَاءِ وَالصِّبْيَانِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَبْلُغُوا الْحُلُمَ ، وَلَا الرُّهْبَانِ ،
¶ 244
بِخِلَافِ جِهَادِ النَّفْسِ وَتَزْكِيَتِهَا ، فَاِنَّهُ مَقْصُودٌ لِذَاتِهِ •
¶ 245
اِذْ فِي جِهَادِهَا تَزْكِيَتُهَا ، وَفِي تَزْكِيَتِهَا فَلَاحُهَا وَمَعْرِفَةُ رَبِّهَا •
¶ 246
وَالْمَعْرِفَةُ هِيَ الْمَقْصُودَةُ بِالْحُبِّ الْآلَهِيِّ فِي الْاِيجَادِ : « وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنْسَ إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُونِ » .
¶ 247
قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ : اِلاَّ لِيَعْرِفُونِ ، اِذِ الْعِبَادَةُ فَرْعٌ عَنِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ •
¶ 248
وَلَا رَيْبَ أَنَّ الْمَقْصُودَ لِذَاتِهِ ؛ أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْمَقْصُودِ لِغَيْرِهِ •

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