Fadl al-Jihad li-Ahmad ibn Abd al-Wahid al-Maqdisi
- Author died
- 623 AH
- Editions
- al-Dār al-Salafiyyah
Fadl al-Jihad (فضائل الجهاد / فضل الجهاد والمجاهدين, "The Merit of Jihad and the Mujahidin") is a short hadith treatise compiled by the Hanbali traditionist Shams al-Din Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn Abd al-Wahid al-Maqdisi, known as al-Bukhari (d. 623 AH / 1226 CE), collecting prophetic traditions and early reports on the virtues of military struggle, frontier defense, and martyrdom .
Author and Context
The compiler, Ahmad ibn Abd al-Wahid al-Maqdisi al-Bukhari, was a member of the prominent Banu al-Sa'di scholarly family based in the Salihiyya quarter of Damascus . He was the brother of the hadith scholar Diya' al-Din al-Maqdisi (d. 643 AH) and the father of Fakhr al-Din Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Abd al-Wahid (d. 690 AH) . Ahmad compiled the work as a specialized hadith part (juz'), drawing upon transmissions received from notable teachers of his era, including Abu al-Faraj Ibn al-Jawzi and the hadith master Abd al-Mughith ibn Zuhayr .
Content and Structure
The treatise comprises thirty-five numbered traditions and historical narratives, recorded with full chains of transmission (isnad) tracing back to the Prophet ﷺ, the Companions, and early figures . It addresses key themes pertaining to warfare and military virtue in early Islamic tradition:
- Virtues of Jihad and Mujahidin: Narrations establishing participation in jihad as an expression of faith, the high ranks reserved for fighters in Paradise, and reports explaining that no routine voluntary deeds match the continuous reward of the warrior in the field .
- Martyrdom and Self-Sacrifice: Traditions detailing the special privileges accorded to martyrs (shuhada'), their desire to return to the earthly realm to be slain repeatedly in God's cause, and descriptions of the lightness of physical pain felt during martyrdom .
- Frontier Guarding and Logistical Support: Reports on the virtues of standing guard at frontiers (ribat), including coastal posts, the reward for dedicating horses to the cause, aiding fighters with equipment and financial support, and warnings against abandoning military readiness .
- Historical Exemplars: Narrative accounts demonstrating steadfastness among early Muslims, including Umayr ibn Abi Waqqas at the Battle of Badr, Salim Mawla Abi Hudhayfa holding the standard at the Battle of al-Yamama, and the mutual selflessness of fallen warriors at the Battle of Yarmuk .
Manuscripts and Publication
Manuscripts of the text are preserved in the Zahiriyya Library in Damascus (MS 3744, majmu' 7, folios 112–123), with copies also cataloged in the Central Library of the Islamic University of Medina and Kuwait . The work was edited and verified by Mubarak ibn Sayf al-Hajiri and published by al-Dar al-Salafiyyah in Kuwait (1st edition, 1408 AH / 1988 CE) under the title Fadl al-Jihad wa-al-Mujahidin .
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