who had remained in Madinah. These men had intended to fight but were occupied with duties serving the Muslims’ interests that themselves constituted jihad. Moreover, the people of the ship, Talhah, al-Zubayr, and ‘Uthmān were not like others.

Fighting was not undertaken for the sake of spoils. War spoils are therefore not like freely available resources acquired jointly by a group through gathering grass, collecting firewood, or hunting. The purpose of those activities is to acquire wealth, unlike fighting that yields spoils. Indeed, whoever fights for wealth is not striving in Allah’s cause. For this reason, spoils were not made lawful for those before us, but were made lawful for us to help advance the interests of the religion.

Spoils were thus made lawful for the benefit of the religion and its people. Anyone who benefits those fighting in jihad by helping them complete their undertaking is counted among them, even if he is not present. Hence the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“The Muslims are one united body. A pledge of protection given by even the least of them is binding upon them all, and those who go out on expeditions share their spoils with those who remain behind.”

Those who go out on expeditions do so only with the support of those who remain behind. Those who assist the fighters in jihad are therefore themselves counted among them. A fuller discussion of these matters belongs elsewhere.

The point here is to discuss following the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: this requires following him in his intention. If he deliberately chose a place to worship there, then seeking out that place for that