A writing by Hujjat al-Islam Dr. Ali Fazli, Director of the Department of Mysticism and Spirituality at IICT
In religious culture, the path to the material and spiritual strength and elevation of the Islamic society is through jihad against the enemies of Islam. This is a golden and key point that Imam Ali (peace be upon him) emphasized in his 25th sermon in Nahj al-Balagha, addressing its various dimensions. Of course, it is clear that jihad has a broad scope, encompassing economic jihad, cultural jihad, media jihad, jihad of explanation (Jihad Tabyin), scientific jihad, alongside defensive jihad. Each one is necessary, essential, and effective for overcoming enemies.
In this regard, the Supreme Leader, during a speech on the 11th of Mehr 1403 (October 2, 2024), stated: “The main jihad for the elites is the new scientific movement, the new scientific revolution, and scientific supremacy over rivals and enemies.” The focus of this note is on social spiritual health, and it explains a passage from the speech of Imam Ali (peace be upon him). The Imam said:
“Now then, undoubtedly, jihad is a gate from the gates of paradise, which God has opened only for His close companions. It is the garment of piety and the impenetrable armor of God on the bodies of the warriors, and His protective shield for the fighters. So, whoever abandons jihad out of reluctance, God will clothe him with the garment of disgrace and will wrap him in afflictions. From within, he will be plagued with weakness and stupidity, and a veil of poor judgment and babbling will descend upon his heart. As a consequence of abandoning jihad, truth will turn away from him, he will fall into hardship and suffering, and he will be deprived of justice and fairness.” (Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 25)
Hidden Points in This Statement:
- Jihad is a sincere passage from the self in order to care for, strengthen, and elevate the religious community to the point of reaching Almighty God, and it is a gate from the gates of paradise. This is because jihad frees all the heart’s forces from division and selfishness, which are the foundations of spiritual corruption, and directs them toward unity and devotion to God, which are the foundations of spiritual health. It makes them suitable for the realm of سَلاماً سَلاماً “Peace! Peace!” (56:26), which is the highest paradise, and settles them in that abode. (*Indeed, jihad is a gate from the gates of paradise*).(إِنَّ الْجِهَادَ بَابٌ مِنْ أَبْوَابِ الْجَنَّةِ)
- Almighty God has opened the gate of jihad for His best and most special friends, who are eagerly searching for the means and grounds, first to elevate their spiritual health and second to reach divine union. *God opened it for His special friends*.فَتَحَهُ اللَّهُ لِخَاصَّةِ أَوْلِيَائِهِ
- Social piety, which is recommended for protecting the community from disgrace and for adorning it with dignity and security, requires full coverage, strong armor, and a reliable shield, which is jihad. In fact, jihad leads to **social spiritual health**. (It is the garment of piety, the impenetrable armor of God, and His strong shield).(هُوَ لِبَاسُ التَّقْوَى و دِرْعُ اللَّهِ الْحَصِينَةُ و جُنَّتُهُ الْوَثِيقَةُ)
- Those who, out of *spiritual weakness*, turn away from jihad in the path of God, in reality, abandon the management of the community’s security. As a result, they lose the support of Almighty God; meaning, they themselves desire that Almighty God should clothe them in the garment of disgrace and insecurity, and bring about suffering, affliction, and collapse for the governance and religious society. (So whoever abandons it out of reluctance, God will clothe him with the garment of disgrace and envelop him in affliction).فَمَنْ تَرَكَهُ رَغْبَةً عَنْهُ أَلْبَسَهُ اللَّهُ ثَوْبَ الذُّلِّ وَ شَمِلَهُ الْبَلَاءُ)
- Those who, out of *spiritual weakness*, turn away from jihad in the path of God will, in reality, feel the disgrace and humiliation of themselves and their society under the enemy’s boots. The stamp of foolishness and lack of wisdom will be pressed upon their hearts and their society. Without being able to devise a solution to escape the tyrannical domination of the enemy, they will engrave disgrace and stupidity as signs of individual and social spiritual weakness on the forehead of the community. (He will be subdued by disgrace and humiliation, and a veil of poor judgment will be placed over his heart).وَ دُيِّثَ بِالصَّغَارِ وَ الْقَمَاءَةِ وَ ضُرِبَ عَلَى قَلْبِهِ بِالْإِسْهَابِ)
- Those who, out of spiritual weakness, neglect jihad in the path of God will have their rights trampled upon, and they themselves will take steps toward destruction, collapse, ruin, and chaos. Justice and fairness will also flee from them. Truly, if the neglect of jihad becomes widespread in the religious community, the community will be deprived of truth and justice, and it will experience collapse and ruin. (And the right will be taken away from them due to the neglect of jihad, and they will face degradation and be deprived of justice).وَ أُدِيلَ الْحَقُّ مِنْهُ بِتَضْيِيعِ الْجِهَادِ وَ سِيمَ الْخَسْفَ وَ مُنِعَ النَّصَفَ
