Refraining from jihad
أرسل تلك الرسالة التي استهلها بتجديد بيعته لأمير المؤمنين، لتبلغ كل القاعدين عن الجهاد، ممن رضي القعود تحت حكم الصليبيين والطواغيت، لينهضوا من سباتهم، وينصروا دينهم، وينجوا بأنفسهم من عذاب يوم القيامة
40:8
He sent that message, which he began by renewing his pledge of allegiance to the Emir of the Believers, to tell all those refraining from jihad, who are content to remain under the rule of the Crusaders and taghouts, to rise from their slumber and support their religion and save themselves from the torment of Judgment Day
The word قاعدين is frequently used in Al-Naba’ in opposition to مجاهدين to express those refraining from “getting up” and performing jihad, reflecting its use in the Quran in verses such as 4:95:
لا يَسْتَوِى ٱلْقَٰاعِدُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُوْلِى ٱلضَّرَرِ وَٱلْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ ۚ فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُجَٰاهِدِينَ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ عَلَى ٱلْقَٰاعِدِينَ دَرَجَةً ۚ وَكُلًّا وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ وَفَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُجَاهِدِينَ عَلَى ٱلْقَٰاعِدِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
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 word is sometimes used in disparaging wordplay to refer to Al-Qaida (تنظيم القاعدة) as “refrainers from jihad” (تنظيم القاعدين عن الجهاد) as in an example at 257:10 in the transcript of a speech by Islamic State spokesman Abu Hamza Al-Qurashi.
The issue of refraining from jihad is treated in some depth in Al-Naba’ in a three-part series of articles at 142:8, 143:9 and 144:9 titled الزواجر الربانية لتارك الجهاد والقاعد عنه من دون عذر شرعي or “The divine checks on those who abandon jihad or refrain from it without legitimate reason”, which opens by stating that there is no deed which Allah warns against neglecting more than jihad, nor metes out more punishments for on earth and in the afterlife. Similarly, a two-part article at 153:10 and 154:10 looks at the “excuses of the hypocrites for avoiding jihad”. Other articles on the same theme include one at 79:15, its title – إِلَّا تَنْفِرُوا يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا – (If you do not march forth, He will afflict you with a painful torment) taken from Quran 9:39, and another with the same title at 472:7.
A column from the “My Mujahid Brother” series at 115:10 looks at jihad, the dunya and penalties for refraining from jihad. Editorials at 90:3, 122:3, 303:3, 311:3, 339:3 and 468:3 are also dedicated to the topic.
An infographic at 324:12 on various aspects of jihad cites part of Quran 9:81 (not 9:18 as the page states) on those who refrain from jihad:
فَرِحَ ٱلْمُخَلَّفُونَ بِمَقْعَدِهِمْ خِلَـٰفَ رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَرِهُوٓا۟ أَن يُجَـٰهِدُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ
Those [hypocrites] who remained behind rejoiced for doing so in defiance of the Messenger of Allah and hated [the prospect of] striving with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allah
For more on jihad in Al-Naba’, see جهاد.