After the expedition of Tabuk, many Sahaba promised to participate in every battle. Allah revealed the verse: ‘And it is not (proper) for the believers to go out to fight (Jihad) all together. Of every troop of them, a party only should go forth, that they (who are left behind) may get instructions in (Islamic) religion, and that they may warn their people when they return to them, so that they may beware (of evil). (Quraan 9:122) Thus, while the Mujahideen were engaged in battle, others would study Islam.

 

Qatadah rahimahullah mentioned that all the works of Islam are important. Khalid bin Walid radhiallahu anhu, a general par excellence, who spent his life engaged in Jihad, said: ‘Engaging in Jihad (warfare for Islam) occupied me from learning a lot of the Quraan, but I do not regret it because I served Islam in a different way.’ There are many ways of serving and spreading Islam.

 

The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam spread Islam in a myriad different ways: he helped in building Musjids, wrote letters of invitation to Islam to different rulers and helped dig a trench in the defence of the Muslim state. Thus, he made every method of calling to Islam a Sunnah.

 

Each person should endeavour to use whatever specialty Allah has given him or her to work for Islam. We should wish well for all who serve Islam, and all the different forms should complement one another like a jigsaw puzzle.