The Madinan Period, Part 3: The Covenant, the Qiblah, and the Meaning of Jihad
Section 23 of 26 · The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: The Madinan Period
The Fourth Objective: A Test for Mankind
The fourth objective is a test for mankind; it is a trial. Our existence in this world, as has been mentioned, is a test from Allah (swt), and fighting in His path is part of that test. Allah (swt) says:
فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَضَرْبَ ٱلرِّقَابِ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَثْخَنتُمُوهُمْ فَشُدُّوا۟ ٱلْوَثَاقَ فَإِمَّا مَنًّۢا بَعْدُ وَإِمَّا فِدَآءً حَتَّىٰ تَضَعَ ٱلْحَرْبُ أَوْزَارَهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ وَلَوْ يَشَآءُ ٱللَّهُ لَٱنتَصَرَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَا۟ بَعْضَكُم بِبَعْضٍ ۗ وَٱلَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَلَن يُضِلَّ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ
“So, when you encounter those who disbelieve, then (aim at) smiting the necks, until when you have broken their strength thoroughly, then tie fast the bond, (by making them captives). Then choose (to release them) either (as) a favour (shown to them,), or (after receiving) ransom,until the war throws down its load of arms. That (is Our command.) If Allah willed, He would have (Himself) subjected them to retribution, but (Allah ordered you to fight,) so that He may test some of you through some others. And those who are killed in Allah’s way, He will never let their deeds go to waste.” (47:4)
That is the command; and if Allah had willed, He could have taken vengeance upon them Himself, but He ordered armed struggle to test some of you by means of others. So armed struggle is a test for the believers, and it is a test for the disbelievers. It is a test for the believers because it tests their patience; it tests their sacrifice. The ultimate sacrifice that a believer could give to Allah (swt) is to sacrifice his soul and his wealth. It is a test of whether one fears Allah (swt) more than the creation, or fears the creation more than Allah. So it tests a great deal of what is called aʿmāl al-qulūb, the deeds of the heart. There might be many diseases in our hearts, but these diseases do not show up until we are involved in this act of worship; then these diseases show up.
For example, many of the munāfiqūn blended in very well in the society. They were only exposed in the Battle of Badr and in the Battle of Uḥud and the sequence of battles that followed, and that is why Allah says about them:
أَوَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّهُمْ يُفْتَنُونَ فِى كُلِّ عَامٍ مَّرَّةً أَوْ مَرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ لَا يَتُوبُونَ وَلَا هُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ
“Do they not see that they are put to trial every year once or twice; still they neither repent, nor do they take lesson?” (9:126)
Do they not see that they are being tested every year, once or twice? Because the average of the ghazawāt of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) per year was one or two, their hypocrisy was showing up in these battles, because that is the ultimate test.