Center for the Study of Political Islam International

Greater jihad vs Lesser jihad

A common defense of jihad is that it has two forms. There is the "greater jihad" which is the inner struggle overcoming bad habits and the "lesser jihad" of war. How much of the jihad literature is about the “lesser jihad”?

Bukhari contains 645,745 words he devotes 132,315 words to jihad. Of these 132,315 words, 129,968 are about the ‘lesser jihad’ (129,968/132,315 = .98226 or 98.2%).

Here is a typical jihad hadith. This shows that jihad is the best deed, or so-called ‘lesser jihad’. Ninety-eight percent (98%) of all jihad hadiths call killing jihad (lesser jihad) the best action.

Volume 3, Book 46, Number 694:

Narrated Abu Dhar

I asked the Prophet, "What is the best deed?" He replied, "To believe in Allah and to fight for His Cause." I then asked, "What is the best kind of manumission (of slaves)?" He replied, "The manumission of the most expensive slave and the most beloved by his master." I said, "If I cannot afford to do that?" He said, "Help the weak or do good for a person who cannot work for himself." I said, "If I cannot do that?" He said, "Refrain from harming others for this will be regarded as a charitable deed for your own good."

Lesser Jihad Hadith Greater Jihad Hadith All Jihad Hadith

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