Jihad: The forgotten obligation

13: To Seek Refuge with Allah from Cowardliness

Narrated Amar bin Maymun al-Awdi, Sa'd used to teach his sons the following words, as a teacher teaches his students the skill of writing and used to say that: Allah's Apostle (saw) used to seek refuge of Allah from them (ie the evils) at the end of every prayer. The words are: "O Allah! I seek refuge with You from cowardice, and seek refuge with You from being brought back to a bad stage of old life, and seek refuge of You from the afflictions of the world and seek refuge with You from the punishment of the grave." (Sahih Bukhari, p.396, vol.1)

The Prophet (saw) proclaimed in the Masjid, "If anyone has any doubt about anything they should ask for dua". It is stated in the tradition that a person stood up and said, "O Messenger of Allah! I am a coward and a patient of abundance of sleep." The Prophet (saw) made dua for him. Fadal (r) says, "We saw him afterwards and no one was as brave as him."

This tradition explains that the Prophet (saw) and the companions hated cowardice. They sought refuge in Allah from this as they would do so from the kuffar, shirk, hypocrisy and from the love of this world. Allah had sent him (saw) to wipe out kuffar and polytheism from this world, and therefore had bestowed him with courage and bravery. The Prophet (saw) had said, "And I am the wiper, by me Allah will wipe out the kuffar". (Shamail Tirmidhi, p.25)

Abu Ishaq (r) says "I have heard from Bara Ibn Adhib (r) someone asked, "O Abu Amara (r), did you all flee the battlefield in the battle of Hunain?". Bara (ra) answered, "No, by Allah, the Prophet (saw) had never turned his back". (At the end of this hadith it is mentioned), The Prophet (saw) (in the rain of arrows) would recite these couplets, and stand firm, "I am a Prophet not a liar, I am the son of Abdul Muttalib". (Bukhari, p.410, vol.1)

Cowardliness is criticised when it stops a person going to Jihaad and so he also keeps others away from it and always fears confronting others. If a person is born a coward , but despite this, he forces himself into the battlefield, he shall gain more reward than a brave strong Mujahid. He will be rewarded more because his soul was not keen on it, he had struggled with his soul and placed it in such a place where death is all around, up and down, left and right. He surely, will feel fear and have to go through trouble, but to please Allah he stands firm in the field, he will gain more reward than that brave Mujahid who does not feel the fear in the battlefields. As it is mentioned in a hadith, "The brave fights and also the coward, but the coward person gains more reward than the brave person".

My Muslim brothers! there was a time when the whole world was under your hands, and you had the desire and love of Shahadah so much, as a kaffir loves alcohol. Therefore the Muslims all over the East and West were safe and had their dignity protected. Today because of cowardice, we are deprived of a peaceful life and even death. All around we are in the state of darkness and humiliation and slavery, every day our lives and wealth, dignity and culture are endangered. Still there is an opportunity we can choose the path of Jihaad and throw away the chain of slavery of the kuffar and gain the life of dignity and freedom and Shahadah.