and whoever Allah loves, He protects from His punishment and honors with a place near Him in Paradise, which Allah has prepared for His friends. Allah Most High said:
“Those who believe, emigrate, and strive in Allah’s cause with their wealth and their lives are greater in rank with Allah. It is they who are the successful.” [al-Tawbah: 20] “Their Lord gives them glad tidings of mercy from Him, His pleasure, and gardens in which they will enjoy lasting bliss.” [al-Tawbah: 21] “They will remain there forever. Indeed, with Allah is a tremendous reward.” [al-Tawbah: 22]
The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—said: “One who strives in Allah’s cause is like someone who continually fasts and stands in prayer, never slackening in prayer or fasting until the fighter returns.”
The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—also said: “Allah has guaranteed to anyone who strives in His cause, leaving his home for no reason other than striving in Allah’s cause and seeking His pleasure, that He will admit him to Paradise or return him to the dwelling from which he departed, together with whatever reward or spoils he has gained.”
This means reward and spoils, for “or” here means “and,” since gaining spoils does not exclude receiving a reward. However, “or” may retain its usual meaning, in which case the passage means: together with whatever he has gained of reward without spoils, or spoils accompanied by reward.
It is reported that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said: “By Him in whose hand is my soul, I wish I could fight in Allah’s cause and be killed, then be brought back to life and killed, then be brought back to life and killed, then be brought back to life and killed.” Abū Hurayrah would say three times, “I bear witness before Allah.”
It is also reported: “No one who comes to enjoy good wishes to return to this world except the martyr in Allah’s cause. He wishes to return to this world, fight in Allah’s cause, and be killed once more, because of the honor he sees Allah Most High bestow upon him.” The virtues of jihad are too numerous to count.
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When Allah first sent His Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—to call people to Islam, He neither commanded him to fight nor permitted him to do so, nor did He make jizyah lawful for him to receive. The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—continued in this manner for ten years, the years he spent in Mecca. During that time, Allah—Mighty and Majestic—revealed:
“So proclaim what you have been commanded, and turn away from the polytheists.” [al-Hijr: 94],