English translation
36. Narrated Abū Hurairah رضي الله عنه: Al-Jihād (Holy fighting) in Allāh's Cause (with full force of numbers and weaponry) is given the utmost importance in Islām and is one of its pillars (on which it stands). By Jihād Islām is established, Allāh's Word is made superior. (His Word – Lā ilāha illallāh – none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), and His Religion Islām is propagated. By abandoning Jihād (may Allāh protect us from that) Islām is destroyed and the Muslims fall into an inferior position; their honor is lost, their lands are stolen, their rule and authority vanishes, Jihād is an obligatory duty in Islām on every Muslim, and he who tries to escape from this duty, or does not in his innermost heart wish to fulfil this duty, dies with one of the qualities of a hypocrite. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Allāh عز وجل assigns for a person who participates in (holy battles) in Allāh's Cause and nothing causes him to do so except belief in Allāh and in His Messengers, that he will be recompensed by Allāh either with a reward, or booty (if he survives) or will be admitted to Paradise (if he is killed in the battle as a martyr)". The Prophet ﷺ added: "Had I not found it difficult for my followers, then I would not remain behind any Sariya (an army-unit) going for Jihād and I would have loved to be martyred in Allāh's Cause and then made alive, and then martyred and then made alive, and then again martyred in His Cause."