Hassan al-Banna's "On Jihad," Part 5

A Study of Hassan al-Banna's "On Jihad"
Part 5

Muslim Brotherhood founder Hassan al-Banna published his treatise "On Jihad" in the late 1930s.  In his book on the group, Brynjar Lia notes that the treatise eventually "became a required part of the Muslim Brothers' curriculum."  This translation comes from Wendell's 1977 collection, Five Tracts of Hasan Al-Banna (1906-1949), and is the only one available that has not been sanitized for Western audiences.

Al-Banna here continues his list of supporting ahadith. This list section he builds on the fourth hadith (see previous post) by focusing on the beauty of Paradise and various "distinguishing characteristics of the martyr."

(5) On the authority of 'Abd Allah b. Abl Awfa (May God be pleased with him!): "The Apostle of God (May God bless and save him') said: 'Know ye that Paradise lies in the shadow of the swords.'" Published by the Two Shaykhs and Abu Da'ud.

(6) On the authority of Zayd b. Khalid al-Juhani (May God be pleased with him!): "The Apostle of God (May God bless and save him!) said: 'He who outfits a warrior in the way of God Almighty has himself gone on campaign; and he who has supported a warrior [i.e., his family] in God's way through an act of benevolence, has himself gone on campaign.'" Transmitted by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Da'ud and Al-Tirmidhi.
That is to say: "he obtains the reward for it."

(7) On the authority of Abu Hurayra (May God be pleased with him!), who said: "The Apostle of God (May God bless and save him!) said: 'He who makes the endowment of a horse in God's way out of faith in God and belief in His promise [will find] the amount of fodder required to feed it, the amount of water required to water it, and its dung placed in his balance on the Day of Resurrection.'" Transmitted by Al-Bukhari.
[And like the horse, all paraphernalia [given] in the way of God.]

(8) On the authority of Abu Hurayra (May God be pleased with him!). Some said: "0 Apostle of God, what is equal [in merit] to the Jihad in God's way?" He said: "You cannot do it." But they brought up the same thing before him two or three times more, and he said: "You cannot do it." Then he said: "The equal of the fighter in God's way is he who fasts standing and reciting God's verses, without interrupting his fast or his prayers, until the fighter in God's way returns"
In the Six Books except for [that of] Abu Da'ud.

(9) On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (May God be pleased with him!), who said: "The Apostle of God (May God bless and save him!) said: 'Shall I tell you who is the best of men and who is the worst? Among the best of men is he who toils in God's way on the back of his horse or camel, or on foot, until death comes to him. And among the worst of men is he who reads the Book of God Almighty, and remains unregenerate.'" Transmitted by Al-Nasa'i.
    "he remains unregenerate" = he does not check himself, nor does he admonish and reprove himself.

(10) On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas (May God be pleased with him!), who said: "I heard the Apostle of God (May God bless and save him!) say: 'There are two eyes which the Fire shall not touch: the eye which wept for fear of God, and the eye which passed the night on guard in the way of God Almighty.'" From Al-Tirmidhi.

(11) On the authority of Abu 'Umayra (May God be pleased with him!), who said: "The Apostle of God (May God bless and save him!) said: 'That I be slain in God's way is more pleasing to me than that all "the people of clay and hair" come over to me.'" Published by Al-Nasa'i.

(12) On the authority of Rashid b. Sa'd (May God be pleased with him!), on the authority of one of the Companions, that a man said: "O Apostle of God, how is it that the believers will be put to the test in their graves, except for the martyr?" And he said: "The glittering of swords over his head is test enough for him!" Published by Al-Nasa'i.
    This is one of the special distinctions of the martyr in battle, and just how many such distinctions there are will come out in what follows. Now listen!

(13) On the authority of Abu Hurayra (May God be pleased with him!): "The Apostle of God (May God bless and save him!) said: 'The martyr feels nothing more from the sting of slaughter than any one of you feels from the sting of a gnat.'" [Transmitted by] Al-Tirmidhi, Al-Nasa'i and Al- Darimi. Al-Tirmidhi designates it as acceptable, though resting solely on the authority of one Companion.
    This is another distinguishing characteristic of the martyr.

(14) On the authority of Ibn Masud (May God be pleased with him!), who said: "The Apostle of God (May God bless and save him!) said: 'Our Lord (Blessed and Almighty is He!) is pleased with a man campaigning in God's way, who, when his companions are driven back, and knowing what the odds are, nevertheless returns [to the attack] until his blood is outpoured. Then God says to the angels: "See how My servant returned [to the attack] out of his desire for that which is of Me [as reward], and his apprehension of that which is from Me [as punishment], until his blood was outpoured. I call on you to witness that I have forgiven him."'"
    "apprehension" = fear, and "his blood was outpoured" = his blood flowed.