Kinds of Jihad (struggle)

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الْجِهَادِ سُنَّةٌ أَمْ فَرِيضَةٌ فَقَالَ الْجِهَادُ عَلَى أَرْبَعَةِ أَوْجُهٍ فَجِهَادَانِ فَرْضٌ وَ جِهَادٌ سُنَّةٌ لَا يُقَامُ إِلَّا مَعَ الْفَرْضِ فَأَمَّا أَحَدُ الْفَرْضَيْنِ فَمُجَاهَدَةُ الرَّجُلِ نَفْسَهُ عَنْ مَعَاصِي اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ هُوَ مِنْ أَعْظَمِ الْجِهَادِ وَ مُجَاهَدَةُ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَكُمْ مِنَ الْكُفَّارِ فَرْضٌ وَ أَمَّا الْجِهَادُ الَّذِي هُوَ سُن

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), It Jihad Sunnah (optional) or obligatory?’ He replied, ‘Jihad is of four kinds. Two kinds of Jihad are obligatory and there is an optional Jihad which cannot be established without obligatory Jihad. ‘Of the two obligatory Jihad is one’s Jihad (struggle) aga

سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ أَبِي ص عَنْ حُرُوبِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع وَ كَانَ السَّائِلُ مِنْ مُحِبِّينَا فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع بَعَثَ اللَّهُ مُحَمَّداً ص بِخَمْسَةِ أَسْيَافٍ ثَلَاثَةٌ مِنْهَا شَاهِرَةٌ فَلَا تُغْمَدُ حَتَّى تَضَعَ الْحَرْبُ أَوْزارَها وَ لَنْ‌ تَضَعَ الْحَرْبُ أَوْزارَها حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا[2] فَإِذَا طَلَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا آمَنَ النَّاسُ كُلُّهُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ الْ

Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that once a man asked my father (a.s.), about the wars in which Amir al-Mu’minin, had taken part. The man asking the question was of our followers. Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), replied, ‘Allah sent Muhammad (a.s.), with five swords. Three of them are taken out of their sheath and they are not shea

مَرْحَباً بِقَوْمٍ قَضَوُا الْجِهَادَ الْأَصْغَرَ وَ بَقِيَ الْجِهَادُ الْأَكْبَرُ قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص وَ مَا الْجِهَادُ الْأَكْبَرُ قَالَ جِهَادُ النَّفْسِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah once mobilized a group of people against the enemy. When they returned back he said, ’I welcome a people who have just come back after completion of the minor Jihad and who yet have to complete the major Jihad.’ Someone then asked, ‘What is the major Jihad, O

قُلْتُ لَهُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الدُّعَاءِ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ الْجِهَادِ فِي سَبِيلِهِ أَ هُوَ لِقَوْمٍ لَا يَحِلُّ إِلَّا لَهُمْ وَ لَا يَقُومُ بِهِ إِلَّا مَنْ كَانَ مِنْهُمْ أَمْ هُوَ مُبَاحٌ لِكُلِّ مَنْ وَحَّدَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ آمَنَ بِرَسُولِهِ ص وَ مَنْ كَانَ كَذَا فَلَهُ أَنْ يَدْعُوَ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ إِلَى طَاعَتِهِ وَ أَنْ يُجَاهِدَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَقَالَ ذَلِكَ لِقَوْمٍ لَا يَحِلُّ إِلَّا

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Bakr ibn Salih from al-Qasim ibn Burayd from abu ‘ Amr al-Zubayriy who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘ Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, ‘Instruct me about calling to Allah and Jihad for His cause. Is it only for a certain group beside