4883 Now comes out another motive behind the minds of the laggards. The journey for pilgrimage had no promise of war booty. If at any future time there should be a promise of booty they would come! But that is to reverse Allah's law and decree. Jihad is not for personal gain or booty: see S. 8 and Introduction to S. 8, paragraph 2. On the contrary Jihad is hard striving, in war and peace, in the Cause of Allah. 4884 Not thus: i.e., not on those terms; not if your object is only to gain booty. 4885 See
8:1, and n. 1179. 4886 The desert Arabs loved fighting and plunder, and understood such motives for war. The higher motives seemed to be beyond them. Like ignorant men they attributed petty motives or motives of jealousy if they were kept out of the vulgar circle of fighting for plunder. But they had to be schooled, and they were schooled to higher ideas of discipline, self-sacrifice, and striving hard for a Cause.