قَالَ الإِمَامُ ابْنُ حَزْمٍ (م456ه) فِي الْفَصْلِ فِي الْمِلَلِ وَالنِّحَلِ، بِأَنَّ لِلْجِهَادِ ثَلاثَةَ أَقْسَامٍ
قَالَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ: … إِنَّ الْجِهَادَ يَنْقَسِمُ أَقْسَامًا ثَـلَاثَةً: أَحَدُهَا: الدُّعَا إِلَی اللہِ عزوجل بِالِّلسَانِ؛ وَالثَّانِي: الْجِهَادُ عِنْدَ الْحَرْبِ بِالرَّأْيِ وَالتَّدْبِيْرِ؛ وَالثَّالِثُ: الْجِهَادُ بِالْيَدِ فِي الطَّعْنِ وَالضَّرْبِ.
ابن حزم في الفصل في الملل والنحل، 4/107، وابن تيمية في منهاج السنة النبوية، 8/87.
i) Imam Ibn Hazm (d. 456 AH) writes in اَلْفَصْل فِي الْمِلَل وَالنِّحَل while mentioning the three types of Jihad:
Abu Muhammad said: Indeed, Jihad is divided into three types. The first type is to call people to Allah through speech. The second type is to fight with wisdom and careful planning when warfare is imposed, so that the loss of life is kept to a minimum. The third type is to engage in Jihad by striking with the hand in self-defense against an aggressor.
قَالَ الإِمَامُ السَّمْعَانِيُّ (م489ه) فِي تَفْسِيْرِ الآيَةِ رقم 78 مِنْ سُوْرَةِ الْحَجِّ – {وَجَاهِدُوْا فِی اللہِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ} – بِأَنَّ لِلْجِهَادِ ثَلاَثَةَ أَقْسَامٍ
إِعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْجِهَادَ يَکُوْنُ بِالنَّفْسِ وَبِالْقَلْبِ وَبِالْمَالِ. فَأَمَّا الْجِهَادُ بِالنَّفْسِ فَهُوَ فِعْلُ الطَّاعَاتِ وَاخْتِيَارُ الأَشَقِّ مِنَ الأُمُوْرِ. وَأَمَّا الْجِهَادُ بِالْقَلْبِ فَهُوَ دَفْعُ الْخَوَاطِرِ الرَّدِيَةِ. وَأَمَّا الْجِهَادُ بِالْمَالِ فَهُوَ الْبَذْلُ (وَالْإِيْثَارُ).
السمعاني في تفسير القرآن، 3/457.
ii ) Imam Al-Sam’ani (d. 489 AH) explains the three types of Jihad under Verse 78 of Surah Al-Hajj – {وَجَاهِدُوْا فِی اللہِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ} – “And strive in the way of Allah as is His due.” He describes the three types of Jihad as follows:
Jihad is carried out through one’s self, heart, and wealth. As for Jihad with the self (Jihad bil-Nafs), it means performing acts of obedience and choosing the most difficult among righteous deeds. As for Jihad with the heart (Jihad bil-Qalb), it means removing corrupt and harmful thoughts that incite a person to harm others from the heart and mind. As for Jihad with wealth (Jihad bil-Mal), it means spending on other people (to win their hearts) and demonstrating selflessness and sacrifice.
قَالَ الْعَلَّامَةُ ابْنُ الْجَوْزِيِّ (م579ه) فِي تَفْسِيْرِ الآيَةِ رقم 41 مِنْ سُوْرَةِ التَّوْبَةِ – {وَّجَاهِدُوْا بِاَمْوَالِکُمْ وَاَنْفُسِکُمْ}
قَالَ الْقَاضِي أَبُو يَعْلٰی: أَوْجَبَ الْجِهَادَ بِالْمَالِ وَالنَّفْسِ جَمِيْعًا، فَمَنْ کَانَ لَهُ مَالٌ وَهُوَ مَرِيْضٌ أَوْ مُقْعَدٌ أَوْ ضَعِيْفٌ لَا يَصْلُحُ لِلْقِتَالِ، فَعَلَيْهِ الْجِهَادُ بِمَالِهِ بِأَنْ يُعْطِيَهُ غَيْرَهُ، فَيَغْزُوْ بِهِ کَمَا يَلْزَمُهُ الْجِهَادُ بِنَفْسِهِ، إِذَا کَانَ قَوِيًّا. وَإِنْ کَانَ لَهُ مَالٌ وَقُوَّةٌ فَعَلَيْهِ الْجِهَادُ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالْمَالِ. وَمَنْ کَانَ مُعْدَمًا عَاجِزًا فَعَلَيْهِ الْجِهَادُ بِالنُّصْحِ ِﷲِ وَرَسُوْلِهِ صلی الله عليه وآله وسلم لِقَوْلِهِ: {وَلاَ عَلَی الَّذِيْنَ لاَ يَجِدُوْنَ مَا يُنْفِقُوْنَ حَرَجٌ اِذَا نَصَحُوْا ِﷲِ وَرَسُوْلِهِ}، [التوبة، 9 / 91].
ابن الجوزي في زاد المسير، 3/443.
iii) Imam Al-Sam’ani (d. 489 AH) explains the three types of Jihad under Verse 78 of Surah Al-Hajj – {وَجَاهِدُوْا فِی اللہِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ} – “And strive in the way of Allah as is His due.” He describes the three types of Jihad as follows:
Jihad is carried out through one’s self, heart, and wealth. As for Jihad with the self (Jihad bil-Nafs), it means performing acts of obedience and choosing the most difficult among righteous deeds. As for Jihad with the heart (Jihad bil-Qalb), it means removing corrupt and harmful thoughts that incite a person to harm others from the heart and mind. As for Jihad with wealth (Jihad bil-Mal), it means spending on other people (to win their hearts) and demonstrating selflessness and sacrifice.
قَالَ الإِمَامُ فَخْرُ الدِّيْنِ الرَّازِيُّ (م606ه) فِي تَفْسِيْرِ الآيَةِ رقم 95 مِنْ سُوْرَةِ النِّسَاءِ – {وَفَضَّلَ اللہُ الْمُجٰهِدِيْنَ عَلَی الْقٰعِدِيْنَ اَجْرًا عَظِيْمًاo} – بِأَنَّ لِلْجِهَادِ أَقْسَامًا مُخْتَلِفَةً
وَلَا يُمْکِنُ أَنْ يَکُوْنَ الْمُرَادُ مِنْ هٰذَا الْمُجَاهِدِ هُوَ: الْمُجَاهِدُ بِالْمَالِ وَالنَّفْسِ فَقَطْ، وَإِلَّا حَصَلَ التَّکْرَارُ. فَوَجَبَ أَنْ يَکُوْنَ الْمُرَادُ مِنْهُ مَنْ کَانَ مُجَاهِدًا عَلَی الإِْطْلَاقِ فِي کُلِّ الأُمُوْرِ أَعْنِي فِي عَمَلِ الظَّاهِرِ، وَهُوَ الْجِهَادُ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالْمَالِ وَالْقَلْبِ؛ وَهُوَ أَشْرَفُ أَنْوَاعِ الْمُجَاهَدَةِ.
الرازي في التفسير الکبير، 11/9.
iv) Imam Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (d. 606 AH) writes while explaining the different types of Jihad under Verse 95 of Surah An-Nisa – {وَفَضَّلَ اللہُ الْمُجٰهِدِيْنَ عَلَی الْقٰعِدِيْنَ اَجْرًا عَظِيْمًاo} – “And Allah has given those who strive a great reward above those who remain behind.” He states:
It is not possible that the term Mujahid refers only to one who strives with his self or his wealth, otherwise it would result in repetition. Rather, it is necessary that it refers to the one who strives in all matters without restriction, including striving through outward actions, namely Jihad with the self (Jihad bil-Nafs), Jihad with wealth (Jihad bil-Mal), and Jihad with the heart (Jihad bil-Qalb). Striving with one’s heart for the welfare of others is the most valuable of all the different forms of Jihad.
قَالَ الْعَلاَّمَةُ ابْنُ تَيْمِيَةَ (م728ه) مُبَيِّنًا الْأَقْسَامَ السِّتَّةَ لِلْجِهَادِ
اَلْجِهَادُ إِمَّا أَنْ يَکُونَ بِالْقَلْبِ کَالْعَزْمِ عَلَيْهِ، أَوْ بِالدَّعْوَةِ إِلَی الْإِسْلاَمِ وَشَرَائِعِهِ، أَوْ بِإِقَامَةِ الْحُجَّةِ عَلَی الْمُبْطِلِ، أَوْ بِبَيَانِ الْحَقِّ وَإِزَالَةِ الشُّبْهَةِ، أَوْ بِالرَّأْيِ وَالتَّدْبِيرِ فِيمَا فِيهِ نَفْعُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، أَوْ بِالْقِتَالِ بِنَفْسِهِ. فَيَجِبُ الْجِهَادُ بِغَايَةِ مَا يُمْکِنُهُ.
أحمد بن غنيم النفراوي (م 1126ه) في الفواکه الدواني، 2/879.
v) This definition has been cited from Allama Ibn Taymiyyah by the renowned Hanbali jurist Mansur bin Yunus bin Salah al-Din al-Buhuti in Kashshaf al-Qina’ ‘an Matn al-Iqna’ (3/36; Cairo Edition, 1968). A similar definition is also found in Majmu’ Fatawa Ibn Taymiyyah (5/38; Beirut: Dar al-Fikr, 1980).
Allama Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 AH) writes while describing the six forms of Jihad:
Jihad takes different forms. It may be carried out through the heart, such as having the determination to strive; through inviting people to Islam and its teachings or by establishing proof against those who act wrongly; through clarifying the truth and removing doubts; through planning and working for what benefits the Muslims; or through actual fighting itself. Therefore, Jihad becomes obligatory through whichever of these means is possible.
قَالَ الإِمَامُ ابْنُ الْحَاجِّ الْمَالِکِيُّ (م737ه) بِأَنَّ لِلْجِهَادِ قِسْمَيْنِ أَسَاسِيَيْنِ: اَلْجِهَادُ الأَکْبَرُ وَالْجِهَادُ الأَصْغَرُ
إِنَّ الْجِهَادَ يَنْقَسِمُ إِلٰی قِسْمَيْنِ: جِهَادٌ أَصْغَرُ وَجِهَادٌ أَکْبَرُ. فَالْجِهَادُ الْأَکْبَرُ هُوَ جِهَادُ النُّفُوْسِ لِقَوْلِهِ عَلِيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ: هَبَطْتُمْ مِنَ الْجِهَادِ الْأَصْغَرِ إِلَی الْجِهَادِ الْأَکْبَرِ. … وَالْجِهَادُ الْأَصْغَرُ، وَهُوَ جِهَادُ أَهْلِ الْکُفْرِ وَالْعِنَادِ.
ابن الحاج في المدخل، 3/2.
vi) Imam Ibn al-Hajj al-Maliki (d. 737 AH) writes while describing the two fundamental types of Jihad—Jihad al-Akbar and Jihad al-Asghar:
Jihad is of two types: Jihad al-Akbar and Jihad al-Asghar. Jihad al-Akbar refers to Jihad with the self (Jihad bil-Nafs), meaning the purification and development of one’s heart, soul, character, and conduct. This is based on the statement of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): “You have returned from the lesser Jihad to the greater Jihad.” … Jihad al-Asghar, on the other hand, refers to Jihad against the people of disbelief and hostility undertaken for the purpose of self-defense.
