الآية رقم (95) - لاَّ يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُوْلِي الضَّرَرِ وَالْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فَضَّلَ اللّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ دَرَجَةً وَكُـلاًّ وَعَدَ اللّهُ الْحُسْنَى وَفَضَّلَ اللّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

(95) - {Not equal are those believers remaining [at home] - other than the disabled - and the mujahideen, [who strive and fight] in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives. Allah has preferred the mujahideen through their wealth and their lives over those who remain [behind], by degrees. And to both Allah has promised the best [reward]. But Allah has preferred the mujahideen over those who remain [behind] with a great reward}

The enemies of Islam who wanted to sow sedition, murder and terrorism in the teachings of the Islamic religion raised many suspicions and doubts about jihad, while jihad means striving hard. Allah (swt) says:

 وَجَاهِدْهُم بِهِ جِهَادًا كَبِيرًا

(and strive against them with the Qur’an a great striving.) (Al-Furqan: 52)

This is about the words of Allah (swt) (the Holy Qur’an), so that, striving hard does not always refer to fighting, for striving in fighting means to defend the homeland and the honour, it is not an attack on others or forcing them to adhere to the faith of Islam.

( لَّا يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُولِي الضَّرَرِ وَالْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ ) (Not equal are those believers remaining [at home] – other than the disabled – and the mujahideen, [who strive and fight] in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives. …): Islam is not a word to be said or a slogan to be used. It is not a sermon or a lesson to be said. Rather, it is work, effort, and labour. And jihad is not only fighting, but rather it is exerting maximum effort in the pursuit of goodness and the spreading of mercy among people.

( وَفَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا ) (…But Allah has preferred the mujahideen over those who remain [behind] with a great reward): The great reward is the grades for those who sacrifice themselves for their homeland, for the martyrs who sacrifice and defend the homeland, its dignity and the unity of its soil. We must clarify an important matter, which is that most people believe that the da’i (the Muslim guide) is the one who talks about Islam, the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Messenger (saws), and who preaches and instructs. This is a good thing, but it is just words, while Allah (swt) does not want words without actions:

 يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ

(O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?) (As-Saf: 2)

Preaching and guiding people is important but what is more important and required is to do good so that people can see the impact of Islam on you and your behavior, for that Allah (swt) says:

 لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا

(There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.) (Al-Ahzab: 21)

Not equal are those believers remaining at home and the mujahideen, who strive and fight in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives. Likewise, the person who exerts effort in knowledge or work or in any interest that brings goodness to people or the adoption of society is not equal with the person who does nothing for the sake of people, so their degrees cannot be the same.