Jihad: The forgotten obligation
33: The Usage of Armour in Jihaad
Narrated Ibn Abbas (ra) the Prophet (saw) while in a tent (on the battle of Badr) said, "O Allah! I ask You the fulfillment of Your covenant and promise. O Allah! If You wish to destroy the believers You will never be worshipped after today". Abu Bakr (ra) held him by the hand and said, "This is sufficient, O Allah's Apostle! you have asked Allah pressingly". The Prophet (saw) was clad in armour at that time. He went out saying to me
"Their multitude will be put to flight and they will show their backs. Nay, but the hour is their appointed time (for their full recompense) and that hour will be more grievous and more bitter (than their worldly failure)" (Qamar: 45-6)
(Sahih Bukhari, p.408, vol.1)
The Prophet (saw) love and desire for Jihaad can clearly be seen by these ahadith. Allah swt ordered the Prophet (saw) to fulfill two duties, as Allah says:
"Fight in the path of Allah, you are not held responsible but for yourself and urge the believers (upon fighting)". (Nisa: 84)
The Prophet (saw) had been given two commandments with respect to fighting which were to fight himself and urge the believers to fight. The Prophet (saw) fulfilled both obligations completely. The Prophet (saw) participated in 27 battles himself and bore severe wounds. On some occasions where the Islamic army became divided and were forced to move back, the Prophet (saw) stood firm and steadfast in his position.
We relate some aspects of the Prophet (saw)'s steadfastness: -
1. The Prophet (saw) travelled to Tabuk (where the battle was going to take place), this journey was a very difficult journey and the Prophet (saw) age at that time was 62 years.
2. When the mushrikeen surrounded the Muslims from all sides and the battle of the trenches was going to take place, the Prophet (saw) was digging the trench with his own hands and had tied two stones on his stomach. (this was done to suppress hunger).
3. When this difficult test and war had just been completed, the Prophet (saw) was ordered to fight with the Jews. The Prophet (saw) advanced towards Banu Qurayda and surrounded the enemy for 15 days.
4. The Prophet (saw) held the command of the long lasting war of Khaybar and the difficult front of Ta'if.
5. The victory of Hawazin and Bani Thakif occured under the command of the Prophet (saw). The Prophet (saw) shared out the booty with his own hands.
6. The Prophet's (saw) everlasting wish was fulfilled and the Prophet (saw) conquered Makkah under his command.
In all these wars the Prophet (saw) faced the enemy on the frontline and kept his companions morals high, showing them the way to Jannah.
The Prophet (saw) witnessed the mutilation of his beloved uncle in Jihaad and he also saw the seventy beloved bodies of his Sahaba. He informed the Sahaba of the Shahadah of his uncle's son, crying, but never moved one step back from Jihaad. There were never any two months in Madinah where the Prophet (saw) had not participated in a battle or sent an army unit out.
When the Prophet (saw) used to go forth in battle himself, he used to participate in all aspects of war, from actual fighting to helping the Mujahideen. When he dispatched an army unit, he used to bade farewell to them and he remained concerned until their return. The Prophet (saw) was so experienced in war affairs that great plots failed against him. His love was not only for Jihaad but also for Shahadah, for which he expressed his desire at numerous occasions. He (saw) used to spend all his money on purchasing weapons and mounts for Jihaad except for the money he allocated to his wives. This is the reason that in only a matter of a few years the strength of the Muslims which was very weak at the very beginning reached it's height. The flag of Islam was raised high amongst the Arabs and non-Arabs. The Prophet (saw) prepared his Sahaba (companions) psychologically, for the war against the big enemies (such as Rome, Persia) in his lifetime and predicted the glad tidings of conquering these countries.
The Prophet (saw) laid the foundation of an army unit crossing the sea (marines) by some of his sayings which proved to be a great power for Islam. The Prophet (saw) gave the glad tidings of Jannah for the first Islamic unit on the sea. The Prophet (saw) sent his companions to train in war tactics such as the two Sahaba who went to learn how to operate the minjanik (a sort of great caterpillar) from the kuffar. The Prophet (saw) created such a desire in the hearts of his Sahaba with his sayings, that they continuously remained active and did not sit back from Jihaad. It was the Prophet's (saw) efforts on urging Jihaad so much, that Jihaad was the most beloevd deed to the Sahaba, to such an extent that Shahadah was more beloved to them than dying on a bed. The latter was considered as a matter of great shame and disgust to them. They became the conquerors of Syria, Palestine, Kaysar (Persia) and Kisra (Rome). The super powers crumbled from their attacks and the brave men of the Islamic army advanced forward and fought until their souls remained in their bodies and blood remained in their veins, in fact some had even written a will that their funeral move forth with the Jihaad and that they be buried at reaching their destination.
The Prophet (saw) was the bravest of all people and this bravery clearly entered the hearts of his beloved companions (sahaba). By the blessing of the seal of Prophethood, the inheritance of the prophet (saw), the ulama' and his ummah have been given these two tasks. One is to fight and the second is to urge the believers and prepare them or it. Fortunate it is the person who revives both these duties and gains superiority in this world and the hereafter.