Jihad: The forgotten obligation

15: The Fast of a Mujahid

Narrated Abu Saeed (r), I heard the Prophet (saw) saying, "Whomsoever observes sawm for one day for Allah's cause, Allah will keep his face away from the fire of Hell". (a distance covered by a journey of seventy years).(Sahih Bukhari, p.93, vol.1)

Ibn Jawzi (r) says that when the term "fi sabilillah" (in Allah's path) is used itself, Jihaad is meant. (Footnote, Sahih Bukhari)

In the view of Imam Bukhari (r), Jihaad is meant when the term "fi sabilillah" is used in the Quran and hadith. (p.80, vol.2)

For the respect and honour of the mujahid all the merits of his deeds are doubled. The mujahid has beebn given a choice of keeping the fast or leaving it, in fact, it is stated in a narration of Bukhari, that during an expedition of Jihaad, some people observed the fast and some didnt. After reaching their destination the people who had observed the fast were late whereas the people who hadnt observed the fast did a lot of work. The Prophet (saw) said, "Those who were not observing sawm took all the reward". (Sahih Bukhari, p.404, vol.1)

Similarly for the tilawat al-Quran, dhikr, salaah and spending in the cause of Allah, the reward is doubled.

Sahl bin Muadh al Jahani (r) narrates from his father that the Prophet (saw) said, "Whoever recited one thousand verses of the Quran in the path of Allah, Allah assigns him with the grade of the Prophets, the Siddiqeen, the Shuhadah and the Muttaqun" (Sunan al Kubra - Bayhaqi, p.172, vol. 9)

It is stated in another narration that the Prophet saw said that the salaah, fast, dhikr is upgraded up to 700 times in comparison to spending in the path of Allah. (Sunan al Kubra - Bayhaqi, p.172, vol.9)