Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

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One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Deed which is not for the pleasure of Allah is not counted as a good deed. But there is a hadith that "Fighting for your Land is Halal and also Counted as a good Deed By Allah Please Clarify.

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Answer:

Fighting for one's Land

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

If one does any act which is commanded, recommended, or encouraged by Allah and His Messenger (saws), or if one abstain from any evil only because it has been declared unlawful by Allah and His Messenger (saws); it will be considered a good and virtuous deed in Islam. Regardless of whether the deed done brings about the welfare of society, or the welfare of fellow man, or the welfare of orphans, or one’s kith and kin, etc.; as long as the prime intention behind doing the deed is to earn the Pleasure and Good Will of their Lord Creator, it will be considered a righteous deed in the Sight of The Lord.

Your Question: Deed which is not for the pleasure of Allah is not counted as a good deed. But there is a hadith that "Fighting for your Land is Halal and also Counted as a good Deed By Allah Please Clarify.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4753 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘If the property of anyone is designed to be taken away without any right and he fights and is killed, he is a martyr.’

Sahih Muslim Hadith 259 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

A person came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) and asked: ‘what do you think if a man comes to me in order to appropriate my possession (without right)?’ He (the Prophet (saws)) said: ‘Don't surrender your possession to him.’ He (the inquirer) said: ‘If he fights me?’ He (the Prophet (saws)) remarked: ‘Then fight (with him).’ He (the inquirer) again said: ‘What do you think if I am killed?’ He (the Prophet (saws)) observed: ‘You would be a martyr.’

If an armed robber or intruder forcefully enters one’s house or land, and the believer occupying the land fights to protect his life, his land, his honor, his property, his provisions, or his family, etc.; it will indeed be considered a good deed in the Sight of the Lord because Allah has made him the guardian and custodian of his life and his property and has given him a right to strive to protect what is in his custody.

Similarly if enemy combatants or intruders forcefully try to occupy a muslim land or nation, and the believers fights to protect their nation from coming under pagan rule, it would indeed be considered as striving in the Cause of Allah and an extremely virtuous deed in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

If one joins the muslim army and fights against the pagan intruders, but his intention in his hearts of hearts is to make a name for himself, his family or his tribe, or his intention to fight is as a ‘nationalist’ rather than to protect and serve the Cause of Allah; then obviously his intention was to please himself and his ‘nationalist’ beliefs rather than to earn the Pleasure and Good Will of Allah and thus will not be considered a good deed worthy of due rewards in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

Hadith Qudsi 6

The first of people against whom judgment will be pronounced on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who died a martyr. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His favours and he will recognize them. [ The Almighty] will say: ‘And what did you do about them?’ He will say: ‘I fought for You until I died a martyr.’ He will say: ;You have lied - you did but fight that it might be said [of you]: :He is courageous.: And so it was said!’ Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire. [Another] will be a man who has studied [religious] knowledge and has taught it and who used to recite the Quran. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His favours and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: ‘And what did you do about them?’ He will say: ‘I studied [religious] knowledge and I taught it and I recited the Quran for Your sake.’ He will say: ‘You have lied - you did but study [religious] knowledge that it might be said [of you]: “He is learned.” And you recited the Quran that it might be said [of you]: “He is a reciter.” And so it was said!’ Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire. [Another] will be a man whom Allah had made rich and to whom He had given all kinds of wealth. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His favours and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: ‘And what did you do about them?’ He will say: ‘I left no path [untrodden] in which You like money to be spent without spending in it for Your sake.’ He will say: ‘You have lied - you did but do so that it might be said [of you]: “He is open-handed.” And so it was said!’ Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire.

The reward of each deed depends entirely upon the (real) intention of the person who does the deed, and the All-Knowing, All-Wise is well aware of even the deepest secrets of every heart.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.51 Narrated by Umar bin Al Khattab

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "The reward of deeds depends upon the intention, and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended.’

In light of the above clear guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws), only he who strives or fights so that the Word of Allah reigns Supreme in the Land is a true striver or ‘mujahid’.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan