Book of Jihad
In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful.
Chapter: The obligatory and the voluntary aspects of jihad
A military campaign (ghazw) is of two kinds: one that is obligatory and one that is supererogatory. The objectives of jihad are likewise divided into two categories.
- The first is a general obligation that becomes incumbent upon every free adult who is able to defend, fight, and bear arms. This arises when an enemy invades Muslim territory with hostile intent. In that case, it is mandatory for all the inhabitants of that land to set out against him—whether lightly armed or heavily armed, young or old. No one who is capable of marching forth, whether as a combatant or simply to add to the defenders’ numbers, may remain behind.
If the people of that town are unable to stand up to the enemy, the duty then falls upon those who live nearby, whether they are few or many, in proportion to what had been required of the original inhabitants, until it is clear that together they have the strength to resist and repel the foe. The same ruling applies to anyone who learns of their weakness, realizes that he can reach them, and is able to bring them relief: he too is obliged to go out to their aid. For all Muslims are a single hand against anyone who opposes them, until