Occupied By Wisdom

Hadith

The Prophet declared, “We have returned from the lesser holy war (al jihad al-asghar) to the greater holy war (aljihad al-akbar).” They asked, “O Prophet of God, which is the greater war?” He replied, “Struggle against the lower self.”

This is an important Sufi tradition. Muhammad is said to have uttered [this Hadith] at the end of his life, after defeating the pagans and marching victoriously into Mecca. The ‘lesser jihad’ being finished, the Muslims could reorient their struggle inwardly against the lower self.

–Andrew Wilson, editor. World Scripture – a Comparative Anthology of Sacred Texts. Paragon House, 1991, p. 744 [Hadith].

Additional Hadiths

“Whoever of you sees something of which God disapproves, then let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart; and that is faith of the weakest kind.”

—World Scripture – a Comparative Anthology of Sacred Texts. Paragon House, 1991, p. 741 [40 Hadith of an-Nawawi 34].

“The most excellent jihad is the uttering of truth in the presence of an unjust ruler.”

— World Scripture – a Comparative Anthology of Sacred Texts. Paragon House, 1991, p. 734 [Hadith of Tirmidhi].

“The believer who participates in human life, exposing himself to its torments and suffering, is worth more than the one who distances himself from its suffering.”

— World Scripture – a Comparative Anthology of Sacred Texts. Paragon House, 1991, p. 691 [Hadith of Ibn Majah].