- See the Bukhari hadith “Book of Fighting for the Cause of Allah
(Jihaad)”, https://sunnah.com/bukhari/56/. This core text of Islam talks of
jihad as battles, killing, martyrdom, booty and the spoils of war (slaves
and loot), mutilated bodies, swords and arrows and spears and shields,
Muslims leaving Paradise for the pious joy of being killed in wars for
Islam over and over and over, women giving birth to a hundred children
who will grow up to die killing for Islam, bravery and cowardice in battle
(with Mohammed being the bravest in battle), how even murderers are
forgiven and can get to Paradise provided they die in wars for Islam, how
jihad is a life-long effort, how those who prepare a Muslim for
martyrdom and then look after his offspring will be rewarded as if they
were martyred themselves, of armies and even naval battles. Perhaps the
only exception with regard to the command for Muslims to interpret jihad
as warfare, is in relation to Muslim women, where the best jihad for them
is to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca (although the women also nursed
the injured in battle). The text says that those later generations who have
an unbroken continuity of soldiers who can be traced back to those who
fought in battle alongside Mohammed will be assured victory (Sahih al-
Bukhari 2897). There is nothing in the entire book of hadiths on Jihad
about struggle that is not about warfare, including letters being sent to
peoples far away from Arabia (Rome, Constantinople) telling them to
submit to Islam or face the armies of Islam. ↵
dana p.
(Dana P.)
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