Shariah has laid out different types of jihad. And each type highlights a different aspect of jihad and emphasizes that jihad is not only the name given to Islamic warfare but is a comprehensive approach to living life for Allah’s pleasure. This blog will explain in detail the different types of jihad and Islamic rulings for each one.
Jihad’s Types & Its Obligations
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said, “Anyone who passes away without having fought or even pondering the idea of fighting has died with a form of hypocrisy.”
[Sunan an-Nasa’i 3097]
According to the Shariah, the various types of jihad also differ in their obligations. Some are obligatory on every person accountable, some are obligatory on the community as a whole, and some are mustahabb (preferred). Al-Raghib al-Asbahani, who was a notable Muslim scholar of the fifth century, divided jihad into three types. He said:
“Jihad is of three kinds: the first is jihad against the enemy, the second is jihad against the devil, and the third is jihad against the ego. And all these types of jihad are included in the words of Allah SWT in which he says, “And strive for Allah with the endeavor that is His right.”
[Surah Hajj, Verse 78]
Similarly, a few centuries later, Ibn al-Qayyim (May Allah be pleased with him), said:
“Jihad consists of four types. The first is the jihad against ego, the second is the jihad against the devil, the third is the jihad against disbelievers, and the fourth is the jihad against the hypocrites.”
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) also stated that:
“Jihad is of various types, which include jihad with one’s wealth, jihad with one’s self, jihad by making dua, jihad by guiding and teaching, and jihad by helping to do good. The greatest form of jihad is jihad with one’s self (i.e., fighting). In second place comes the jihad that is done with one’s wealth. Jihad by speaking out and guiding other people. Da’wah (calling people towards Islam) is also a part of jihad.”
Note: If some people take part in the jihad, which is obligatory on the community as a whole, then the rest of the people are excused from the obligation.
Jihad Al-Nafs
Jihad al-nafs, also known as jihad against oneself, is the kind of jihad done against personal wishes. This kind of jihad helps one build self-discipline and ensure he is living in alignment with the Islamic values. Jihad al-nafs is obligatory upon everyone who is accountable. It is of four types.
- Jihad is done by calling people to Islam and teaching those who don’t know it. Otherwise, the person will be among those who hide what Allah has revealed of guidance. This will neither benefit a person nor save him from Allah’s punishment.
- Jihad is done by making oneself act by the knowledge one has of Islam. If one has knowledge of certain things but still doesn’t act on them, it will bring them no benefit.
- Jihad is done in learning the teachings of Islam, without which one won’t be able to achieve success or happiness in both the dunya and the akhirah.
- Jihad is done in patiently bearing the difficulty involved in calling people to Islam and Allah SWT.
If a person achieves all four of these levels, then they will be among the rabbaaniyyeen (learned men of the religion who practice and preach what they know).
Regarding jihad al-nafs, Imam Ibn Taymiyyah stated that:
“The struggle against one’s own ego and desires is fundamental to the struggle against disbelievers and hypocrites. A person must first engage in this inner jihad before taking action against them in the external jihad.”
Jihad Al-Shaytan
Jihad al-shaytan, also known as jihad against the devil, is a kind of jihad done against bad deeds and wishes. This jihad is also obligatory upon everyone who is accountable. It is of two types.
- Jihad is done by warding off the doubts the devil stirs up to undermine one’s faith.
- Jihad is done in warding off the corrupt desires and wishes that come from the devil.
The first type of jihad is done with the certainty of faith, while the second type is done with patience. Because patience wards off desires, while certainty of faith keeps one from falling into unnecessary doubts and questioning every little thing.
Jihad Against Kaffirs and Hypocrites
Jihad against the hypocrites and kaffirs consists of four types.
- Jihad with the tongue.
- Jihad with the heart.
- Jihad with one’s wealth and money.
- Jihad with oneself.
One thing to keep in mind is that jihad against the kaffirs is more like physical jihad, whereas jihad against the hypocrites involves using words and ideas.
Moreover, physical jihad against the kaffirs (non-believers) was divided into three different categories, and each category was based upon the state of the ummah. Regarding this, Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) stated that,
During the beginning of the prophethood of Muhammad PBUH, he was commanded to have patience. Then, he migrated, and Allah SWT gave him permission to fight. After this, Allah SWT commanded him to fight those who fought him and to refrain from fighting those who didn’t fight him. Then, Allah SWT commanded him to fight the mushrikeen so that Islam could spread.
After jihad was enjoined on the Prophet PBUH, the kaffirs were of three categories:
- First were the kaffirs with whom Prophet PBUH had a truce or a peace treaty.
- Second were the kaffirs with whom Muhammad PBUH, was at war.
- And the third category of kaffirs were those who lived under the protection and rule of the Islamic estate.
Offensive vs. Defensive Jihad
Offensive jihad refers to the kind of jihad that aims to protect the freedom of calling people to Islam. It also aims to defend those who are facing oppression and injustice. The main aim of offensive jihad is to communicate the message of Islam without any compulsion.
Defensive jihad refers to the kind of jihad that is done when an attack is launched against Islam, the ummah, the country, the society, or a person. The shariah ruling that justifies this kind of jihad ceases as soon as the attack is stopped.
Fard e Ayn Vs Fard e Kafaayah
The ruling of Islam on jihad against kaffirs is that it is obligatory on the community as a whole, which means that it is a fard e Kafaayah. Ibn Qudaamah said that,
‘Fard e Kafaayah is a fard that if it is not undertaken by enough people, then the whole community is committing a sin. But if enough people do undertake fard e Kafaayah, then the rest of the community is not sinning and will be relieved of the blame. On the other hand, fard e Ayn is a fard that is obligatory on each person (given that they fulfill all requirements for being held accountable). In the case of fard e Ayn. even if some people undertake it, the obligation still stands on each individual person.”
Is Jihad Fard e Kafaayah
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz said:
‘We have clarified on several occasions that jihad is considered to be fard e Kafaayah and not fard e Ayn. It is the duty of all Muslims to support fellow Muslims by engaging in jihad, by spending their money, by providing weapons, or by giving advice and calling people to Islam. If enough Muslims go out and fight, then the rest won’t be sinners, but if nobody goes out to fight, then all will be sinners.’