It was said: O Messenger of Allah, who is the most excellent of men? The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said: ‘The believer who strives hard in the way of Allah with his person and his property.’
It stresses on Jihad (Physical and Economic). A Muslim shall fight in the cause of Allah with his property & money. He shall fight physically to eradicate the evil from the Society. Holy Prophet(s) said “In Paradise there are hundred grades which Allah has prepared for those who strive in the cause of Allah and the distance between any two of those grades is like the distance between the Heaven and Earth”. It is necessary to resist the one who enjoys evil and creates unrest for others. The concept of Jihad in such a form is when one speaks the truth in front of a tyrant leader is Jihad-i-Akbar.
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The main teaching of this Hadith is that the best amongst believers are those who are engaged in always trying to earn the pleasure of God. They will fulfil all their obligations towards God and will not only sacrifice themselves to accomplish this, but use their resources and wealth with which God has provided them. The words ‘striving hard’ in this Hadith has a broad meaning, anyone who migrates, or gives dawah, or fights justly for the sake of Allah are among those best of believers.
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Markscheme Answers:
A Muslim’s every action should be to please God and he should constantly endeavour to struggle in God’s way. This can be done in several ways, namely by preaching Islam, living righteously, caring for the community, striving to remove evil from society or even by migrating for the sake of God if the need arises as the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions did. Each answer needs to be read for its own merit and marked accordingly.
Sacrificing one’s time and money by spreading Islam, developing schools, helping charitable organisations, sheltering refugees are some of the ways in which the teaching of this Hadith can be put into practice. Offering tahajud prayers, sponsoring the hajj of a poor Muslim are also ways in which this Hadith could be practised on a personal level.
Muslims must at all times endeavour to do righteous deeds and be God conscious. A Muslim must never hesitate to serve the cause of Islam by using his person and resources. With a strong iman a Muslim will try to please his Lord all the more and go on to offer say tahajud prayers which are not obligatory or be willing to sponsor Islamic charities or use his/her resources to help fellow Muslims in war torn countries. Examples bringing out the implementation of the teaching of the Hadith will help give substance to the answer.
Sacrificing one’s time, money and, if need be, one’s life in the way of God is one way of putting the teaching of this hadith into action. Further elaboration of this could be helping to fund the construction/upkeep of a mosque, teaching fellow Muslims to read the Qur’an, etc. These and many other examples could be given to support the answer
Muslims are taught the concept of Jihad and for fighting against the enemies to get Allah‟s submission. Physical and financial sacrifice holds great status in Islam. The companions of the Holy Prophet(s) helped physically and with their wealth in fighting the battles as Uhad, Badr, Trench against the Quraish. Hazrat Usman Ghani gave thousand dinars, several camels during the battles to serve Islam. Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) gave everything from his house in Tabuk expedition
<aside> 📝 A Muslim must never hesitate to serve the cause of Islam by using his person and resources. Sacrificing one’s time and money by spreading Islam, developing schools, helping charitable organisations, sheltering refugees are some of the ways in which the teaching of this Hadith can be put into practice. Uthman (RA) gave thousands camels during the battles to serve Islam. Offering tahajud prayers, sponsoring the hajj of a poor Muslim are also ways in which this Hadith could be practised on a personal level.
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