A004
Surah: 048 - Ayah: 004
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48:04
My very dear companions! If knowledge is the greatest power both externally and internally, why should not the struggle (jihad) for knowledge be the greatest struggle? If this is true, then it is also true to say that just as Allah's heavenly army is revered, his earthly army also is revered, as mentioned in verses (48:4,7): "Allah's are the armies of the heavens and the earth."
If we see in the light of the above mentioned Tradition, many realities come before us. For instance, in Islam (the dawat continuous and thus) there is a dawat (mission) after the previous dawat. For Islam is the straight path, which is for the sake of advancing step by step and from station to station. Another reality is that the Samsam or Dhul Fiqar of iron was for external jihad and the Samsam or Dhul Fiqar of knowledge is assigned for the internal jihad or the jihad of knowledge. In this jihad the Exalted Imam is the Commander of the army of God and the mumins perform the various duties of an army in this jihad of knowledge. This jihad has two battlefields: the battlefield of spirituality (ruhaniyyat) and that of corporeality (jismaniyyat) and accordingly the army of God is divided into two sections: the celestial army (asmani lashkar) and the terrestrial army (zamini lashkar). By the celestial army is meant the souls of mumins and by the terrestrial, their persons. (48:4,7).
Army of God
Q. 88. The example of the army of Allah is certainly very faith-illumining and soul-nourishing. Now, God willing, we will reflect on all those verses related to the army of Allah. Yet, please tell us, since the mu'mins are the army of Allah, what is their relation to the army of Allah as mentioned in Surah-i Fath (48)?
A. In this connection, the first verse of Surah-i Fath is: "He (God) it is Who sent down peace (of spirituality) into the hearts of the mu'mins that they may add faith to their faith; and to Allah belong the armies of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is Knower and Wise." (48:4). In this verse, by heaven, is meant the spiritual world and the plural of heaven "(heavens)" signifies the spiritual ranks; by the earth, is meant the physical world. Thus in this verse, are mentioned the spiritual and physical armies of God (i.e. the souls of mu'mins and their persons), because of the fact that, by the command of God, it is the chief of the army of God (i.e. the Prophet and Imam) and the army who are the means, through which the spiritual peace descends upon every mu'min, according to his knowledge and practice. As we have mentioned earlier, at the place of wahy (revelation), the Holy Spirit does not come alone, rather with its entire army, which consists of angels as well as souls. Thus, here the way the armies (the spiritual and physical) of God are mentioned, their relation to the mu'mins is that, it is the mu'mins who are the armies of God in their souls and bodies. For, it is they, who, spiritually, are in the heavens of spirituality, and physically on the earth of corporeality.
The second mention in this connection is in the verse (48:7), the blessed words and implications of which are also the same as mentioned above, that Allah uses the hosts of the mu'mins as His army spiritually and physically.
Arwah (Souls)
It is mentioned in a Hadith: "The souls were (and are) (in the form of) assembled armies." (Muslim, IV, 2031-32; Lughat, Jim, p. 111). This Hadith is an exegesis of verse (48:4): "Allah's are the armies of the heavens and the earth." Where there is the mention of war, resurrection and true dacwat (dacwat-i haqq) in spirituality, there too, are the armies of souls and their chief.
Study the blessed verses: "To God belong the armies of the heavens and the earth." (48:4,7). The heavenly armies are angels and the earthly armies are the souls of the people of faith, and these armies of Allah exist in every time. Thus, when the representative resurrection of the Perfect Man takes place, the same resurrection happens spiritually. In it there is victory as well as martyrdom and life too, because the dying of martyrs is for the sake of eternal life. Therefore, they are martyrs, as well as, eternally alive.
Question: To us it is astonishing that you should mention the concept of a spiritual jihad. Can you please
explain this further and give us some proofs and examples?
Answer: Spiritual jihad is mentioned everywhere in the Wise Qur’an. This sacred war took place before the advent of Islam, at the time of Prophethood and it continues to take place today. One should remember however that physical or spiritual jihad is only possible through the Messenger of God and the true Imam. Thus whenever the hosts of God or heavenly hosts are mentioned in the Qur’an this is an allusion to the spiritual jihad. As mentioned in verses (48:4,7): "And Allah’s are the hosts of the heavens and the earth." The heavenly hosts are the angels and the earthly hosts are the jinns and men. All armies have martial goals, and as mentioned in verses (37:171-173): "And verily Our word has already gone forth for Our chosen servants, the Messengers that verily they shall be helped and verily, Our hosts will be victorious." Similarly, in verse (5:56) it is said that His army or His party (hizbu’llah) will be victorious. In verse (5:54) glad tidings are given that there will come a people whom God loves and who love Him, who are humble towards believers, mighty against infidels, fighting in Allah’s way. In this verse one can see that glad tidings are given about a people to come who are superior to the Muslims and mu’mins on earth and who are tender-hearted and kind to mu’mins and mighty against infidels, fighting in God’s way. This indicates that they are the spiritual army, who do jihad in every age under the light of guidance. There are many such Qur’anic quotations and a separate article can be written on spiritual jihad.
11. Those who are aware of Qur’anic wisdom and spirituality, can tell you that there are numerous subtle armies of Allah, the Exalted, to protect and support true religion. They can neither be seen nor stopped because they are spirits and angels. As it is stated in the holy Qur’an: "All the armies of the earth and the heavens are under Allah’s control" (48:4).
This verse has been referred 7 times.