Jihad: The forgotten obligation
14: Both Men in Paradise Because of Jihaad
Narrated Abu Huraira (r) Allah's Messenger (saw) said, "Allah welcomes two men with a smile; one of whom kills the other and both of them enter Jannah. One fights in Allah's cause and gets killed. Later on Allah forgives the killer (ie he embraces Islam) who also gets Shaheed (in Allah's cause)." (Sahih Bukhari, p.396, vol.1)
An incident similar to this has been stated in Jam'ul Fawa'id (p.6, vol.2) Abu Musa (r) narrated that the Prophet (saw) was present in a battle when a Muslim confronted a kafir challenging him. The mushrik killed the muslim. Another Muslim also confronted him but was also killed. Then the unbeliever asked the Prophet (saw), "What is the aim of your fighting?" The Prophet (saw) answered, "it is part of our religion that we fight till they bear witness that there is no God but Allah and the Prophet (saw) is Allah's servant and messenger", and we fulfill the rights of Allah." The mushrik said, "This is a beautiful ideology and I bring Iman on Allah." Then he switched towards the Muslims and attacked the kafirs and kept on fighting till he was Shaheed. The Muslims placed him with the two Muslims whom he had killed. The Prophet (saw) said, "They will love each other a lot in Jannah." (Baz'az, Jamul Fawa'id, p.6, vol.2)
It is stated in a hadith that the meaning of Allah laughing is His pleasure and blessing. Some experts of hadith have stated that the explanation of Allah laughing is giving reward. We can conclude from this hadith the greatness of Jihaad and the merit of Shahadah and that accepting iman is the condition for Jihaad. There is no other prerequisite or attainment of a certain level of Iman for fulfilling the duty of Jihaad. We understand from the above hadith that this person had killed Muslims and was subsequently shaheed, he received glad tidings from the Prophet (saw).
The main issue is that when one prepares himself for this noble cause, the rivers of blessings from Allah are showered upon him, but the human's main enemy, the nafs, does not let one prepare for Jihaad and somehow raises unacceptable excuses, because Jihaad is the way to death for the nafs and the humiliation for Shaytan. The nafs and Shaytan are determined to distance the Muslim from Jihaad. It is therefore a very fortunate person who selects the path of Jihaad, thereby exposing himself to the showers of blessings from Allah. It is important to note however that the Mujahid's sole intention in participating in the Jihaad, is to fight for the pleasure of Allah.