a Muslim defends Allah’s religion; therefore he defends his homeland—not because it is his homeland as such, but because it is an Islamic land, and he protects it in order to safeguard the Islam that resides there.

For this reason, in the circumstances we live in today, it is incumbent upon us—following the Prophet ﷺ—to remind the general populace that calls such as “liberate the homeland” and the like are misplaced. People must be mobilized on a religious footing and told, “We are defending our religion before anything else,” because our country is a land of faith, an Islamic land in need of protection and defense. We must therefore stand up for it with that intention. Defending it out of mere nationalism or tribalism is something both believers and unbelievers do, and it will not benefit a person on the Day of Resurrection. If someone is killed while fighting with that intention, he is not a martyr. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about a man who fights out of zealotry, another who fights bravely, and another who fights to show his rank—“Which of these is in the path of Allah?” He replied, “Whoever fights so that Allah’s word may be supreme is in the path of Allah.”

Take careful note of this qualification: “Whoever fights so that Allah’s word may be supreme”—not because the land is his homeland. If you fight solely for your homeland, you and the unbeliever are alike. Fight instead so that Allah’s word may be exalted, as manifested in your country, for it is an Islamic land; in that case the fighting is truly jihad in the path of Allah.

It is also authentically reported that he ﷺ said: “No one who is wounded in the path of Allah—and Allah knows best who is wounded in His path—comes on the Day of Resurrection but that his wound will be flowing forth; its color will be the color of blood…"