Taken from Azzam Publications.

SISTERS' ROLE IN JIHAD

Allah, The Exalted, has stated in the Qur'an:

"And the Believers, men and women, are supporters one of another; they enjoin the right and forbid the wrong (munkar), and they establish worship, and pay the poor-due, and they obey Allah and His messenger. As for these, Allah will have mercy on them. Lo! Allah is Mighty, Wise." [Quran 9:71]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have said:

"Anybody amongst you who notices a 'munkar' ( a violation of Allah's command), should correct it with his own hands, and if he is unable to do so, he should prohibit the same with his tongue; if he is unable even to do this, he should at least consider it as bad in his heart; this is the lowest degree of faith." [Muslim].

It follows from the hadith that correcting a violation of Allah's Command by hand is the best way. Now let us ask ourselves: What is the greatest violation of Allah's Command? The answer is simple according to the Qur'an: Disbelief in Allah and/or Associating others with Allah. And what is the best method of putting a check on this violation by hand? The answer, again, is clear: Jihad fi sabeelillah (fighting in the path of Allah). Numerous verses of the Qur'an and many traditions from the Prophet (peace be upon him) make this point clear beyond any doubt.

Thus, it follows that women and men are supporters of one another in the important obligation of Jihad in accordance with the spirit of the Qur'an and Prophetic traditions.

And when Jihad is Fard 'Ayn (an individual obligation like praying and fasting - where one person's engaging in it does not lift the responsibility from all others), as it is at the present time due to the domination of the enemy on several Muslim lands, the obligation to participate in Jihad is upon both Muslim men and women. Nowhere have scholars stated that only men are required to engage in Jihad and that women are not required to participate. In fact, books of fiqh have clearly included women and have also mentioned the regulations, for instance, that when Jihad is Fard 'Ayn, a woman does not need her husband's, father's, or waliy's (guardian's) permission to engage in the works of Jihad, just like she does not need her husband's or father's permission to offer her daily prayers or fast in Ramadan or pay Zakah (Note that travelling to a distant location for Jihad may have additional regulations found in books of fiqh).